This year’s Apple Day saw pupils from five Pembrokeshire primary schools harvest the fruits of a project aimed at fostering a deeper connection to our local food heritage.

This particularly tasty day of outdoor learning was served up on Thursday, October 5 by the Gwreiddiau/Roots project, which is funded by South Hook LNG and run in partnership by the Pembrokeshire Coast Charitable Trust and Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority.

The schools taking part were Johnston Community Primary School, Hook Community Primary School, St Francis Voluntary Aided Catholic Primary School, Gelliswick Church in Wales V C School and Neyland Community School.

During a day of exploring, tasting and creating at St Brides, pupils gained a better understanding of food production. They learnt about the different varieties of fruit growing in the sheltered walled garden and took part in a range of activities, including apple tasting and juicing, mini-beast hunting and creating mini-beasts of their own out of clay.

Director of the Pembrokeshire Coast Charitable Trust Katie Macro said: “Once again, our Apple Day at St Brides proved an invaluable outdoor learning experience for all those involved. As well as introducing students to the wonders of an apple orchard in autumn, the event provided an excellent opportunity for them to appreciate Pembrokeshire’s rich heritage in food production.

“While outdoor learning is perfect for expanding horizons and fostering creative minds, it also has the potential to sow the seeds of a lifelong love for nature – where children discover the world while becoming stewards of it.”

The following schools weren’t present on the day, but also took part in apple-related activities throughout that week: Coastlands Community Primary School, Milford Haven School and Milford Haven Community Primary School.

Commenting on the orchard visit as part of the wider Gwreiddiau/Roots project, South Hook LNG’s PR Manager, Mariam Dalziel said: “It’s wonderful to see Roots in action, giving children a valuable and interactive learning experience in a very special setting.”

Gwreiddiau/Roots is a partnership project that provides engaging outdoor learning sessions and aims to foster a better understanding of local food production and provide help to develop outdoor spaces. 

To find out more about the Gwreiddiau/Roots project or to discuss how the National Park Authority can help your school, contact Tom Bean via 07976 945245 or [email protected].

To find out more about the Pembrokeshire Coast Charitable Trust, visit www.pembrokeshirecoasttrust.wales.