An Islington organisation has been given Lottery cash to restore orchards to their former glory.

The Heritage Lottery Fund has given a �50,000 grant to the London Orchard Project in York Way, Islington.

Volunteers from the group will now restore dozens of orchards in the capital and stage various community activities.

Around 150 people will be trained up in orchard restoration and management and a further 200 in fruit tree maintenance at a series of skills workshops.

Special events including traditional juicing and fruit preserving and even cider making workshops will be held along with fruit exhibitions of native London varieties. Around 18 hectares of land in London where orchards once stood has been identified.

Carina Millstone, from the London Orchard Project, said: “Over the coming months, we will be calling on people to help us identify and restore orchards in their local area, so drop us a line at heritage@thelondonorchardproject.org if you would like to be kept updated and get involved.”