Hounslow Council honours borough’s green heritage with Brentford Football Club
Hounslow Council has planted a new orchard at Robin Grove Park in Brentford, honouring the borough’s rich history of fruit-growing and reinforcing its commitment to green spaces and sustainability.
Last week, Brentford Football Club ambassador Marcus Gayle, alongside first-team players Ethan Pinnock and Mikkel Damsgaard, joined Councillor Salman Shaheen, Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Public Spaces, to plant 14 apple and pear trees at the park.
Orchards have long been an integral part of Hounslow’s landscape, providing food and green spaces for communities to enjoy. Until the early 20th century, the borough was a major supplier of fruit and vegetables to London. In recent years, Hounslow Council has been working to revive this legacy by planting 16 ‘little orchards’ in parks across the borough, using resilient, native apple, pear, and plum trees. These orchards not only enrich biodiversity but also foster community involvement by encouraging residents to take pride in their local green spaces.
Students from Brentford School for Girls played a key role in the planting, helping to establish two of the new trees. They were joined by representatives from Brentford FC, which funded the initiative, as well as the Mayor of Hounslow, Councillor Karen Smith, club mascot Buzz, and local community members. The planting was overseen by the Lampton Greenspace team, which will continue to care for the trees in the coming years.
The initiative aligns with Hounslow Council’s ‘Grow for the Future’ project, the UK’s first policy dedicated to transforming neglected spaces into orchards, community gardens, and allotments. The project partners with schools and community groups to bring sustainable food production and biodiversity to local areas, making healthy, homegrown food more accessible.
Councillor Salman Shaheen expressed his enthusiasm for the project, saying: “We’re proud to celebrate Hounslow’s latest orchard at Robin Grove Park, and I’d like to thank Brentford FC for their invaluable support. It was wonderful to see local school students actively involved in the planting, ensuring these trees have the best start in their new home. We hope these children will grow up watching the trees flourish, learning first-hand where their food comes from, and enjoying the free fruit available in Hounslow’s parks.”
James Beale, Sustainability Manager at Brentford FC, highlighted the club’s commitment to green initiatives, stating: “Nature plays a key role in our sustainability efforts. By creating and enhancing green spaces, we take small but meaningful steps toward improving our environment for both wildlife and our local communities. We’re grateful to Hounslow Council and all those who participated in making this orchard a reality, and we hope the community will enjoy and benefit from this space for years to come.”
In the face of climate challenges, increasing tree coverage remains a vital part of Hounslow Council’s strategy to reach net zero by 2030. Trees provide essential benefits, from cooling urban areas and absorbing carbon to managing excess rainfall and supporting native wildlife. The new orchard at Robin Grove Park stands as a symbol of sustainability, community collaboration, and the borough’s enduring green heritage.
