Twelve fruit trees have been planted in Cwmbran’s Oakfield Gardens, each dedicated to different groups of people.
The area has been named, Emily’s Orchard, after Emily Clark, the Cwmbran teenager who passed away from cancer in 2016 at the age of 18. Her mum Donna Dunn approached the Llarcs Community Group, the volunteers who run regular events to improve the gardens, with an idea to create an orchard for people to visit and reflect. This has led to each of the trees being planted last Sunday to remember:
- Stroke survivors
- Cancer patients
- Bereaved parents
- Those bereaved by suicide
- Children with diabetes
- Community volunteers
- Families impacted by Alzheimer’s and dementia
- Armed forces
- Emergency services
- Grandparents
- Children and young people
- Musicians
Scroll down to read information about who planted each tree and its meaning
Donna Dunn said: “This was a great opportunity to give back to the community that supported us during the dark and difficult days. Its location is at the heart of our community. Emily is the heart of Remission Possible and everything we do in her memory. This project was nicknamed Emily’s Orchard. Today it becomes everyone’s orchard.”
A spokesperson for Llarcs said: “When Donna approached Llarcs with a suggestion of working together we had no idea that such a wonderful project would be born out of a lovely chat in the sunshine one morning in Oakfield Flower Gardens. We are privileged to be able to assist in planting an orchard in the gardens not only in Emily’s name, but as with many of Remission Possible’s projects, encompassing many individuals within our community. We thoroughly enjoyed handing over of the Orchard to the community, enveloped by the sunshine and music from Cwmbran Tenovus choir, and look forward to watching the orchard develop and fruit used by all for many years to come.”
Read information about each tree and who planted it
