Fergus Walker creates urban orchards as part of Helping Britain Blossom – a partnership between the Orchard Project and Heineken
What makes a good day at work?
The best days are when I am out in one of the community orchards I help look after – in the sun, spending time with a group of enthusiastic interesting folk, working together on the seasonal orchard tasks – harvest especially.
Do you socialise with colleagues outside the Christmas party?
My colleagues are spread out in 6 cities across the UK, with just me in Glasgow, but we do travel to regular meetings and away days. On my first away day in the new job we went for a drink afterwards, which bodes well - Christmas parties over the phone are no fun.
What’s the best thing that’s happened this month?
I’ve just been given a Fairphone work phone – one more step towards ethical technology.
What’s your favourite tree?
I really like oak trees. But in terms of fruiting trees, you can’t beat a plum. If you made me choose my belly would win.
Does your job enable you to get out much?
As I am pretty much self directed, it is up to me to organise to get out and about – and the better I am doing at my job, the less time I am spending in front of the computer, and the more time out in the orchards. The challenge is not to get swamped in admin.
Would your 16-year-old self be proud of where you are?
He would be proud, but also surprised – as he was determined to be an inventor or designer. That’s still a dream but I realised ecology trumps patents.
What’s the best book ever written?
If you asked my five-year-old self he would say In the Attic by Hiawyn Oram – its a book that has has continued to inspire me ever since.
What does your perfect weekend look like?
Walking the hills with friends and fish and chips in the pub afterwards.
If you were your boss would you like you?
I have been my own boss and he wasn’t that happy with my self employed untidiness.
Is the third sector a calling or an accident?
I thought it was an accident but it turns out it’s a calling when it comes to following a vision of how the world could be.
Are we going to see more urban orchards in Scotland’s towns and cities?
In the next year, we will definitely see six more planted in Edinburgh and Glasgow as part of our Helping Britain Blossom programme – but I’m hoping that our work will have a longer term positive effect on the orchard movement in Scotland, urban and rural.
What advice would you give your successor?
Buy yourself a good pair of secateurs.
What’s your favourite cause apart from your own?
Teaching music to kids who couldn’t otherwise afford a musical instrument.
Which Brian Cox?
The scientist – I love his sense of awe and wonder at the universe.
