How different can one apple taste from another? Visitors to Apple Day at Chinbrook Meadows had the chance to find out on Saturday 19 September, as families and neighbours gathered in the orchard for an afternoon of tasting, juicing and discovery.
Organised by the Friends of Chinbrook Meadows and Chinbrook Community Orchard, the event ran from 1.30–4pm and welcomed Councillor Suzannah Clarke and our own GPCG Chair Al Walter, (in the photo bellow, next to Grove Park Carnival’s organiser Frog). Visitors compared apple varieties, exploring their different shapes, scents and flavours, sampled juice and bought cakes.
The organisers reported that drought and hungry parakeets had left the park orchard without ripe apples for the event. Apples supplied from the community orchard within Chinbrook allotments and Brogdale Collections ensured there was still plenty to try. Varieties included the wonderfully named Pitmaston Pineapple and Bloody Ploughman, offering a reminder of the diversity beyond the supermarket shelves.
There was plenty to discover beyond the fruit. Lisa and Nigel Ashby, Jacky McPherson and Alan Wood from the Quekett Microscopical Club brought microscopes and specimens for families to examine. Their outreach activities offered a closer look at the small creatures and natural details that can easily escape our notice.
Clay at The Ringway also invited children to make insects from clay, bringing another creative way to explore nature.
Apple pressing, apple hooking and family activities kept visitors busy, while Lewisham Cyclists provided Dr Bike checks and advice. The park café supplied sandwiches, cakes and hot and cold drinks, giving people an opportunity to pause and chat.
Grove Park Carnival and Dog Show volunteers were also well represented, seeking community support to help their annual event continue. If you enjoy these local occasions, offering a little time or practical help is one way to support the people who make them happen.
Apple Day began in 1990 through Common Ground and has grown into a celebration of apples, orchards and local distinctiveness. At Chinbrook Meadows, it was also a celebration of the neighbours, volunteers and organisations who care for this shared space.
To learn about future events or volunteering, visit the Friends of Chinbrook Meadows website.
