Donated apples turned into cider

Competitions will be held to find a name for the drinks

People in Highworth, Wiltshire, are being asked to donate apples for a scheme to produce cider and apple juice to raise money for charity.

Schools have helped advertise the idea by having pupils deliver leaflets to their families and neighbours.

Volunteers will collect the fruit and help with the pressing.

Farmers have agreed to provide horse-drawn carts on collection days in autumn helping the scheme achieve a zero carbon footprint.

Plans are under way to have a celebrity launch of the juice and cider and competitions will be held to come up with an appropriate name and to design a label.

Shaun Vockins, landlord of The Fox in Highworth, is leading the voluntary effort to plan the project.

"We're creating a list of donors who we will need to collect apples from and we're planning a couple of apple days.

"These will incorporate collecting apples, pressing them for the juice, fancy dress competitions for the kids and presentations to the winners of the naming and design competitions."

The scheme is being sponsored by Highworth Business Group. Denis Thurley of HBG said: "We think this is a really exciting opportunity to involve the whole community in an effort to put Highworth's name on the map and raise some money for good causes at the same time."