The Chair provides overall leadership to the Steering Group and ensures the project progresses in line with its agreed vision and objectives.

Responsibilities include:

• Chairing steering group meetings and ensuring they run effectively
• Providing overall coordination of the project and helping prioritise activities
• Acting as a key contact for the Parish Council and other stakeholders
• Supporting other steering group members in their roles
• Helping resolve issues and ensuring decisions are implemented
• Representing the project publicly where appropriate

The Chair ensures the group remains collaborative, focused and accountable.

The Treasurer oversees the financial management of the project and ensures funds are managed transparently and responsibly.

Responsibilities include:

• Maintaining records of income and expenditure
• Monitoring the project budget
• Reporting on finances at steering group meetings
• Supporting grant applications by providing financial information
• Liaising with the Parish Council if funds are held on their behalf
• Ensuring appropriate financial controls are in place

The Treasurer helps ensure the long-term financial sustainability of the project.

The Secretary supports the organisation and administration of the Steering Group.

Responsibilities include:

• Organising steering group meetings
• Preparing and circulating meeting agendas
• Recording meeting minutes and key decisions
• Maintaining key project documents
• Coordinating communication within the steering group
• Tracking agreed actions and ensuring follow-up

The Secretary helps ensure the group operates efficiently and transparently.

The Orchard Lead is responsible for planning, establishing and maintaining the orchard to ensure it is healthy, productive and sustainable over the long term.
Responsibilities include:

• Advising on orchard design, including tree varieties, layout and spacing
• Supporting selection of appropriate rootstocks and species suited to the site
• Coordinating planting of trees with volunteers
• Developing a simple orchard management plan (watering, mulching, pruning, replacement)
• Leading or organising seasonal orchard activities (e.g. pruning days, harvesting)
• Working closely with the Ecology Lead to ensure the orchard supports biodiversity
• Supporting the Volunteer Lead in organising orchard-related workdays
• Helping identify opportunities for expansion over time

The Ecology Lead provides guidance on biodiversity and conservation to ensure the site is developed in an environmentally responsible way. 

Responsibilities include:

• Advising the steering group on ecological considerations
• Supporting habitat enhancement and biodiversity initiatives
• Liaising with local wildlife organisations or experts where appropriate
• Ensuring planned activities protect wildlife and sensitive habitats
• Helping develop a nature-focused management approach for the site

The Ecology Lead helps ensure the site supports wildlife and ecological resilience. There may also be an opportunity to help shape and guide specific aspects of the site’s ecology. This could include the conservation and enhancement of habitats for birds, pollinators, and other wildlife, the restoration and ongoing management of ponds, and the protection and care of existing trees and hedgerows, alongside the planting of new trees and orchard areas to support wildlife and long-term resilience. Contact us with your ideas!

The Grant Application Lead focuses specifically on identifying and applying for grant funding.

Responsibilities include:

• Researching relevant grants and funding opportunities
• Preparing and submitting grant applications
• Coordinating required supporting information from the steering group
• Working with the Communications Lead to write and design applications
• Monitoring grant deadlines and reporting requirements
• Liaising with funders where necessary

The Grant Application Lead plays a key role in securing funding to support project development.

The Fundraising Lead identifies and develops opportunities to raise funds to support the project.

Responsibilities include:

• Identifying potential fundraising opportunities
• Coordinating local fundraising activities and events
• Working with the Grant Application Lead on funding opportunities
• Encouraging community donations and sponsorship
• Working with the Communications Lead to promote activities
• Supporting the development of a long-term funding strategy

The Fundraising Lead helps ensure the project can grow and develop sustainably.

The Communications Lead manages how information about the project is shared with the community and ensures that personal data is handled appropriately.

Responsibilities include:

• Managing project communications, including website updates, newsletters and social media
• Supporting community engagement and public awareness
• Managing mailing lists and community contact information
• Ensuring personal data collected through surveys, volunteer sign-ups or mailing lists is handled responsibly and in line with data protection principles
• Ensuring individuals’ data is only used for appropriate project-related communications
• Supporting the Steering Group with any content or design requirements

This role helps ensure the project communicates effectively while respecting privacy and data protection requirements.

The Educational Lead develops opportunities for learning, engagement and participation by working with local schools, nurseries and community groups to connect people with the site.

Responsibilities include:

• Building relationships with local organisations such as nurseries, primary schools, Scouts and other community groups
• Developing simple, accessible educational activities linked to the site (e.g. planting, wildlife observation, seasonal events)
• Supporting visits to the site and helping ensure they are safe, organised and enjoyable
• Working with the Ecology Lead to ensure activities are environmentally appropriate and educationally meaningful
• Identifying opportunities to link activities to the curriculum or learning outcomes where appropriate
• Encouraging ongoing engagement, such as regular visits or “adopt a tree” initiatives
• Supporting community events that have an educational or family focus
• Helping communicate the value of the site as a learning resource for the wider community

The Volunteer Lead coordinates community involvement in the project and helps organise practical activities on the site.

Responsibilities include:

• Recruiting and coordinating volunteers
• Organising volunteer workdays and practical activities
• Working with the Communications Lead to recruit and promote volunteering activities
• Ensuring volunteers are welcomed, supported and informed
• Liaising with the Ecology Lead to ensure activities are appropriate for the site
• Ensuring basic safety considerations are followed during volunteer activities

The Volunteer Lead helps build community engagement and participation.

The Events Lead focuses specifically on scheduling seasonal events and activities.

Responsibilities include:

• Researching and planning a calendar of events through the year
• Identifying relevant national and worldwide campaigns – natural environment & fruit
• Working with fundraising and communications leads to promote events 
• Organising a mixture of events that may appeal to a broad spectrum of people
• Setting up a series of regular, recurring events 
• Ensuring safe delivery of events by assessing and mitigating risks 
• Ensuring safeguarding during events, eg. DBS checks and access to welfare facilities
• Surveying feedback from event attendance and implementing continuous improvement