An Edible Lasting Legacy
We had lots to celebrate in 2016 with Ireland’s Centenary Commemorations and also for the fact that we had reached 40 years in business! For this reason, we decided to do something a little extra special, so we teamed up with our friends at GIY Ireland to donate fruit trees which saw over 100 orchards simultaneously planted across the country on the 26th of November.
Schools, community groups and workplaces from across the country had the chance to apply for an ‘Orchard in an Hour’ pack. The free pack contained a selection of 5 apple, pear and plum trees and the aim was that at 11am on Saturday 26th November 2016 all of the 100 groups would plant their orchards simultaneously across Ireland. The first 100 communities that registered for ‘Orchard In An Hour’ received a delivery of an orchard pack.
Speaking at the time, Paul Giles, Commercial Director of SAP Landscapes said, “Having spent 40 years creating and sustaining landscapes, we are delighted to be able to mark this milestone in partnership with GIY. Society has become increasingly detached from our natural environment and ‘Orchard in an Hour’ is a great initiative to help root the value of nature back into our daily lives and one that we hope people will enjoy the fruits of for many years to come. SAP and GIY share a combined enthusiasm for growing, and we are also thrilled to be one of a number of companies that have supported GIY’s Grow Circle challenge and helped fund the construction of Grow HQ. The centre is a great benefit for inspiring and helping people to grow food.”
Orchard in an Hour was a nationwide success…
351 community groups across the island of Ireland applied for an Orchard In An Hour Pack. They were from Tidy Towns Groups, Residents Associations, Primary School, Crèches, GIY Groups, Community Gardens, Scout and Beaver Groups, Addiction Centres and Community Councils.
The orchard in an Hour initiative was featured in many publications nationwide and also received ‘Best Practice Case Study of the Month’ from CSR Hub, a communications initiative that promotes Corporate Social Responsibility and convened by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation.
“Working with the team at SAP Landscapes on the Oak Park project was a pleasure. They understood our vision from the get-go, and the knowledge and the expertise they brought to the project was immense in delivering this award-winning project”.
Cairn Homes