Free fruit trees given to council tenants

20 April 2016

A council scheme to help people eat healthy food has seen fruit trees promised to council tenants in a free give-away.

Thirty people signed up to receive a free cherry or plum tree within just two hours after they were made available. The trees are dwarf trees suitable for balconies or small gardens and will be given to people within the coming weeks.

Angus Hunter, Community Forestry Officer at Sheffield City Council, explained: “We are giving 30 free fruit trees for council tenants to grow on their balconies or in gardens.

“Fruit trees are excellent for bees and will bring local wildlife to people’s gardens and balconies. It’s also fun to grow your own fruit and vegetables and can help people eat more healthily.”

Sheffield City Council helps fund healthy eating cooking classes and community allotments which people can use to grow their own fruit and vegetables.

Sheffield’s Director of Public Health, Greg Fell, added: “A healthy diet has a big impact on how well you feel. The old saying that an apple a day keeps the doctor away is certainly true, recent research has highlighted that fruit significantly reduces heart attack deaths.

“Healthy eating means reducing sugar and unhealthy fats and increasing the amount of fruit and vegetables you eat. Making healthy choices can have a big difference to how well you feel, as well as to waistlines.”

Sheffield City Council encourages healthy eating as part of its Community Wellbeing Programme. More information about the programme and details of healthy eating support is available at: www.sheffield.gov.uk/caresupport/health/community-wellbeing-programme

See www.nhs.uk/change4life for tips on how to make simple changes to your diet.

All free fruit trees have now been allocated to people and the offer is now closed.