The Queen's Canopy project: Edibleculture work with Shepherd Neame

Last week, chief executive, Jonathan Neame, joined the licensee of the Pepper Box Inn, in Harrietsham, Sophie Pemble, and team Edibleculture to help plant a Jubilee Plum as part of a collection of 16 trees on land next to the pub.

So far we have planted 16 fruit trees at the Woolpack Inn in Benover, Yalding; 16 at the Pepper Box Inn; 16 more at the George Inn at Newnham, Sitttingbourne; and 18 at The Red Lion, at Chelwood Gate in Haywards Heath, each site making up a mini-orchard.

The trees are a range of varieties, including crab apple, flowering cherry, quince, and nectarine.

Shepherd Neame will also plant a further six trees in the autumn, bringing the number to 70, celebrating Her Majesty’s 70 years of service, and creating a legacy for future generations.

Tree planting at the Pepper Box, Harrietsham, with Shepherd Neame chief executive Jonathan Neame (right), licensee Sophie Pemble, and Chris Williams, co-owner of edibleculture

Jonathan Neame said: “We are a proud holder of a Royal Warrant for our Grant’s Morella Cherry Brandy, and flagship Spitfire Amber Ale, and have always supported the Queen’s jubilees with a special beer, as we will also do this year.

“When we heard about the Queen’s Green Canopy project, we were very keen to be involved, not only to commemorate the Platinum Jubilee, but also as we want to help protect and improve habitats in the countryside, for the benefit of wildlife and local people.

Many of our sites are in beautiful parts of the country, and we are keen to enhance them, benefiting both wildlife and visitors now and in the future. It also complements our ongoing work with the Kent Wildlife Trust, Shepherd Neame’s chosen charity of the year. We look forward to seeing these trees blossom and grow.”

Chris Williams, co-owner of Edibleculture, said: “As another Faversham-based business, we were thrilled to play our part in Shepherd Neame’s project to mark the Queen’s Jubilee, through the Queen’s Green Canopy Project.

Our ethos of growing and planting plastic-, peat-, and pesticide-free plants and trees fits with Shepherd Neame’s ethos of being more sustainable and tackling their impact on the climate emergency. Planting trees is the perfect positive and practical action that can be taken, with the bonus of growing organic fruit, right at the heart of traditional food and drink production.”