One of our finest orchard mentors, Alona Sheridan, has been shortlisted for the Mayor of London’s prestigious Volunteering Awards. This is for her outstanding work in supporting London’s environment. A skilled orchardist, Alona supports multiple community orchards across the capital. In particular, she has done a lot of work in Mayow Park, Sydenham. Here, she brought together a wide range of local people to plant and maintain a thriving orchard. She organises workshops and community celebrations, giving hundreds or hours of her time to the project.
Her passion and commitment to community food growing has led her beyond Mayow Park. She helps groups develop their skills in planting, pruning and aftercare. She also actively promotes environmental initiatives such as London National Park City project. Alona is a wonderful example of a volunteer because she gives incredibly generously of her time, and asks for nothing in return. We find her incredibly inspiring.
Details of the award are here: https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/volunteering/support-third-sector-organisations/mayor-londons-volunteering-awards