Hundreds join in fruity fun at town’s apple day

The popular event once again took place at Chepstow Drill Hall, where many different varieties of apples were on display, and there were stalls, displays, arts and crafts and food.

Funded by the council, apple day gives residents in the local community the chance to sample the local fruit and buy it.

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Sion Richings, aged six, from Chepstow proudly displays his apple art

Demonstrations of apple pressing and cider making were given, and expert apple identifier Mike Porter from the Marches Apple Network was on hand with information about apple tree in your back garden.

Around half a tonne of apples and pears were sold, and there were lots of entries in the cookery competition – where contestants had to make a cake using apples as the key ingredient. The winner was Scott Perry with his apple and nut cake.

Paul Cleverley (right) from Chepstow prepares to juice his apples

Mulching apples before the juicing process

Hilary Crow, from St Arvans, attempted to peel an apple with the longest continuous strip of a peel and successfully beat last year’s record-holder by seven inches, making her peel an impressive 134 inches.

Ned Heywood, one of the organisers, said the day was an “all-round success”.

Hilary Crow from St Arvans attempts to peel an apple with the longest continuous strip of peel

Pressing apples to extract the juice

He added that the event is held in Chepstow due to its well-known orchard priory, and its white apple blossom in the spring because of the number of apple trees that grew there.

“10 years ago, the town council started planting orchids with Transition Chepstow, and there are now over 200," he said.

Ian Smout bags apples for sale

“It’s something very much encouraged by Monmouthshire County Council as part of their plan to assist in the climate emergency.”

Since the first Apple Day 11 years ago, Chepstow Town Council and Transition Chepstow have been developing community orchards around Chepstow.

Gwenny Mclannahan, aged nine, from Bulwark draws an apple

Residents can help themselves to the fruit and in 2018, these mini-orchards were linked by the Wildlife and Orchard Trail – a walk of up to six miles taking in the orchards and a section of the Wales Coast Path.

The day is organised near the end of October every autumn by Chepstow Town Council and Transition Chepstow.

Paul Cleverley from Chepstow with help from daughter Eva prepares to juice their apples

For more information about the day, visitfacebook.com/events/2564858906955430/