Community Space

Located at the bottom of Park Street, Totterdown.  The area used to be a playground but it feel into disrepair.  After much work by TRESA, it is now a useful space used for many events.  We are continuing to improve the site so if you have any ideas, please get in touch.
More background...


The History of Totterdown Community Orchard

1st October 2023
Totterdown Community Orchard was mostly planted in 2011 on waste land although work on clearing rubbish from the area and some planting had been started in 2006. The land is very steep, facing west and had previously been the site of two houses at the end of a terrace. The terrace - called "Pooles Crescent" - was built sometime after 1840, following the opening of Bristol Temple Meads station, to house railway workers, the station being less than a mile distant. The dimensions of the original area of planting are 9.3 metres by 12.3 metres, giving an area of 114…

Orchard Work Party

23rd January 2019
On Monday 21st January, TRESA held a work party in the community orchard on Park Street. Park Street resident Julian (Local champion for the Orchard) was able to get a paid day of work on a community project through his employer Amey.  We were delighted that the Orchard was included in their scheme. Julian cutting back the overhanging trees. Protects the retaining wall and allows more light to the Orchard. Much of the work was important but not glamorous - lots of pruning back the fruit trees, especially the large Apple.  This is a task that…

Wassail in the Orchard

15th January 2019
On Saturday 12th January, TRESA held our fourth annual Wassail at the community Orchard on Park Street. 45 people attended to share a drink of cider/apple juice, toast the trees and make some noise to awaken the trees ready for a good crop this year. Toasting the trees in the community orchard A hearty drink of warm cider to pour on the tree roots.

Orchard Work party – 3rd June

5th June 2018
On Sunday 3rd July, TRESA held a work party in the community orchard on Park street.  The event was short notice but we had a team of seven people working in the glorious sunshine.  This was the first event for new member Evie, and we are really grateful for her efforts.  It all made a real improvement. The aim of the session was to cut back the wild growth of grass & weeds to allow the fruit trees and berry bushes to flourish.  The berry bushes appear to be doing well and we expect to have a glut of red…

Totterdown Wassailing, Sun 7th Jan 2018

7th January 2018
Residents from Totterdown came together to enjoy the traditional Westcountry ceremony, wassailing, at the Community Orchard and Park Street Community Space on Sunday. Wassailing is an ancient tradition thought to help 'wake up' fruit trees for spring, to ensure good growth in the common year. It involves making as much noise as possible, so adults and children alike enjoyed banging pans and drums and singing a traditional wassailing song. After that, the participants 'toasted' the trees - drank hot cider or apple juice, and then put actual pieces of toast onto the branches... again, this is part of the tradition…

Apple picking and apple pressing in the Community Orchard

1st October 2017
Collecting apples in the community orchard Watching the scratter chop the apples. Working the apple press. Lots of lovely apple juice produced from the apples in the community orchard. Thanks to Richard for bringing along the equipment and to everyone who came.

Orchard Work Party for Earth Day

23rd April 2017
On Saturday 22nd April, we held a work party at the Orchard and Community Space to play a small part in Earth Day.  We had a small group of seven people and managed to make a great impact. The extent of the overgrowth on the embankment We managed to achieve our target of cutting back the weeds along the embankment behind the community space which adjoins the orchard.  This extends the orchard behind the community space and connects the two areas together more neatly. People hard at work clearing overgrowth Four fruit…

Festival of Light

24th February 2017
Sunday 19th February 2017 marked the first "Festival of Light" to be held at the Community Space on Park Street.  Originally planned for November, a torrential downpour required a change in date so the event was deferred until February when we had a really pleasant evening, with just a slight chill to make it feel like the end of winter. We had over 30 people attend the event, helping to make lanterns by decorating jam jars.  We also had lots of paper lanterns that were hung in trees to give the area a magical appearance.  As it got darker and decorating became more…

Festival of Light – Coming Soon

10th February 2017
Come along to bring some light into the darkness on Sunday February 19 to the Park Street Community Space. Bring lanterns, candles, torches, lamps, glow sticks, or anything that creates a light. There will be a craft activity to decorate jam jars and prepare them to light up the darkness. From 5pm - 7pm.  

2017 Wassailing

18th January 2017
On 7th January, local residents joined TRESA to give a warm welcome to 2017 with the fifth annual wassailing at the community orchard in Park Street and on Zone A, Wells Road. We had a crowd of over 20 people starting in the community space with a drink of cider / apple juice before heading towards the trees brandishing pots, pans, drums and other instruments to make some noise that would awaken the trees. We sang a short song and learned about the history of wassailing. We then "toasted" the tree by sticking cider-soaked toast into the branches and pouring…

Anne Silber

Project Lead