How we operate
Resilient Orchards Cornwall registered as a Community Interest Company in October 2021. We decided this would be the best set up to enable us to operate as a community focused, sustainable and ethically run business with the opportunity to develop sustainable livlihoods through paid work as agreed by Directors and members. In addition, this structure also enables us to access grants to deliver particular community projects. As we develop we hope to operate an Orchard Management Services team as a Worker’s Cooperative. We are guided by Cooperative principles in the way we work, are committed to being transparent and open and are happy to answer any questions you have.
Resilient Orchards Cornwall CIC is limited by guarantee and is a ‘not for profit’ company, this means that it does not operate for private profit. Any profit generated is used to grow and develop its aims.
Our community aims
a) Facilitate the provision of orchard management services for public and private orchard holders including propagating fruit trees;
b) Facilitate workshops, training and mentoring in orchard related skills;
c) Initiate projects that help communities to harvest, process and distribute local apple and fruit harvests;
d) Collaborate with others to celebrate, research and promote orchards and the benefits of local fruit growing, to bring communities together, harvest produce and improve access to local food for all; and
e) Support community-led development and management of wildlife friendly community orchards.
Community engagement
We promote and support increased community awareness, involvement and empowerment in the creation, maintenance and management of orchards and related skills. This we do via our various media and activities, and by networking with individuals, groups and projects, eg via the Cornwall Orchard Network.
Who you’ll be working with
We currently have three voluntary Directors:
Michelle Lawson
Mark Ellis
Sally Pyner
We pay our facilitators to deliver our orchard management services and skills training, but we rely on a lot of volunteer hours as we develop our work from both our Directors, our members and our fantastic volunteers.
Volunteers
In the past year we engaged with and empowered 142 volunteers who committed a total of 561 hours of volunteer time to help care for local community orchards and those run by community organisations. In doing so not only did they help support local orchards and the wildlife they contain, many also acquired new skills, engaged in practical outdoor work, creating lasting friendships with neighbours, supported local green spaces, and helped to celebrate and learn about our orchard heritage.
resilientorchardscornwall@gmail.com
07840136501
Useful Documents: Policies
Resilient Orchards Cornwall Articles of Association 2023