Thirteen community growing initiatives across Scotland will receive funds to foster community engagement in growing and learning about food, and to promote healthy eating and outdoor exercise. The Central Scotland Green Network (CSGN) ‘Growing Food Together’ Fund 2021/22 has provided the awards through a £100,000 fund provided by the Scottish Government. The latest round of awards through the fund marks the first time that projects from across Scotland have been invited to apply.
Following a stream of applications, the list of successful projects includes growing spaces from Ayrshire to Aberdeen and beyond. They also include a wide range of objectives, from establishing growing areas at primary schools to running workshops at community growing spaces.
The projects that will receive funding are:
- Tarbolton Primary School, South Ayrshire: Generations Growing Together Project
- The creation of a communal growing area for the schools Intergenerational Group, including a potting shed, raised beds and tools.
- Camphill Wellbeing Trust (CWT), Aberdeen: Compass Project
- The establishment of organic no-dig community food growing and orchard spaces as part of the transformation of a Vacant and Derelict Land site into an exemplar community hub.
- Govanhill Baths Community Trust, Glasgow: People’s Pantry Street Allotments
- To create an “urban allotment” under the banner of the People’s Pantry in Govanhill, to provide growing spaces to local residents and support them with community events and activities.
- Northmavine Community Development Company, Shetland: Growing Local Northmavine
- To run 10 workshops in community growing spaces across the Northmavine area to encourage and support people with limited growing space at home to get growing.
- Grow 73, South Lanarkshire: Green for Grow
- Transforming a vacant space into a new community garden.
- Bannockburn House Trust, Stirling: BHT Enclosed Gardens Project
- Further renovation and restoration of the gardens at Bannockburn House, including access improvements, new growing beds and planting.
- The Ecology Centre, Fife: Grow, Learn, Sustain
- The creation of a children’s allotment, including raised beds and a polytunnel.
- Trossachs Community Trust, Stirling: Community Garden @ the Old Trossachs School
- Establishing a community garden in the grounds of the old Brig O’ Turk primary school.
- TA Ayrshire Food Hub, East Ayrshire: Crossroads Community Hub
- Improvements to the Crossroads Community Hub by installing a polytunnel and shipping container to be used as storage space.
- Abundant Borders, Aberdeen: The Allotment Market Stall (TAMS) Grove Growing Space
- Installation of a deer fence to make a new, large community garden useable.
- Edinburgh Agroecology Coop, Edinburgh: Lauriston Farm
- Land preparation and establishment of a community market garden at Lauriston Farm.
- Urban Roots Initiative, Glasgow: Gardens for Resilience
- The building of raised beds, shelters and the provision of equipment for two new growing spaces, along with some therapeutic gardening sessions.
