Brighton Permaculture Trust (BPT) is a registered charity based in Sussex that promotes greener lifestyles, the protection of the environment, and sustainable development across socially and economically disadvantaged communities. As explained by Bryn Thomas, the director of BPT, the Trust carries out these objectives in three main ways:
- Hosting courses and events
- Working with schools
- Scrumped in Sussex project, a project focused on using fruit that might go to waste and turning it into juice, jam and chutneys.
The Trust is run by an experienced team of volunteers and permaculturists, as well as being supported by a management group and trustees, and is funded by course/event fees, grants and donations.
BPT’s work surrounding orchards and fruit has been particularly successful, and the Trust is involved in a number of initiatives to encourage growing, harvesting and eating local fruit across Sussex. Not only does BPT’s work on planting orchards help bring about sustainable development and enhancement of community environments, it also demonstrates the surprising range of places that can be considered and used for growing fruit. BPT have worked with primary schools in small villages, such as Clymping in West Sussex, as well as larger secondary schools in Brighton. They have worked on small community gardens in places including London Road Station, and larger community orchards on estates like Hollingdean and Bevingdean.
So, what actually happens with the trees?
BPT have established a simple but effective, zero-waste model. After a community or school orchard has been planted, it’s up to those involved to do what they want with the trees. They can pick and eat the fruit to their hearts’ content. Once the trees develop and get bigger, BPT can step in and scrump whatever fruit may go to waste.
The scrumping takes place in the ‘Fruit Factory’, a hub for BPT based in Stanmer Park. The Fruit Factory was built in 2015 from an old straw bale barn and has since developed so that it can process as much as 40 tons of fruit a year (which is more than 250,000 apples!). BPT also use the factory as a space to teach courses, host events and sell their scrumping products.
BPT’s current focus is planting orchards in disadvantaged areas and Worthing. They have plans to plant around 200 trees in each new orchard, planting in schools in Woodingdean and Horsham, community gardens and Hove Community Field (a green space between Cardinal Newman School and BHASVIC). BPT also have some exciting upcoming plans for the winter, planting more trees from East Brighton Park to Happy Valley in Woodingdean.
If you have some time on your hands, why not volunteer and get involved in Brighton Permaculture Trust? BPT welcome anyone interested in permaculture, sustainable living, or growing fruit and offer a number of ways for people to help out with their projects. You might end up scrumping some waste fruit or working on their plot at Stanmer Park and as stated by Bryn, there is nothing like picking and eating your own grown fruit!
If you’d like to find out more, BPT are running an apple planting day at Stanmer Park this Sunday.
