WATCH: Emsworth's Food Fortnight gets off to a golden delicious start

To see our reporter try his hand at apple bobbing, go to portsmouth.co.uk
FRUITY FUN You're never too young to enjoy what nature has to offer. Children with their apple pressing certificates
Pictures: Alistair Gibson, John Tweddell and Steve BoneFRUITY FUN You're never too young to enjoy what nature has to offer. Children with their apple pressing certificates
Pictures: Alistair Gibson, John Tweddell and Steve Bone
FRUITY FUN You're never too young to enjoy what nature has to offer. Children with their apple pressing certificates Pictures: Alistair Gibson, John Tweddell and Steve Bone

Friends, families and volunteers all joined in with creating apple juice for the day, using fruit grown in the nearby area and created using a traditional apple press.

The day was organised by Emsworth Community Project, in association with Havant Rotary and the Emsworth Business Association, among others.

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Richard Hitchcock from Greening Westbourne helps to look after a community orchard in Hampshire Farm Meadows.

He said: ‘We have 33 trees in the orchard, which have grown some delicious apples.

‘We have been selling some apple doughnuts from Westbourne Bakery and have some apple bobbing for youngsters to have a go at.

‘The main purpose was to raise awareness of the community orchard – which all started with the humble apple.’

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Havant Borough councillor Jackie Branson, who was volunteering with Havant Rotary Club, said: ‘We have actually run out of bottles for the apple juice, which goes to show just how popular this has been.

‘I think everybody has had a good day, and we have thoroughly enjoyed ourselves too.

‘To have a traditional press here too is just wonderful.’

Alistair Gibson, who has helped to organise the food fortnight and writes a weekly wine column for The News, said: ‘The first pressing started at 10am and we have never sold out of bottles before, so this has gone remarkably well.

‘It has been really successful. We have pressed 200 litres of apple juice which is a great statistic to have.

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‘From a food perspective, apples are a brilliant way for the whole community to share.

‘Everybody has brought along some apples which all go into one bucket to create the juice.

‘It is a real team effort and I think everybody is feeling quite proud to have contributed.’

The Emsworth British Food Fortnight will be running until October 8.

For more information and for a full list of events, people can go to emsworth.org.uk.