Meadow Orchard Project

Help us create a thriving community space for the benefit of all by becoming a member of Meadow Orchard. Being a member gives you an opportunity to support the project and use the space outside of our regular opening times.

Please read and agree to the Site Use Policy below and complete the membership form at the bottom of this page. You can pay your subscription by bank transfer here.

We suggest an annual membership subscription of £10 or minimum £5 (but you are welcome to give more).

MOP Site Use Policy

Shared responsibility for care of the site

Meadow Orchard relies on the generous good will of volunteers to keep running and for the site to be kept in a good condition. We always need help with upkeep and care of our large site and facilities. Members are asked to contribute towards this, according to what you are able to give. There are no paid staff. Please give what you can, eg 30 minutes here or there or getting stuck in at a volunteer day. Everyone is responsible and we are all crew!

If you are running an event you might like to encourage participants to help out too or attend a Saturday volunteering day.

Guidance on site and building use

• Please respect the site and built structures and leave them in a tidy condition.
• Please take away personal and site rubbish and recycling as there is currently no collection service. Please use the compost-bay or wormery for food waste (except meat/fish/bread.)
• Please manage waste responsibly being mindful of health and safety and volunteer welfare. If you are unable to take site rubbish away please always put it in a tied up bag that can easily be taken away by someone else. Recycled plastic bags/sacks are hanging next to the toilet door.
• Please do not leave loose rubbish or open rubbish in boxes/containers at the gate or anywhere else on site. Especially large containers that can’t easily be taken away or may become filled with rainwater.
• Bulky site waste can be temporarily stored neatly in the area behind the toilet, near school fence, until it can be taken away. Please avoid putting bulk waste at the gate so that this area can be kept clear and pleasant for visitors.
• Please do not leave or donate items to the site that do not have a needed use or cannot be stored easily.  If you do bring items that are needed please store items neatly and label them. Please help with tidying shared spaces and disposing of unwanted items left, so that we can keep spaces manageable.
• Collect any personal items left from workshops or events within a month. MOP cannot take responsibility for any items left.
• Clean and put away equipment and tools used, to the place where it came from. Please keep sheds and storage areas in an orderly state for other users.
• Conserve water as much as possible as we rely on rain-water harvesting.
• Respect the wildlife habitats, walk on pathways, avoid walking through the meadow grassland or disturbing ant-mounds.
• Observe our ethos of organic gardening and environmental practices and avoid use of chemicals or unsustainable materials where possible.
• Please seek permission before erecting any structures or large site development projects, by putting forward ideas/proposals at general meetings to get input from others.
• Always lock the gate, tool-shed, round-house and toilet when you leave. Please do not share the pad-lock code widely so we can keep the site/resources secure.
• Dog-owners are asked to respect that the site is a nature reserve and food growing space, so please ensure that you dog is not causing damage to wildlife or planting beds. If your dog is causing disruption to activities or disturbing other site users dog-owners are asked to keep their dog on a lead.

Health and Safety

• Please take responsibility for your own and others safety and wellbeing when carrying out activities. Read the general health and safety Risk Log to be familiar with hazards to avoid risks to safety.
• A first-aid kit is available in the tool-shed. Volunteers or group leaders are asked to record any accidents in the incident book.
• Please report any potential safety hazards that you see on the site or take action to rectify them.
• MOP holds public liability insurance for volunteering activity and public use of the site for permitted activities.
• Small open fires are allowed but large open fires for public events are not allowed (and not covered on public liability insurance). Please do not burn wood that is hazardous to health or that will cause smoke, including treated, painted or wet/green wood. MOP is not responsible for providing fire-wood for community members use. Individuals or groups wanting to burn wood must take responsibility for sourcing and storing appropriate wood.
• The cob-oven can be used for events for people who have been inducted in how to use it. Please ask for and induction on how to use the oven.
• MOP cannot be held responsible for accident or injury resulting from dangerous or non-permitted activity, for example, climbing trees, use of machinery, working at height.
• If you are running an event or activity please conduct a risk assessment and inform people of any safety considerations.

Site facilities

• Meadow Orchard does not have mains water so it is advisable to bring your own drinking water. Plastic bottles are available that can be filled up at the health centre cafe or outside tap, or bring from home.
• Herbs can be harvested from the garden for tea-making and other tea-bags / coffee / sugar are available in a box in the blue shed. Leave a donations jar for tea (suggested 10p/cup).
• Cups/crockery/cutlery/utensils are available in the blue shed. Please wash-up after use and put back tidily in the correct boxes.
• A large storm-kettle is available for boiling water. Please use this in the correct way for safety and to avoid damage. Stand the kettle on bricks and light a very small fire inside the bottom opening, then when fully lit feed in small kindling from the top opening. Do not place the storm-kettle over an open fire – it is not designed to be used in this way. Please use gloves when removing kettle with boiling water from the fire. Do not leave the kettle unattended or to burn dry.
• THE COMPOSTING TOILET IS A DRY-COMPOSTING SYSTEM SO MUST BE USED IN THE CORRECT WAY. Fluids go in the front urine-separator and solid waste in the back. Put a scoop of woodchip on top of solid waste. Please do not put sanitary products in the toilet. If you are running an event or group please inform all participants how to use the toilet.

If you would like to use the site and facilities to run an event, workshop, group gathering etc please read the info here: Using the site and facilities.