Tag: community gardeners

Local community gardens gearing up for food growing action

From 22nd to the 29th of April, over 100 community growing spaces will open their gates to welcome volunteers, both new and old, to explore ways to get involved in community growing, celebrate the arrival of Spring, and advocate for the protection and expansion of community growing spaces.  

These gardens will invite visitors to meet neighbours, learn new skills, and see how easy it can be to grow your own food. Activities will range from seed swaps and garden tours to school visits, art exhibitions, panel discussions, and film screenings.  

Amidst a landscape fraught with environmental and systemic challenges, community gardens are operating within decidedly precarious conditions. The latest State of UK Nature report reveals alarming statistics, with “no let-up in the decline of our wildlife, with 1 in 6 species at risk of being lost from Great Britain.”

According to a study by CPRE, green spaces in poorer parts of England are less likely to be protected against being bulldozed and developed than those in more affluent areas, exacerbating the threat to urban food-growing spaces.  

Sustain: the alliance for better food and farming, is using this week to call on councils to protect these assets and increase access to land and other resources for community growing spaces.

They are partnering with Incredible Edible’s Right to Grow campaign to advocate for better access to growing spaces, following increasing barriers to land and over 175,000 people in the UK currently on allotment waiting lists. ] 

Lily O’Mara-Adembesa, Good to Grow coordinator, said: “Across the country, the Good to Grow network show us year after year the enduring value of community food growing in protecting local nature, helping to tackle food insecurity and strengthen community bonds.

“There are so many ways to get involved in your local garden and so many need volunteers to help keep these vital community hubs going. Have a look at our interactive map to see what our amazing gardens have going on in your area during Good to Grow week.”

Pru Elliott, Incredible Edible. said: “Good to Grow week is an opportunity inspire communities and showcase the social and health benefits of community growing. But those who are inspired to set up new gardens often face serious challenges dealing with red tape and bureaucracy at local authority level.

“We’re calling for a Right to Grow; a change in local authorities policies to make community growing accessible for many more groups.” 

Rachel Dring, Capital Growth Coordinator, added: “Good to Grow Week shows off the wide variety of urban food growing spaces and is a great way for people to discover their local community gardens.

“These are oases from the hustle and bustle where people can grow their own food, connect with nature and their neighbours.  In a time of cost-of-living crisis, political turmoil and the epidemic of loneliness, these gardens are essential spaces for community connection and wellbeing – yet they are always at threat of development, and the demand for space to grow is on the rise.

“So we use this week to demonstrate how more than ever, we need these spaces in our communities for people and for wildlife”.

Find and visit your local participating garden by using our interactive map and clicking on the red carrot pins in your area.

Edinburgh’s Growing Together!

Housing estates are in store for a bumper harvest thanks to a number of new and growing community gardens in the Capital. 

The Edinburgh Growing Together project, which began gardening last year after a survey of plots in 2021, has reported a busy summer with new planters and raised beds being built, water supplies linked up and composting facilities installed across community growing areas.

A lot of this work has been conducted by Growing Youth, a social enterprise supported by the council’s Additional Support for Learning Service (ASLS) that educates young people in horticulture and construction. 

Located on City of Edinburgh Council housing land, work has started on three new growing areas in Hutchison, Broomhouse and Muirhouse. These will feature home grown fruit and vegetables alongside flowers. They will offer opportunities for tenants and local people to learn gardening skills, socialise and benefit from sustainable, affordable food. 

At Hutchison, participants will soon start prepping the area for autumn planting of a forest garden, while over in Broomhouse volunteers have been preparing a wildflower garden.  

Opportunities for local communities to enjoy and use space for food growth in greenspaces is part of the Council’s 20-Minute Neighbourhood strategy, which is designed to support people to live well locally and be able to meet most daily needs within a 20-minute walk or wheel.

On a recent visit to the community backgreens, the Council’s Housing Convener Councillor Jane Meagher and the Chair of Edible Edinburgh, Councillor Katrina Faccenda, met with local growers. They were joined by Greig Robertson, Founding Director of Edible Estates, which is delivering the Growing Together initiative of behalf of the council.  

Councillor Jane Meagher, Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, said: “What better way to reinvigorate community council estates and work towards net zero carbon than with these beautiful, edible gardens? 

“Edinburgh really is blessed with stunning greenspaces but this project is about helping local people to connect with nature and neighbours in their own communities. We have 46 community gardens across our council housing estates and, while many of them are thriving, others need a little bit of nurturing. That’s where the Edinburgh Growing Together project comes in. 

“From upskilling local people in gardening to seeing community kitchens set up, our Growing Together project is making a real difference to tenants. It has been fantastic to check in on progress and to meet with volunteers in Hutchison.

“They are doing a tremendous job and I’m sure these gardens will deliver countless benefits for living well locally, in line with our 20 minute neighbourhood approach. Eating good quality nutritious food doesn’t have to cost us, or the earth.”

Councillor Katrina Faccenda, Chair of Edible Edinburgh, said: “These community gardens are a brilliant way to brighten up our estates while helping tenants access nutritious, budget-friendly ingredients.

“It links into the diverse range of work being undertaken by the council, our partners and the third sector to tackle food insecurity and improve the sustainability of food, and it’s a joy to see meet those involved in establishing and nurturing these new gardens. 

