AROUND 25 people celebrated the traditional apple pressing day in Warminster by bringing along crate and boxes full of their home-grown produce.

The contributions were pressed alongside the apples grown on trees in the Warminster Community Orchard.

For the first time, the event took place on the orchard, thanks to a neighbour next to the site who kindly provided water and power for the apple pressing equipment.

Co-organiser Jennie Gilling said: “This season has been a really good year for fruit - unlike 2019 when we cancelled due to a shortage. It was a wonderful sight to see the piles of green, yellow and red fruit waiting to be rinsed and checked.

“We grow a wide range of apples on the orchard, including a fine collection of old Wiltshire varieties and another called Redlove, a red apple with flesh to match."

“Most juice when pressed almost immediately turns brown due to oxidization, but not so with Redlove, it presses and remains red, producing a light red juice, slightly sharp but tasting wonderful. This variety was processed separately and distributed for cider making and bottling.”About 25 people came along, bringing their own apples to join the crates of the orchard stock.There were many Bramleys from the glut this year, which yields a surprisingly sweet juice.

Some families went off to pick the remaining apples off the trees - children were all keen to be involved!

As ever, people turned up willing to help and became fascinated by the process of mincing the apples and feeding them into the press. No sooner had the pulp been put in the press the juice begins to flow.Co-organiser Colin French said: “My grandchildren worked tirelessly and enjoyed the process from start to finish. "In total we pressed about 125 litres of juice, having started at 11am and didn’t stop until 3pm."

"Everyone went home with juice to drink or make cider, after a happy time spent in the sunshine, on the orchard.”

In view of the Covid-19 pandemic situation, organisers made sure they observed the required distancing and recorded the contact details of those attending.

The equipment was hired from the Codford Group so they asked for donations and received enough to cover the hire plus some towards future work.

The Warminster Community Orchard is located off the Boreham Road and was planted in 2013. It is becoming more productive each year and enhances the much-used space.

It was established thanks to the National Trust and the Town Council who maintain the paths and hedges while all work on the trees is done by volunteers.

Mr French added: “There are peak times when certain jobs have to be done, pruning, mulching and grass control around each tree: we always need offers of help then. No herbicides or sprays are used on the site. The Warminster Town Council has been very supportive and I thank them.

“Hopefully, we will hold the annual Wassail in January.”