The climate and nature crises are having a major impact on young people, leading to mental health challenges for pupils, called ‘eco-anxiety’. Young people feel powerless to help tackle the climate crisis and are looking for ways to influence positive change for their future and for our planet. This campaign also improves many school grounds which are nature poor, providing access to nature for health and wellbeing, plus skills and inspiration for green careers and delicious fruit long-term.

Orchards and Hedgerows for Schools provides a practical way for young people to take environmental action by planting fruit trees and hedgerows to increase carbon capture, improve biodiversity and reduce air pollution in their school grounds. Young people and teachers in some of the UK’s most deprived and diverse communities are given a unique opportunity to connect with trees and nature, giving them the confidence and courage to share this connection with their school and wider community.