Author: Jasmin Gardner

Green-fingered Farmhill and Paganhill residents celebrated after harvesting the first apple from their community mini orchard. And what a whopper it was!

“I’ve never seen an eating apple this size before,” said Jaqui Smith, Chair of the Paganhill Community Group. “The apple trees were grown by Day’s Cottage, donated by Stroud Valleys Project, Stroud Town Council’s green team helped us to plant them and our community garden project members have been tending the young saplings.

“The harvest this first year was only one, huge, apple, but there will be more in the future on the five apple trees planted last year.”

Paganhill Community Group has brought people living in Farmhill and Paganhill together as good neighbours to support each other, particularly during the Covid crisis, collecting prescriptions and shopping for people self-isolating.

It also launched the successful Bus Stop Free Shop, opposite the Anti-Slavery Arch in Farmhill Lane. Surplus food from local supermarkets, fresh vegetables grown in the community garden, books and children’s toys were shared freely among locals in need during the summer and early Autumn of 2020.

Now we share good food with good neighbours at The Octagon Community Hub, Farmhill Lane, GL5 4BX.