Bid to be apprentice team of the year

A team of apprentices from Plymouth City Council have launched their bid to become apprenticeship team of the year.

Over the next six months they will be developing a community orchard near Lakeside Drive in Plymouth.

This bid is part of the Brathay Apprentice Challenge, the official search for the apprentice team of the year supported by the national apprenticeship service.

To win the Brathay Apprentice Challenge 2015, the team will compete in a series of work-related challenges which aim to benefit local communities, raise the profile of apprenticeships and raise money for charity.

During the challenge they will have to demonstrate and prove their teambuilding, leadership, logistical and communication abilities.

The Orchard projects that they have selected will also provide a sustainable green resource for one of the largest underutilised green spaces in Plymouth.

Plymouth City Council Leader Tudor Evans said “the beauty of this orchard project is that it helps us to deliver three of our important pledges: supporting our apprentices, making use of unused land to grow crops which will benefit the community and growing our reputation for volunteering. I am fully supportive of our apprentices and wish them every success with this year’s challenge.”

Once complete the orchard will consist of 25 local variety of heritage fruit trees that will not only provide a supply of free fresh fruit for the communities around Lakeside Drive, but also a new habitat and food for Bees & hedgehogs.