Supporters of Yorkley Village Garden got the new year underway with a tree planting session.

The community project was set up a year ago on an acre of land and operates under licence from Forestry England.

Trees including hazel, figs, quince, medler, mulberry, plum, pear, damson, cox apple, walnut and maple were donated by Gloucestershire County Council and Forestry England.

The village garden is sited close to Yorkley Community Centre.

Volunteer Duncan Hayes said: “We’ve been going for about a year and its amazing what has been achieved.

“We are a small organisation that aims to share knowledge, tools and space in order to grow organic fruit and veg but also grow as a community and connect with nature.

“We are fully organic and it is important we play a natural role in the space around us.

“We want to enhance biodiversity and make a positive difference in the world around us and be part of the change we want to see.

“It’s an example of living sustainably, enhancing biodiversity, increasing community resilience and have a good laugh at the same time.

“No dig is a big part of it which is widely used by organic veg growers.

“The idea is you don’t disturb the soil and the life beneath the soil.”

Organic matter such as cardboard, straw, hay and manure is laid down and forms a bed.

The first vegetables have now gone into the beds.

The garden grew out of the Village Veg scheme developed by West Dean parish councillors Jackie Dale and Alison Bruce.

Jackie explained: “Alison and I set up Village Veg just before lockdown and the plan was to help people grow their own veg in their own gardens.

“It was great in lockdown and people really valued that connection but when they went back to work, people realised they didn’t have time in their own gardens

“There was an appetite for growing food so we thought how about trying to find some land?

“People can pop into Yorkley Village Garden when they’ve got some time.

“Anybody can join in and grow some food and then take some food from the garden.”

She also thanked West Dean Parish Council for its help with the licensing agreement which means they pay a peppercorn rent for the land.

The garden will continue to develop with plans for polytunnels, a pond and education on the site.

Volunteers are looking at how to get water on the site and 50 more trees will be planted this year.

The project is looking for donations of old tools and manure.

For more information see the Yorkley Village Garden page on Facebook.