Community initiatives across Scotland will receive funding to boost engagement in growing and learning about food, and to promote healthy eating and outdoor exercise.
The 2022/23 CSGN ‘Growing Food Together’ Fund has provided the awards through a £100,000 fund provided by the Scottish Government.
The latest round of awards through the fund marks the second time that projects from across Scotland have been invited to apply. As in previous years, a large number of projects applied and the list of nine successful projects includes growing spaces from Aberdeen to the Borders and beyond.
Projects include a wide range of objectives, such as reducing the carbon footprint of the foods we consume, extending the growing season with polytunnels and improving access to growing sites. Several projects will also provide training events at community growing spaces, many of which are located in some of Scotland’s most disadvantaged areas.
The nine groups to receive funding for their projects this year are:
- Aberdeen Foyer, Aberdeen:
- Purchase of gardening tools and equipment for an employability and skills development programme for their Growing Together project.
- Campy Growers, Dundee:
- Raised beds repair, gardening tools and regeneration of a neglected site for community growing activities.
- Carluke Development Trust, South Lanarkshire:
- Materials and construction of 12 raised beds and five ‘ground to plate’ community growing workshops as part of their ONECAN Community Growing & Learning project.
- Devonview Family Learning Centre, North Lanarkshire:
- Run a community growing education programme aligned with Grow, Cook, Eat for children and their families, through their Growing Food Together project.
- Fresh Start Scotland, Edinburgh:
- Their Growing Spaces project will deliver growing resources and a training programme which tackles food insecurity amongst vulnerable people living in one of the most disadvantaged areas in Scotland.
- Greener Peebles, Borders:
- Installing a cold frame and raised beds and repair of gardening tools and the polytunnel, through their project Improved Spaces and Skills for Growing.
- North Edinburgh Arts, Edinburgh:
- Undertake consultation on local food growing objectives and provide training for local residents to learn about growing food, through their Green Connections project.
- Urban Roots, Glasgow:
- The Green Growing project will deliver a composting toilet, delivery of workshops and material costs for the Adopt a Plot Scheme and the Garden Taskforce.
- Wildside Adventures, North Lanarkshire:
- The Wildside Local Food Initiative will undertake installation of a watering system, delivery of a practical training programme and purchase of fruit plants, food crops, stakes, ties and pest protection.
