Tag: Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden

Blooming Beautiful! Awards celebrate our climate and nature friendly neighbourhoods

18 Edinburgh community groups recognised for commitment to keeping Scotland beautiful

Today, 11 November, over 200 community groups from across Scotland have been recognised by environmental charity, Keep Scotland Beautiful, for their efforts to support and enhance their local communities, for the climate and for nature. 

At a virtual 2021 Beautiful Scotland and It’s Your Neighbourhood Seminar and celebration event, 18 It’s Your Neighbourhood entrants from Edinburgh were congratulated for their efforts with a certificate of achievement (see table below), with four also receiving a Certificate of Distinction for continuous improvement. 

In addition, Friends of Starbank Park also won second place in the NatureScot It’s Your Neighbourhood Pollinator Friendly Awards.

Catherine Gee, Deputy CEO of Keep Scotland Beautiful said: “With the world’s biggest and most important climate change conference to date taking place in Glasgow this week, it is brilliant to be celebrating the work of these communities in Edinburgh who are taking action now. 

“We know that across Scotland people are committed to improving and enhancing the places that they care about.  And, through the It’s Your Neighbourhood entrants we hear of people doing their bit to understand their own greenhouse emissions and to support nature in the places they care about.  These people are making a real difference and I would like to thank them for inspiring us every day.”

This year, three NatureScot It’s Your Neighbourhood Pollinator Friends Awards were presented at the seminar and Friends of Starbank Park, scooped second place, winning £150.

Jim Jeffrey, Pollinator Strategy Manager with NatureScot, who announced the award said: “Once again the Keep Scotland Beautiful Pollinator Friendly Award has attracted a host of interesting entries.  The standard just gets better each year.

“Making space for nature, as we face up to the twin threat of climate change and biodiversity loss, has never been more important, and each of the community groups in this category have impressed with the range of actions they are taking.

“The winning projects were among a of number of great examples showing how working together we can help pollinators, whilst making our communities and green spaces more appealing, and fantastic places to spend time in.”

The annual seminar celebrated everything that the entrants, from 30 local authority areas, have achieved in their communities to combat climate change and support biodiversity.

Entrants have also worked to enhance their neighbourhoods, involve the community, and improve areas through gardening and horticulture while tackling litter and other environmental quality challenges. 

Speakers included representatives from various entrants from across Scotland, sharing their inspiring stories and delegates also heard about the exciting opportunity to get involved with Scotland’s Climate Festival.

It’s Your Neighbourhood entrants were visited by one of 23 trained volunteer assessors who provide their support, expertise and guidance through the It’s Your Neighbourhood framework which is a part of the UK-wide RHS Britain in Bloom campaign. 

RHS Community Development Manager Kay Clark said: “Community gardening groups are showing that, through their work, they can bring communities together, transform outdoor spaces and work in support of wildlife and the local environment.

“They are showing that gardening has a role to play in addressing the challenges that we collectively face and that is every reason to celebrate.”

If you would like to join the #OurBloom family, gain access to support and advice, and help us to keep Scotland beautiful, online registration for 2022 will open in mid-January on the Keep Scotland Beautiful website.

The Edinburgh entrants and their results can be found in the table below:

Group NameLocal authority areaIYN Certificate 2021Level 2021Certificate of Distinction 2021
Balerno Village GardenersCity of EdinburghOutstanding5Y
Craigentinny Community Gardening ProjectCity of EdinburghImproving2 
Ferry Road AllotmentsCity of EdinburghOutstanding5 
Friends of Granton Castle Walled GardenCity of EdinburghThriving4Y
Friends of Lauriston Castle EstateCity of EdinburghAdvancing3 
Friends of Morningside CemeteryCity of EdinburghThriving4 
Friends of Saughton ParkCity of EdinburghOutstanding5 
Friends of Starbank Park (NatureScot IYN Pollinator Friendly Award – second place)City of EdinburghOutstanding5Y
Heart of NewhavenCity of EdinburghAdvancing3 
Inch View Care HomeCity of EdinburghThriving4 
Inspiring HillsideCity of EdinburghAdvancing3 
Inverleith AllotmentsCity of EdinburghOutstanding5 
Kirkliston in BloomCity of EdinburghEstablishing1 
Lochend Community Growing ProjectCity of EdinburghOutstanding5Y
Northfield Community Growing GroupCity of EdinburghAdvancing3 
The Lions’ GateCity of EdinburghAdvancing3 
The Sorted ProjectCity of EdinburghImproving2 
Victoria After School ClubCity of EdinburghThriving4 

