BLACKBURN ENGINEERING COMPANY PLANTS ITS VERY OWN APPLE ORCHARD

Blackburn based company Senator Engineering has planted its very own apple orchard, in land that it uses as a breakout area at its factory on Whitebirk Industrial Estate. Fifteen varieties of pollinating apples were planted by volunteers, for staff to enjoy, as well as increasing biodiversity at the site.

Senator Engineering is part of Accrington based furniture manufacturer The Senator Group, which has been committed to implementing projects that have a long term, positive impact on the community; for over 40 years.

This project, together with the planting of the 15,000 trees on land owned by the Mustoe family, plus the installation of three beehives at its site in Accrington, are all efforts to encourage ‘biodiversity.’ Put simply, that’s the different kinds of life in the area surrounding us – whether that be insects, animals, plants, or organisms such as fungi.

Apple trees shelter invertebrates such as spiders, as well as the birds that eat them. Their nectar and pollen feed bees, and buds feed bullfinches, deadwood supports beetles and their predators; and then there’s the abundant fruit that staff will be encouraged to take home to make pies, crumbles, and jams.

Each tree will hold a plaque, to commemorate someone special to the volunteers who helped to plant the orchard. Barry Cookson, who tragically lost his 21-year-old son Bradley to cancer this year said,

“I didn’t think it would ever be possible for me to have something at work that was personal to me, somewhere where I can maybe go when I’m feeling down. I chose a tree that looked like it had a few more leaves than the others, I’ve never planted a tree in my life, but I found it to be quite therapeutic and it was nice share the experience with the rest of the volunteers. It’s the little things that really get you through, knowing that people around you at work care is a massive help, letting me do something like that in memory of my son means so much.”

Senator Engineering plans to add honeybee hives to the area in the Spring and train its own team of beekeepers and honey harvesters.