“As part of the project, improvements are also being made to six existing gardens which are managed by the council plus nine gardens which are run by local community groups, with support also being provided to the remaining gardens in a variety of ways.”

These projects are being delivered by Edible Estates, funded by the City of Edinburgh Council, with support from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. 

Greig Robertson, Edible Estates’ Founding Director, comments: “Community gardens are a valuable resource to communities, they support individual and community well-being, promote physical activity, create new connections between folk, and of course grow fruit and veg.

“They are a ‘place’ and an activity, and play an important role in the move towards establishing 20-minute neighbourhoods across the city. Amidst news of produce shortages and a cost of living crisis, community gardens provide skills and resources towards more resilient communities.

“The Community Garden Survey highlighted that gold-standard community growing projects can and do exist across Edinburgh, and showcased the potential for many more to develop with the right support provided through the Edinburgh Growing Together project.

“We are looking forward to continuing work with and supporting the fantastic organisations, groups, and volunteers behind each of the gardens, and more so to seeing how each garden develops over the coming years.”

Interactive map highlights food growing opportunities

Launch of Edinburgh’s first Food Growing Strategy

A new interactive map highlighting Edinburgh’s food growing sites and projects has been launched to mark the release of the city’s first Food Growing Strategy.

The Edinburgh Food Growing and Projects Map provides detailed information on community growing projects, HRA community gardens, council and independently run allotments in the Capital, making it easier for people to find out more about and get involved in local food growing activity in their area.

Its publication marks the launch of ‘Growing Locally’, Edinburgh’s first Food Growing Strategy, which aims to increase the opportunities for people and communities to grow food in Edinburgh, encourage more people to buy and enjoy locally grown food, and encourage more people to become involved in food growing and local food projects.

The strategy outlines plans to increase the amount of food growing space in Edinburgh and develop a local food market, looking at the feasibility of establishing an indoor market and local food distribution hub.

It also sets out ways in which the city can tackle food insecurity and improve access to fresh food.

Councillor George Gordon, City of Edinburgh Sustainability Champion and Chair of Edible Edinburgh said: “I am delighted to publish the first food growing strategy for the City of Edinburgh Council. We have faced difficult times over the last year where the importance of food to our physical health and our emotional and mental wellbeing have been evident for all to see.

“By working closely with the Poverty Commission, Growing Locally seeks to address food insecurity in the city and improve people’s access to fresh food, as well as supporting and promoting food growing across the city.

“It also celebrates the role that food plays in our lives – from bringing people and communities together, to improving biodiversity and mitigating against the effects of climate change by providing access to locally produced, low carbon food.

“Along with the map, the strategy brings together our proposed approach to encouraging more local production, more sustainable management of food growing and perhaps most importantly of all, an ongoing discussion as a city about what a diverse and vibrant food economy looks like, so that the benefits of local food growing can be realised by as many of our citizens as possible.”

Brenda Black, CEO of Edinburgh Community Food said: “Food is key to Edinburgh’s identity and economy and the Edinburgh Food Growing and Project Map provides a gateway for everyone to be involved in making positive food connections within their communities across the city, building better understanding of food and its impact on climate change.

“As Edinburgh moves to meet its climate targets, providing access to growing spaces for its citizens will be a huge step forward in creating a vibrant, low-carbon, food economy for all. 

“The pandemic has highlighted how fragile our food supply chains to the most isolated people in our city can be and the Edinburgh Food Growing and Projects Map is an opportunity for citizens to become actively involved in making connections within – and between – communities:  growing, preparing/cooking, sharing and selling food.  

“Active food communities build strong bonds that transcend religion, age, nationality and culture, and lead to a joint sense of purpose and care for local areas; furthermore, increasing the variety of food sources builds resilience and improves the City’s food security. 

“Edinburgh needs a food identity that not only delivers local, seasonal, quality food to visitors but has the power to nurture healthier generations who are able to grow and make their own fresh food. 

“Edinburgh Community Food will work together with the Edible Edinburgh partnership to ensure The Edinburgh Food Growing and Projects Map becomes a foundation of this initiative across the city.”

The Edinburgh Food Growing and Projects Map can be viewed at: 

https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/council-planning-framework/food-growing-strategy?documentId=13128&categoryId=20204

All welcome at Granton Gardeners BBQ

The Germinators!

They came, they saw … they planted!

SpringGermination

A top team of green-fingered activists descended on Drylaw on Saturday. Their mission: total germination and much more besides!

The Spring sun was shining and the afternoon was a great success: pictures by Georgia Forsyth Sijpestijn

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And, yes … they’ll be back! Hasta la vista, baby …

Growing room: community plots at the Botanics

garden

Are you a community group? Would you like to learn how to grow your own food?

Where?

The Edible Gardening Project at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

When?

We have spaces for two groups (of about 8 people each), one a Saturday from 10.30 – 12 and one on a Monday from 3 – 4.30 every week from April – October.

What?

This would involve coming to the garden accompanied by one (or more) leaders from your group. You will work alongside Andy, one of our community gardeners, on a vegetable plot and learn the basics of growing vegetables including planning, planting, tending and harvesting.

The programme is free and we can supply tools and seeds, all you’ll need to do is come along with your group and group leader each week.

If you don’t want to commit to a whole season of growing but are interested in learning new skills then please do get in touch to arrange a single visit instead.

For more details please get in touch with Jenny Foulkes at jfoulkes@rbge.org.uk or telephone 0131 248 2983