AGM invite from Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden

Dear Friend of Granton Castle Walled Garden,

We will be holding our AGM via Zoom on Wednesday 26th May from 5:30 – 6.30pm.

It is open to everyone who would like an update on the progress of the charity.

If you would like to attend, please email grantongarden@gmail.com and we will send you the Zoom link the day before. 

If you would like to have a say in what goes on and be able to vote, we would ask you to become a member, which is free and can be done by filling out the attached form (below) and returning it to us via email, post or in-person. 

Membership-Form-FGCWGDownload

We look forward to seeing you if you can make it!

All the best,

Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden 

Website grantoncastlewalledgarden.wordpress.com/ 

Postal Address:

Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden

c/o Social Bite Village, 23 West Shore Road

Edinburgh, EH5 1QB.

Granton Castle Walled Garden reopens today

News from Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden

The Walled Garden is reopening to the public this weekend!

The garden is coming into bloom and bursting into life and we would like to welcome the public back to this little haven. We will be opening our doors to the public on Saturdays and Sundays, 2 to 4PM, from 8th May. 

Our enthusiastic team of volunteers and trustees have been hard at work preparing the garden for the coming year and we are investigating ways to restore our valued, historic structures. We have plenty of ideas for the garden, so many thanks to our supporters and funding bodies. When visiting the garden, we will have our donations box at the entrance, please feel free to support us if you wish so. 

We are putting in place a one-way system and will have sanitising gel available to make our walled garden a safe, green, space to come and enjoy the open air.

Volunteers and staff will be on hand to answer questions and tell you about the exciting past, present and future of one of Edinburgh’s oldest walled market gardens.

Development Officer Appointment

The Friends have appointed their first Development Officer!

Georgia Forsyth Sijpestijn has worked and volunteered in north Edinburgh for almost a decade and is excited to have started last month. With a background in community gardening, organic farming and communications, we welcome her to the new role.

She will be on hand to answer any questions, manage social media and communications. You can find her most days in our Bothy, so please do come say hello!

AGM Date Set

We are holding our AGM online, open to all members for voting on 26th May at 5:30PM.

More details will follow but please get in touch if you would like to become a member of the charity or renew your membership and have your say in what goes on.

We are always growing and exploring new ideas, so please email us at grantongarden@gmail.com to request a membership form and sign up for free

Opening Hours for Visitors

2 – 4pm Saturday and Sunday.

Our Volunteer Hours

Please contact us through our Facebook, email or Volunteer Edinburgh to sign up.

11am – 1pm: Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Like us on Facebook to be kept updated

Still time to apply for Walled Garden development officer post

Granton Castle Walled Garden Development Officer (one year)

N.B. REVISED CLOSING DATE 8/1/2021

Are you interested in working with local volunteers and community groups to help protect and develop a late medieval walled garden in North West Edinburgh?

The Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden are looking for a Development Officer to coordinate plans for work in the garden and in the community over the coming year, a time when we will all hope to see a different world emerging.

£15 ph for an average of 24hpw on a self-employed basis.

