Fruity Award for Green Group

A project to give fruit trees to householders in South Bradford has received a boost from a regional energy company.

The Forest of Bradford group has received £1,050 to enable it to provide trees to 100 homes from Northern Green Networks, the green funding body run by gas pipeline owner Northern Gas Networks.

The tree-planting initiative is being run by the Forest group, part of Bradford Environment Action Trust (BEAT), and the South Bradford Area Housing Trust to encourage property owners to care for trees and to grow their own fruit. Homes in the Wibsey, Odsal and Wyke areas are to benefit from the tree-planting in the Spring.

Scheme organiser Ian Butterfield said: "The Forest of Bradford is a community woodland project working to increase the tree and woodland cover within the district. Currently the level of cover is 4.5% and we aim to increase that to around 7% by planting new native woodland. Fruit trees, apple, pear and cherry will get us started."

Volunteers from BEAT, some undertaking NVQ awards, will help with the tree planting.

The cash was handed over by Dave Hutchison, Head of Health, Safety & Environment at the gas company. "Northern Green Networks was designed last year to deliver relatively small amounts of financial support for locally based grassroots environmental groups and projects. Growing fruit trees is certainly an initiative which we were keen to support."

Forest of Bradford is one of 15 groups sharing a total prize fund of £50,000. It is the fifth organisation in the Bradford area to receive an award.

Dave Hutchison, left, of Northern Green Networks, with Pauline Bowen finance manager at Bradford Environmental Action Trust, get fruity over tree planting in South Bradford.