Witherley Press Gang turns surplus apples into cider for local good causes
Local residents came together in Witherley to turn surplus apples into juice — and ultimately cider — while raising valuable funds for local good causes.
There was plenty of squeezing, crushing and good old-fashioned community spirit at the Parish Room in Witherley, where around 20 local residents answered the call to join the Pressed for Good “Press Gang”.
The team worked their way through an impressive 20 trays of apples, with fruit donated by Tesco, gathered from gardens around the village and collected from an orchard in nearby Sheepy.
The apples were sorted, washed and chopped before being fed into the scratter, which turned them into a pulp known as pomace. The pomace was then loaded into the press and, with a bit of muscle and mechanical persuasion, the fresh juice was squeezed out.
By the end of the afternoon, the Press Gang had produced around 50 litres of fresh apple juice — quite a result from an afternoon’s pressing!
Pressed for Good, founded by Rachel and Tracy Mosedale (pictured), is a brilliant local social enterprise that rescues surplus fruit which might otherwise go to waste, turning it into drinks and jams. Profits are then donated to local good causes and charities — so everyone’s a winner, including the apples! Even the leftover apple pomace won’t go to waste. It is heading to Polesworth Donkey Sanctuary, where it will help feed rescued donkeys, goats, ponies, chickens and rabbits. Now that’s what you call a well-used apple!
After a full afternoon of hard pressing, the Press Gang felt they had earned their reward and headed over to the Blue Lion for a well-deserved glass of chilled cider in the courtyard. But the story doesn’t end there. Those 50 litres of juice should produce at least 100 bottles of locally produced cider ready for Christmas, with sales expected to raise around £500 for local causes, including the upkeep of the Parish Room.
From surplus apples to Christmas cider, it was a great afternoon for worthwhile causes, full of community spirit and with nothing going to waste.
Look out for details of the Christmas cider sales later in the year — and a big thank you to Rachel and Tracy, and to everyone who donated apples, gave their time or supported the Press Gang on the day.
Cheers to that!
