Pond for the orchard

 The Orchard Project and Froglife were keen that we enhance the orchard for wildlife by adding a pond. See The Orchard Project and Froglife here.

The plan was to create a small pond that would be part of the Blue Chain project which started in Spring 2024 and will continue for 3 years. 

With support from Eszter, Lewisham's Ecological Regeneration Manager, from Emily of Nature's Gym, and from Glendale managers, we agreed to locate the pond behind the orchard  to improve our developing wildlife area. Volunteers recently built a stag beetle loggery and there is a pile of felled trees from tree surgery last year. Together they form a clearing where previously it was a dense secondary woodland. 

Rose introduces the workday

The pond was built by a team of  ten hardworking volunteers on 20th March 2025, facilitated by Rose from Froglife and Lizzy from The Orchard Project. 

Lizzy planned this event to the last detail:  Underlay and pond liner had been purchased in advance.  The necessary tools were  provided. Sandwiches, snacks, hot and cold drinks arrived for lunch. 

Volunteers arrived. Everyone set to work to dig out the pond.

Work starts

Pond dug with shelving

Underlay and liner fitted carefully

The spoil dug out to make the pond was piled up to create a butterfly and bee bank, seeded with suitable wild flower seeds.

Butterfly and bee bank

What else? How to get water to fill the pond! There is no easily accessible water supply nearby but we overcame that problem thanks to support from a Glendale manager. (Glendale are the contractors who manage the park for Lewisham Council). 

We had arranged with a Glendale manager that a bowser of water would arrive when it was time to fill the pond. All went to plan. We will have to work out a water supply solution for the future.

Water supply to the pond

A final touch from volunteers was to roll a felled trunk down to the pond to create seating.

New seating for visitors to the pond

Some of the team

We were lucky with the weather, best described as wall-to-wall sunshine.

We received confirmation a few days later that our small pond will be part of the 100 London Blue Chain ponds project. 

Mayow Orchard picnic 14 July 2024

 After weeks of planning, scheming, emailing, designing posters, video meetings with our partner organisations, our team was ready for the picnic. This was the first  Friends of Mayow Park (FOMP) picnic and we chose  to locate in the orchard we planted in 2012.  We wanted other park users  to get to know this special place.

With fingers crossed that the weather would be warm and dry Yogi, Mike and Alona (not Viv as she was away on holiday)  met Rebel Kitchen (RK) and The Orchard Project (TOP) staff and volunteers to set up our stalls.

Yes! The weather turned out to be perfect for us.

RK brought their own gazebo and plenty of freebies to give away including their branded raw juices. With the picnic in mind they also brought plenty of picnic mats for our anticipated guests. The mats were a hit with our visitors.

TOP brought two apple peeling machines for the longest peel activity. They also brought two amazing face-painting and body painting artists.

FOMP’s orchard activities included  Yogi’s wonderful colours of nature art and a fruit tree hunt.

The Mayow Park croquet club joined us and offered an opportunity to have a go at croquet.

We wanted to give people a chance to spend time in our orchard and discover the diversity of our fruit trees while also having fun with RK’s Spin to Win game, face painting and nature art.

During the course of the afternoon more than 80 people joined us, some staying and some drifting through, as well as quite a few children and some with dogs.

Thanks also go to our loyal volunteers who came to help – Pippa posted photos on social media, Robert brought his family and Freda came with her dog Freddy.

The photos below with thanks to Kath from The Orchard Project

exploring the orchard

Team Orchard Project

Spin to win