Environment funding on offer to Lanarkshire groups

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Community groups across Lanarkshire are being invited to plant orchards in their area with the help of funding from nearby Scotmid branches.The retailer is giving away grants of up to £200 to buy fruit trees and bushes to plant in publicly-accessible areas to expand its nationwide community orchard campaign.

Officials say the ambition is “to have a community orchard close to every Scotmid store” – including each of its 24 shops in Lanarkshire.The Lanarkshire Live app is available to download now.

Get all the news from your area – as well as features, entertainment, sport and the latest on Lanarkshire’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic – straight to your fingertips, 24/7.The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories, and allows you to customise your page to the sections that matter most to you.Head to the App Store and never miss a beat in Lanarkshire - iOS - Android The community orchard campaign was launched earlier this year with 70 sites having been created to date – with the project also aiming to “encourage people to work together, increase physical activity and benefit the environment”.Scotmid communities manager Lynne Ogg said: “It’s been so encouraging watching communities come together to plant a whole host of fruit trees and bushes; some groups have already spotted their first fruit and we can’t wait to hear how good they taste. “This is a fun way to get together with your community and a really easy way to get outside and enjoy your local environment; we would love for more communities to benefit from this initiative.” Groups across Lanarkshire are being invited to apply for the funding, with the form being available online at environment;Scotmid has two branches in