‘Well, I was kind of presuming you’d be joining the committee,’ Alice replied.
‘Well maybe so, but what about the rest of us? You’ve got everyone all worked up and raring to go. We need a project. Something to keep momentum going in the meantime, so we can see that progress is being made.’
‘She’s right.’ Caris Smith spoke up for the first time. ‘Otherwise everyone’ll just find something else to bicker about.’
‘Okay.’ Alice looked at the agenda in her hand, as if that would be able to provide an answer. ‘Like what?’
While everyone stood there trying to come up with precisely what, Daniel cleared his throat loudly enough to have all heads swivel over to where he leant against the wall.
‘I have a suggestion.’
Alice’s face lit up.
‘Well, come on up to the front then so we can all hear you!’ Caris Smith said, sitting up straighter in her garden chair.
Daniel went to join Alice. ‘We need a project that the whole village can get involved with. Preferably something on neutral territory that can start right away, and ideally help raise funds for the bridge.’
‘Well, yes, we all knew that already!’ a woman at the back tutted. ‘What we need to know is what that’s going to be.’
‘A community orchard,’ Daniel announced.
‘Yes!’ Ziva hollered.
‘For far too long the Damson Farm orchard has lain abandoned. If it wasn’t for Ziva’s stealth attacks with her pruning shears it would be totally reclaimed by the wild by now. I don’t have the time to restore it to a working orchard, but if we work together, the possibilities are fantastic. It isn’t just fruit trees, we could build raised beds for vegetables, and have a go at woodworking projects like picnic benches and compost bins.’
‘Eh, we could do a bit of that,’ an older man sitting on a crate nudged the man squeezed on next to him. ‘Couldn’t we, Frank?’
‘Aye,’ Frank nodded vigorously. ‘Could rope in some of you youngsters an’ all. Teach you how to use a hammer and a chisel.’
‘Awesome!’ The teenagers did a complicated high-five thing that Frank and his friend reciprocated faultlessly.
‘We have a cider press on the farm already,’ Daniel continued. ‘I’ve been talking to Gavin at the Old Boat House, and Miranda who owns the Boatman. We can look at other produce like pies and cakes, depending upon what we decide to grow. Plus, we could create an outdoor classroom for school visits, and other groups. And most of all, there’s the chance to hold whole community events. Lots of orchards get involved with Apple Day, in October. We can celebrate Bonfire Night, do something at Christmas, May Day. If everyone gets involved we can raise money, bring the community together and have fun at the same time.’
‘Awesome!’ someone cheered, and I don’t think it was even one of the teenagers.
‘That’s bloody brilliant!’ Alice exclaimed.
It was. It was brilliant.
‘Are you sure?’ Becky asked, her business head whirring. ‘We had plans for that orchard.’
Daniel shrugged. ‘I’m sure the retreat guests can still join in. It might prove inspiring to them, hearing the story of how the Feud of Ferrington came to an end. Some of them might even be moved to contribute to the bridge fund.’
‘We should include a memorial.’ This was the first thing I’d said all meeting, having promised myself that I wouldn’t be the interfering Out-Sider this time, but the idea popped into my head and it was too good not to share. ‘We can have a competition – get the school involved, maybe – to design a memorial to all those who died or who for whatever reason suffered because of what happened.’
‘That’s perfect,’ Caris Smith said, eyes filling with tears.
‘Maybe you could be one of the judges?’
‘Or maybe the kids could design something together, have each of them contribute, so for the first time ever in this village everyone wins instead of everyone losing,’ she replied.
‘Well, an orchard will need an entirely different committee,’ Alice said. ‘And a whole load of time and effort. How do you see this working, Daniel?’
‘I see me dropping my work hours, and spending a couple of days a week heading it up. I see us forming a charity, with a board of trustees. I see the Parish Council donating some funds to help us get going, and I see Damson Day to kick-start us off in a few weeks’ time: food and produce stalls, local crafts, a band put together with musicians from both sides, a duck race down the river, some games.’
‘Damsons aren’t ready to be harvested until August,’ someone helpfully pointed out. ‘How can we have a Damson Day in April?’
‘I really don’t think anyone will care about that.’ Ziva rolled her eyes.
