Loughborough University staff, students and people from the local community have been invited to attend a ‘Pruning and Planting’ event later this month.

It is being organised by the university’s Fruit Routes project and will be held on Friday, February 14 and Saturday, February 15.

The event is free and aims to educate people about how they can plant and maintain their own fruit trees.

On the Friday, Phil Corbett, from the Cool Temperature Nursery in Nottinghamshire, will teach people how to prune young fruit trees.

Phil, who has been growing organic fruit and vegetables for more than 30 years, will be on hand from 10am-1pm.

From 1.30pm-3.30pm, participants will be able to put their skills to the test and prune some of the Fruit Route trees which were planted two years ago.

Between 11am and 2pm on the Saturday, 20 new trees will be planted at the Barefoot Orchard, opposite Pilkington Library, everyone will be invited to help. Free soup will be provided on both days.

The Fruit Routes project, designed by artist Anne-Marie Culhane and the university’s Sustainability Team, aims to develop the university grounds as an edible and sustainable landscape.

It is supported by the University Landscape Master Plan and Loughborough Students’ Landscaping Our Society group and was officially launched in October 2011.

Providing an enriched habitat for people, plants, insects and animals, the Fruit Routes scheme aims to leave a lasting legacy on the campus, boosting foraging opportunities for years to come.

To reserve a place contact Anne-Marie on 07849073394 or email environment@lboro.ac.uk.

For more information, visit fruitroutesloughborough.wordpress.com or follow the project on twitter @fruitroutes