Glasgow’s first full school orchard, in the grounds of Hampden School, reached completion last month with the planting of four plum trees and an apple tree.

The orchard is part of the city-wide Glasgow Children’s Orchard Project, which has been running for over a year.
Brian Sutherland, Community Liaison Officer with Glasgow City Council’s Culture and Leisure Services, told the LOCAL NEWS, ‘This is an ambitious project to plant a whole orchard, probably the first full orchard in Glasgow in 100 years. It’s been very exciting for the children, and in ten years’ time this orchard will look fantastic.’

The project was funded by the South West Area Committee, and planted with help from volunteers at Toryglen Gardening Club. The fruit trees are all indigenous Scottish varieties that will bear fruit unavailable in any supermarket.

Chair of the South West Area Committee and local Councillor, James Scanlon (pictured here) helped with the planting. He told the LOCAL NEWS, ‘I’m delighted to be here. I feel that the children will appreciate being able to see the fruits of their labour, and I genuinely feel that it brings a degree of ownership to the kids.’ 

Teacher Sheila Halford (pictured here with some of her pupils) added, ‘It’s absolutely excellent. It’s great that it’s here and that the children can give something back to the community. It’s a wonderful thing for the community in Toryglen.’