Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation (IFCF) has announced a new partnership with The Orchard Project, the UK’s only national charity dedicated solely to creating, maintaining and celebrating community orchards.
Launching in 2026, the collaboration aims to connect children and young people with nature, improve access to green spaces in deprived areas and support healthier, more resilient communities.
IFCF has committed to a three-year partnership, co-funding the creation of community orchards across the UK. The initiative begins with a £50,000 investment in its first year, supporting orchard planting in London, Swansea and Glasgow.
The first three orchard sites will be located at Stoneyfields Park in Edgware, St David’s Catholic Primary School in Swansea, and Calder Street Greenspace in Glasgow. Once established, the orchards will provide access to fresh fruit, boost biodiversity and create shared community spaces where they are needed most.
Alongside orchard creation, the partnership will also support The Orchard Project’s pioneering schools programme, designed to nurture the next generation of orchard leaders. Working with schools across the UK, the programme creates outdoor learning environments, teaches practical orchard skills and helps young people connect with nature and understand the food system.
Lord Richard Walker, Executive Chairman of Iceland Foods and Chairman of the Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation, said:
“Our new partnership with The Orchard Project reflects our shared commitment to creating greener, healthier communities as part of IFCF’s sustainability initiatives.
“Community orchards transform lives as much as landscapes. They create opportunities for people to connect with nature, learn and thrive. By supporting projects like this, we’re doing it right for people and the planet, and we hope to inspire others to explore how they can make a positive impact too.”
Kath Rose, CEO of The Orchard Project, added:
“Community orchards offer local, inclusive and long-term solutions to the social and environmental challenges we face. By equipping urban communities with the skills and resources to steward green spaces, we are strengthening food security, enhancing biodiversity and building social infrastructure that supports wellbeing and resilience.
“With IFCF’s support, we will be able to bring orchards into more communities across the UK and help nurture the next generation of orchardists.”
Community orchards are typically located in publicly accessible spaces such as parks, housing estates, schools and community centres. They deliver a wide range of environmental benefits, including capturing carbon, improving air quality, reducing flood risk and supporting biodiversity.
Beyond their environmental impact, community orchards help strengthen communities, reduce social isolation and promote inclusivity by bringing people together around nature. For children and young people, they can also act as outdoor classrooms, increasing awareness of the food system and helping to ease eco-anxiety.
For more information about The Orchard Project, visit: https://www.theorchardproject.org.uk/
