After a damp start, the rain stopped and the Abundance festivities got under way. In the absence of a decent apple harvest, about a tonne and a half of fruit was donated to Abundance that would have gone to waste in Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire. Steve Oram, Orchard Biodiversity officer from People’s Trust for Endangered Species, brought along an impressive selection of apple varieties, and people came in with their own samples to ID. Cultivate London brought along their chilli pepper glut from Isleworth, some of it in the shape of chilli jams and sauces. Hogarth School ran their usual apple cake stall, Hen Corner brought her chickens and fine pastries to sample, Mel the Bee brought his bees. There were fruity crafts, with a messy clay making workshop. Maria from We Are Juicy ran a smoothie stall, and there were traditional competitions such as apple bobbing and longest peel, alongside less traditional slack-lining. And Abundance christened its new scratter, bought with a grant from Hounslow’s Chiswick Area Forum. Altogether a gentle, fun day that embodies some of the best qualities of Chiswick!