First Ever Living Memorial Orchard

Orchard Created As Living Memorial For Male Cancer

The UK’s only Plum Festival has joined forces with the male cancer charity Orchid to help them raise awareness of testicular cancer and how to detect it.

Together they are creating UK’s first-ever Living Memorial Orchard just outside Pershore, home to the Festival. Traditional varieties of plum trees to include Rivers Early Prolifics; Pershore Purples; Pershore Yellow Egg and Pershore Emblem; Heron and Czars will be planted in November in memory of those who have died from male cancers.

Each tree will cost £45 and this will include the tree itself, planting, tree guard and supports, ongoing maintenance and a plaque. People will also be able to visit their tree during the year. The orchard will be managed by Vale Landscape Heritage Trust, a charity dedicated to saving and managing threatened orchards and wetlands throughout the county.

Commenting on the Living Memory Orchard, Angela Tidmarsh, Plum Festival organiser, said: “The region has lost 80% of its orchards since World War 2. How wonderful to restore such a traditional part of our landscape in memory of loved ones. Not only do orchards look beautiful in blossom, the fruit produced will be sold to further support the work of both charities. They’re also a haven for wildlife and where appropriate sheep and cattle are grazed in them too.”

The Plum Festival takes place on August 29th - Bank Holiday Monday. Matt Wakefield, a testicular cancer survivor, will be sitting in a bath of plums on the day to get the message across to men about the importance of regularly checking for the disease. And the best place to do so is in the bath.

27th – 29th August – Pershore Plum Fayre Day and Farmer’s Market Pershore goes plum crazy with a host of events and entertainment including every shop turning their windows purple. Also the largest display of classic and vintage cars in the West Midlands.

Plum Alley will be open every Saturday throughout August selling everything plummy – from the fruit in its original state through to sausages and soap. The bells of Pershore Abbey have been ringing out a peal to welcome visitors to the town every weekend in August.