Under the oversight of the Trustees, duties would include:

Developing our website, communications and social media with regular updates and monthly newsletters;

Reorganising our database to update our contacts, volunteers, members/friends and associates while ensuring GDPR compliance;

Fundraising for our strategic plan including future funding for administrator, gardener, green gym, Victorian greenhouse re-build, workshops and events, utilities etc.;

Coordinating volunteers, special interest groups and working parties, especially for gardening, workshops and events;

Strengthening links with educational and community groups and increase participation of local residents;Updating policies: eg H & S, Safeguarding, Volunteer Induction;

Exploring feasibility of installation of electricity and water.

Hours of work will vary due to garden seasonality, events, workshops, meetings and when volunteers are available and will include some weekend working.

Formal qualifications are not essential, but experience of communicating and networking with Council and community groups, good MS Office and fund-raising skills and expertise in social media and database development, preferably within an historic, horticultural environment, required.

Interviews will be held in January 2021 to start in March 2021.

For more information please see https://www.facebook.com/GrantonCastleGarden/

If interested, apply with CV and names and email addresses of 2 referees to:

grantongarden@gmail.com

OR

Chair, Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden,

23 West Shore Road, Edinburgh, EH5 1QB.

CLOSING DATE: Friday, 8th January

Revised closing date for Development Officer post

Granton Castle Walled Garden Development Officer (one year)

N.B. REVISED CLOSING DATE 8/1/2021

Are you interested in working with local volunteers and community groups to help protect and develop a late medieval walled garden in North West Edinburgh?

The Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden are looking for a Development Officer to coordinate plans for work in the garden and in the community over the coming year, a time when we will all hope to see a different world emerging.

£15 ph for an average of 24hpw on a self-employed basis.

Under the oversight of the Trustees, duties would include:

Developing our website, communications and social media with regular updates and monthly newsletters;

Reorganising our database to update our contacts, volunteers, members/friends and associates while ensuring GDPR compliance;

Fundraising for our strategic plan including future funding for administrator, gardener, green gym, Victorian greenhouse re-build, workshops and events, utilities etc.;

Coordinating volunteers, special interest groups and working parties, especially for gardening, workshops and events;

Strengthening links with educational and community groups and increase participation of local residents;Updating policies: eg H & S, Safeguarding, Volunteer Induction;

Exploring feasibility of installation of electricity and water.

Hours of work will vary due to garden seasonality, events, workshops, meetings and when volunteers are available and will include some weekend working.

Formal qualifications are not essential, but experience of communicating and networking with Council and community groups, good MS Office and fund-raising skills and expertise in social media and database development, preferably within an historic, horticultural environment, required.

Interviews will be held in January 2021 to start in March 2021.

For more information please see https://www.facebook.com/GrantonCastleGarden/

If interested, apply with CV and names and email addresses of 2 referees to:

grantongarden@gmail.com

OR

Chair, Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden,

23 West Shore Road, Edinburgh, EH5 1QB.

REVISED CLOSING DATE: Friday, 8th January 2021

Work opportunity with Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden

Granton Castle Walled Garden

Development Officer (one year)

Are you interested in working with local volunteers and community groups to help protect and develop a late medieval walled garden in North West Edinburgh?

The Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden are looking for a Development Officer to coordinate plans for work in the garden and in the community over the coming year, a time when we will all hope to see a different world emerging. 

£15 ph for an average of 24hpw on a self-employed basis.

Under the oversight of the Trustees, duties would include:

Developing our website, communications and social media with regular updates and monthly newsletters;

Reorganising our database to update our contacts, volunteers, members/friends and associates while ensuring GDPR compliance;

Fundraising for our strategic plan including future funding for administrator, gardener, green gym, Victorian greenhouse re-build, workshops and events, utilities etc.;

Coordinating volunteers, special interest groups and working parties, especially for gardening, workshops and events;

Strengthening links with educational and community groups and increase participation of local residents;

Updating policies: eg H & S, Safeguarding, Volunteer Induction;

Exploring feasibility of installation of electricity and water.

Hours of work will vary due to garden seasonality, events, workshops, meetings and when volunteers are available and will include some weekend working.

