Free Apple Day Set To Return To West Cumbrian Village
A free community event celebrating apples, autumn produce and local sustainability is set to return to the West Cumbrian village of Lorton next month.
The third annual Apple Day will be held at Lorton Primary School on Saturday, October 3, bringing together families and residents for a range of seasonal activities. The event is designed to celebrate local produce while encouraging people of different ages to take part in practical and creative activities.
Visitors are invited to bring clean apples that are free from rot to be pressed into juice during the event. Those taking part are also encouraged to bring suitable containers so they can take their freshly produced juice home with them.
The event will also provide an opportunity for people to learn more about the apples growing in their local area. Anyone interested in identifying a particular variety can bring three apples together with leaves from the same tree for experts to examine.
The North Cumbria Orchard Group will also attend the event, giving visitors the chance to purchase locally produced juice and cider. Its involvement will add another element to the day’s focus on orchards, seasonal produce and traditional uses for locally grown fruit.
Alongside the apple-related activities, visitors will be able to take part in creative workshops. Drop-in sessions will allow participants to design and print their own tote bags or tea towels using hand-carved printing blocks.
The programme is intended to provide activities suitable for a broad range of ages, making the event an opportunity for families to spend time together while learning about local food and sustainable practices. Organisers are also encouraging people who may not have attended previous Apple Day events to come along and get involved.
Information about a new forest school group launching from Lorton Primary School this autumn will also be available. The Little Twiglets team will be present between noon and 2pm to introduce families to the new group and provide more information about its activities.
The event has been organised by Zindzi Cresswell in partnership with Friends of Lorton School. Other organisations involved include the Orchard Project and The Melbreak Communities, helping to bring together different parts of the local community.
Organisers say the annual event has become increasingly popular since it was first held. Its return reflects a continuing interest in community activities that combine local food, environmental awareness, creativity and opportunities for families to participate together.
The focus on apple pressing and identification also gives the event a practical connection with local orchards and traditional seasonal activities. Visitors can learn more about the fruit growing around them while making use of produce that might otherwise go to waste.
Apple Day will be open from 10am until 2pm, giving visitors four hours to take part in the activities and explore what is on offer. With the event being free to attend, organisers are hoping it will attract residents from Lorton and surrounding communities.
Zindzi Cresswell said the event is now in its third year and has continued to grow in popularity. She described it as a way of promoting sustainability at a local level while involving people across the community and encouraging participation from different generations.
Everyone is welcome to attend the event at Lorton Primary School, with families able to choose from the various activities taking place throughout the day. The combination of apple pressing, produce, creative workshops and information about the new forest school group is expected to provide a varied programme for visitors.
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