ILCHESTER-based award winning cheese brand Applewood marked 50 years of Somerset cheese production this week by planting a brand new 100-tree woodland with the help of pupils from a local primary school.


Applewood has been producing its signature smoke-flavoured cheddar in Ilchester, Somerset since 1965. To celebrate its 50th anniversary, this Tuesday 8th and Wednesday 9th December the company invited pupils from nearby Ilchester Primary School to its site to help plant 100 fruit trees and create the first Applewood Orchard.


Lisa Harrison, Brand Manager for Applewood, says: “Since the first Applewood Cheese was made here in 1965, Ilchester and the Somerset countryside have been right at the heart of the Applewood business. Without these beautiful surroundings, local ingredients and the people of Somerset, we couldn’t do what we do, so we’re launching The Applewood Orchard to give something back to the community.


“We worked with local experts HELLIS Tree Consultants to create the orchard, and invited the children from Ilchester Primary School to get involved and become part of our celebration of Applewood’s long and happy heritage, and the bright future ahead. That’s why we’re planting 100 trees: 50 to mark our first 50 wonderful years of Somerset cheese-making, and the rest to look forward to the next 50 years!”


Nick Heath, Head Teacher at Ilchester Community Primary School, adds: “Everyone here at the school has been delighted to have been part of this project, and we’re all looking forward to seeing the fruits of our labours! Not only has it been great fun, but planting The Applewood Orchard has given our pupils the chance to put their maths and science skills to use in a real-life situation, and is the ideal way to apply and understand all the hard work that takes place in the classroom.”


The Applewood Orchard is expected to bloom in the spring of 2016, and to bear fruit the following year. Pupils at Ilchester Community Primary School will help to look after the orchard as it grows and the orchard’s trees and fruit will form part of pupils’ science and cookery lessons.