Formal qualifications are not essential, but experience of communicating and networking with Council and community groups, good MS Office and fund-raising skills and expertise in social media and database development, preferably within an historic, horticultural environment, required.

Interviews will be held in January 2021 to start in March 2021. For more information please look at https://www.facebook.com/GrantonCastleGarden/

If interested, apply with CV and names and email addresses of 2 referees to:grantongarden@gmail.com, OR

Chair,

Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden,

23 West Shore Road, Edinburgh EH5 1QB,

by noon on Friday, 18th December 2020.

Local groups receive awards for Keeping Scotland Beautiful

The efforts of 14 Edinburgh groups have been acknowledged by environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful at an online seminar yesterday.

North Edinburgh is well represented among these green-fingered groups, with awards for Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre, Fresh Start Growers, Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden, Friends of Lauriston Castle Estate, Friends of Starbank Park and North Edinburgh Arts Gardening Group.

The other capital groups to receive awards are Balerno Village Gardeners, Craigentinny Community Gardening Project, Craigentinny Primary Parent Council, Friends of Morningside Cemetery, Friends of Saughton Park, Inch View Care Home, Inspiring Hillside and Northfield Community Growing Group.

Annually Keep Scotland Beautiful runs two community environmental improvement programmes in partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society; the competitive Beautiful Scotland campaign and the It’s Your Neighbourhood initiative.

In total 197 groups, those who would in previous years have been out creating and maintaining community gardens or allotments, looking after habitats for wildlife and adopting streets, have been issued with Certificates of Recognition for the work volunteers and supporters did manage to carry out to brighten up and pull their neighbourhoods together during this year’s health pandemic.

A full list of the 14 groups from Edinburgh can be found in the attached table (below).

Edinburgh-groupsDownload

Faced with the challenges of 2020, there has never been a more important time to recognise and celebrate the achievements of communities and individuals across Edinburgh. 

Throughout lockdown and the following months, groups have worked tirelessly to improve their communities through horticulture, environmental responsibility and working in partnership for the benefit of residents, visitors and our natural environment. 

Despite circumstances this year, 47 new entrants were welcomed to the network, and although judging and mentoring visits were not able to take place due to restrictions across Scotland, groups were still supported with online seminars, networking events, question and answer sessions and a weekly e-newsletter.

Barry Fisher, CEO of Keep Scotland Beautiful said, “We know that lockdown resulted in many people reconnecting with green and blue spaces local to them.  Yet, it has also been a particularly challenging year for the communities who strive every year to protect and enhance the places they live and work in. 

“We have been amazed by the desire of communities, volunteers and local authorities to stay connected, motivated and inspired by each other, all with a steadfast determination to do things to make a difference, even if this had to be done differently this year.  

“I’d like to thank all the groups in Edinburgh for the efforts they have made to keep Scotland beautiful this year.”

Although many of the groups had to stop or curtail their planned activities for the year, we have been blown away by what they have managed to achieve – whether that be setting up a food bank, encouraging and supporting others to grow their own, creating virtual garden tours, connecting their members through online catch ups and keeping their neighbourhoods bright and cheerful. 

Andrea Van Sittart, RHS Head of Community Outreach said: “It’s truly inspiring that so many Scottish communities continued to support others in need this year.

“From a phone box larder in Muthill to planter kits for others in Inverkip, the groups have shown incredible creativity and ingenuity responding to the needs of their diverse communities through this challenging time. Congratulations to all groups on their amazing efforts.”

If you’d like to join the network in 2021, check out the website for inspiration and details on how to get involved:

www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/BeautifulScotland or www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/IYN

City projects share £635,000 Lottery cash

30 groups in Edinburgh are today sharing in £635,368 of National Lottery funding. Stepping Stones North Edinburgh is among those celebrating this morning – the project based on Pilton Drive North has received over £163,000.

