Community Orchard Initiative Honored with King’s Award

Freely Fruity, an organization established by three friends with the goal of ensuring fruit accessibility for everyone, has been granted the King’s Award for volunteering. Over the last four years, Freely Fruity has been dedicated to establishing community orchards and assisting educational institutions and local communities in Berkshire with cultivating produce for consumption. The concept for Freely Fruity originated when friends Ryan Simpson, James Whittingham, and Matt Knight conceived the idea during a casual gathering at a pub. Mr. Knight commented on the recognition, stating: “It means that the work we’ve been doing for the past four years has been recognised on a national level and it helps us to continue what we’re doing already.” Initially, Freely Fruity intended to engage in guerrilla gardening. However, the initiative evolved during the initial Covid-19 lockdown, shifting its focus to cultivating fruit and vegetables on a parcel of land situated near Mr. Whittingham’s residence, adjacent to the M4 motorway in Berkshire. The King’s Award for Voluntary Service, established in 2022 as a successor to the Queen’s Awards, saw its inaugural recipients announced last year. This accolade represents the highest honor bestowed upon local volunteer organizations for their exceptional contributions to community service, holding a status comparable to an MBE. The recipients of this award are publicly disclosed annually on 14 November, coinciding with the King’s birthday. For updates, BBC Berkshire can be followed on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), or Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding the BBC’s policy on external linking is available.