The Boarding Schools’ Association was created to champion boarding and promote boarding excellence, representing independent schools both nationally and internationally. As part of the Boarding Schools’ Association (BSA) golden jubilee, the Boarding Orchard was launched in 2014. Aiming to be the largest orchard by distance in the UK, the scheme involves schools joining the orchard by planting fruit trees in their grounds. Since its launch, schools across Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and England have joined the Boarding Orchard, with the scheme even going international, stretching as far afield as Switzerland and the USA!
Mr Robin Fletcher, National Director of the BSA, visited Shiplake College on 8 September 2015, in order to plant a tree in the grounds of the College and thus initiate the school into the Boarding Orchard. The chosen tree was a Mulberry tree, representing a ‘tree of knowledge’, and displaying Shiplake’s commitment to growth and caring for the environment. Shiplake became the 48th school to join the scheme, but took the proud accolade of the first school involved planting a Mulberry tree, breaking away from the tradition of apple!
Headmaster Gregg Davies, Deputy Head of Pastoral Mr Nick Brown and Head Groundsman Mr Richard Evans joined Mr Fletcher, along with Head of College Greg Cooke, Head Chapel Warden Dom Allen, Year 13 prefect Anna Davies, Monty Garner, James Smith and James Dallas, to join in with planting the tree and commemorating the special occasion. Mr Fletcher was incredibly impressed with the school grounds and the conduct of the pupils involved in planting the tree. Indeed, he commented that he was ‘delighted’ with Shiplake becoming a part of the scheme and ‘thrilled to have incorporated the College into the increasingly-popular initiative.’
And the orchard will not be the end; a cookbook is set to follow, once the trees have had a chance to flourish and bloom. The BSA will be visiting participating schools to collect different recipes that have been trialled using the fruits of the trees planted. This promises to be a delicious way to continue the scheme!
