People gardening

Our July climate heroes

Good Food team

Published: July 16, 2025 at 12:41 PM

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Hear from Rob Tilling, founder of a charity uniting people to care for fruit trees and edible plants across three vibrant neighbourhoods in Birmingham

Growing edible landscapes to build community and bring joy

I’ve been involved in community food-growing initiatives in Birmingham for more than 20 years. Fruit & Nut Village emerged as a collaboration of two projects in 2018. Our aim is to develop a series of neighbourhood-based networks of perennial food- growing spaces across the city. We build community by working together, and spread practical skills as volunteers plant, prune, mulch and weed.

Rob stood in garden

We now have more than 50 sites – established and newly created orchards, some planted with historic fruit varieties; nut groves; forest gardens – in Stirchley, Druids Heath and Balsall Heath. With a new phase of Lottery funding this year, we’ve taken on four people in permanent positions and hope to extend to two more neighbourhoods. Our work tackles climate change in a far-reaching way – trees sequester carbon in their tissues and in the soil as well. We have fantastic local and national partners, including waste food project Incredible Surplus, which has given us space to work on and shares resources. Too many urban spaces lack trees. Ten of our longest established trees produce 10,000 apples between them. Imagine the yield if there was a fruit tree for everyone in Birmingham! People feel connected to each other as well as the local open spaces when we work together, and we bring people together from different communities and even new migrants from around the world.

In some parts of Birmingham, people are generally negative about where they live. It would be good to get people feeling positive about their areas and envisaging the legacy they will leave, which they will do if they are planting trees.

Group of gardeners

Why neighbourhood-based food growing is so fruitful

It's powerful to learn through doing. Fruit & Nut Village volunteers come together to share their knowledge and gain from other people's knowledge. Planting trees and caring for them leaves a legacy for generations to come and is also a terrific boost to your mental and physical health.
We're pushing back against the commodification of modern living. People can engage on any level – they might stop to watch what's going on and have a chat while walking the dog. We hold community events three times a year: Halloween, a wassail in January and storytelling at summer solstice.
We need more politicians to speak out, see the potential for and normalise regenerative food growing and nature activities. Bristol and parts of London are setting amazing examples – it feels like Birmingham is just catching up.

For more information

For more information on Fruit & Nut Village, visit fruitandnutvillage.org.uk or facebook.com/fruitnutvillage
Find out more about Birmingham’s green projects at incrediblesurplus.org and facebook.com/retrofitbalsallheath

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