Alton Climate Action Network (ACAN) played its biggest part yet in Petersfield Climate Action Network’s A Fruit Tree in Every Garden project on February 22.

Working in partnership with Alton Men’s Shed, which stored the trees at its premises and helped out on the day, its team of 12 volunteers gave out more than 420 trees.

Over the three years of the project running in Alton, in excess of 750 trees have been planted in the town and surrounding villages.

Jenny Griffiths from ACAN said: “Having fruit trees in the garden means that families can enjoy fresh, organic fruit without plastic packaging. Children love watching the fruit grow and being able to pick it when it’s ripe. Plus fruit trees are brilliant for wildlife, giving birds and bees a place to feed and nest.”

In total 1,200 fruit trees were distributed via the Petersfield Climate Action Network (PeCAN) scheme this season. This means that over the five years the project has been running, PeCAN and its collaborators have distributed more than 3,000 fruit trees to gardens in East Hampshire.

Sarah Gulliford, chair of the Alton Climate Action Network, and Gordon Anderson, chair of Alton Men's Shed, with bird boxes, February 22nd 2025.
Sarah Gulliford, chair of the Alton Climate Action Network, and Gordon Anderson, chair of Alton Men's Shed, with bird boxes (Alton Climate Action Network)

The aim of the project is to encourage more people to plant trees, which locks up carbon from the atmosphere and has a legacy of increased biodiversity, wildlife protection, shade provision and flood mitigation, helping to make the environment more resilient to climate challenges in the future.

Also involved in the project are Petersfield Community Garden, East Hampshire District Council, Petersfield Town Council and Rowlands Castle Gardening Club. It is funded by the government through the UK Shared Development Fund.

People can register their interest in fruit trees on the PeCAN website to receive notifications about the project next winter at https://petersfieldcan.org/projects/nature-recovery/trees

For more information about the work of ACAN visit www.altonclimatenetwork.org.uk

Tree Festival 2025.
Taking a closer look at the Tree Festival 2025 (Photo: Tina Knowles Photography) (Tina Knowles Photography)
Pear and crab apple trees ready for collection at Alton Men's Shed, February 22nd 2025.
Pear and crab apple trees ready for collection at Alton Men's Shed (Alton Climate Action Network)