Apple Day has been running across the UK since 1991 and was initiated by the charity Common Ground to promote the cultural, economic and biodiversity value of orchards and to raise awareness of the loss of traditional apple varieties grown across the UK.

The national school grounds charity, Grounds for Learning, is supporting ten primary and secondary schools in five different local authorities across Scotland to engage with Scotland’s rich orchard heritage and undertake research into this valuable, and protected, wildlife habitat. As part of the project all the schools have planted their own orchard within the school grounds, each planting ten Scottish heritage varieties in a design created by the children and with support from staff and parents.

During Apple Day the children at Dunipace Primary were involved in all sorts of apple related activities and each class was supported by professional storyteller, Allison Galbraith, who focused on bringing the orchard to life through drama and song.

Commenting on the project Miss Robina McAnish, Headteacher from Dunipace Primary, said: “the children have worked hard on this project and really enjoyed planting their first five trees in March. Apple Day will be a fun way of celebrating everything we have achieved so far and will give us all a chance to look forward to the second year of the project when we hope to undertake lots of exciting activities around the biodiversity our orchard habitat supports.”

Colin McLean, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund Scotland, said: “Our natural heritage offers a rich resource for education and it is wonderful to see it being used at Dunipace in such an innovative way. It is providing powerful and memorable experiences for the children, making learning fun and opening their eyes to the importance of our orchards and apples.”

The school orchard project is being supported by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund, The Robertson Trust and is part financed by the Scottish Government and the European Community Forth Valley and Lomond LEADER 2007-2013 Programme.

Notes to editors

'The Forth Valley and Lomond LEADER programme supports community led rural development projects which help to Revitalise Communities and Conserve the Rural Environment within the rural areas of Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and Stirling. Visit the Forth Valley and Lomond LEADER website.

Learning through Landscapes, known in Scotland as Grounds for Learning, is the national school grounds charity that makes it possible for children and young people to be able to enjoy the many unique opportunities and experiences that well designed, managed and used school grounds can provide.  Established in 1990 the charity brings children into contact with the natural world in their crucial formative years; advances their rights to enjoy and benefit from their school grounds; provides advice and support on all aspects of school grounds development and use; and runs a number of programmes for school communities throughout the country.  For more information visit the Grounds for Learning website.

Further information

Steve Moizer, Development Officer with Grounds for Learning on 01259 220 887 or email smoizer@ltl.org.uk