Stepping Stones North Edinburgh will use their lottery grant to provide support to families experiencing challenging circumstances. It’s expected that up to 230 local people will benefit over the three years of funding and the funding will also provide volunteering opportunities.

TNLCF September Awards

Upward Mobility today receives £37,767 of funding, raised by National Lottery players, to provide a range of support and learning opportunities to adults with learning disabilities and autism.

Welcoming the funding, Andrew Thomson, Chief Executive, Upward Mobility Ltd, said: “The team at Upward Mobility are very grateful to have been awarded National Lottery Community Funding to enable us to support our students within their homes during this period of lock down and restrictions on group activities.

“Being able to take support services to our students enables us to maintain contact and help to reduce the feeling of isolation and anxiety experienced during these challenging times. We would wish to thank the National Lottery players for their donations enabling us to carry on this vital work.”

Street Fit Scotland receives £9,584  to provide a range of support for homeless and vulnerably housed people across the city.

Michelle Reilly, Founder/Chief Executive, Street Fit Scotland, said: “We are very grateful to receive this National Lottery funding which has enabled us to support the homeless community in Edinburgh to start to recover from lockdown. 

“We are now actively providing a variety of outdoor socially distanced fitness sessions again at the meadows. It’s great to see the community connecting again whilst getting fitter and having fun together after experiencing such a tough time.”

And Sikh Sanjog receives £8,400  to conduct research through to December 2020 which will investigate the impact of COVID-19 on the Sikh communities across Scotland.

Trishna Singh OBE, Director, Sikh Sanjog, said: “Sikh Sanjog is the only Family Sikh Support charity in Scotland.  

“Although being the gateway to the Sikh community in Scotland, resources have meant that research on the Sikh community has often had to take a step back to ensure focus on front line services. However, the funding awarded from the National Lottery will allow us to create a vital research project which will  provide a starting point to assess the impact that COVID-19 has had on Sikhs living in Scotland during the time of the pandemic.  

“The funding will enable us to extend the research project to cover not only the early effects the pandemic has had on the Sikh community, but also the current and future impact as we learn to adapt to this new normal.” 

Edinburgh based youth mental health charity, U-Evolve, have received a National Lottery award from The National Lottery Community Fund to ensure that young people, parents and front line professionals can access the resources they need to build good mental health, through their new online service – TALK hub.

U-Evolve, which was established in 2015, works with young people age 11-18 years old, providing 1:1 therapeutic coaching, youth mental health awareness workshops and training for frontline professionals, such as teachers and youth workers. This person centred, holistic support ensures that young people have the resources and environments they need to thrive. 

The TALK hub will be a virtual one stop shop for trusted resources and tools to support good mental health and wellbeing. These resources for young people, their parents and teachers will include a series of videos and podcasts responding to the questions and concerns U-Evolve hear most.

John*, one of the young people U-Evolve support said: “I am much more positive and happier with myself and how I look at the lockdown. I’m now back at work and felt rejuvenated coming back into work.

“My family and friends all noted drastic changes in my mood. To quote one of them, “You looked different than usual.”, when I question what was different, they said “You’re just radiating positivity.”

“This was when I realised that the help from U-evolve had affected more than just my thoughts and feelings towards being isolated, but that I felt more confident as myself and that I was able to get through a difficult time (albeit with some help) and that I could feel proud of myself for persevering and reflecting on myself as a whole.”

Becky Duff, U-Evolve’s CEO said: “We are delighted to receive this award from the National Lottery Community Fund. This support means that we can create our TALK hub and reach more young people and families than ever before.

“We’re seeing first- hand the impact the Covid-19 pandemic continues to have on young people and their families, and it’s more important than ever that these people can access the support they need, when they need it.”

*name changed for anonymity

Other Edinburgh and Leith projects to receive good news this morning include the Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden, Pilmeny Youth Centre, The Junction and the Men of Leith & District Men’s Shed group.

Announcing today’s funding of £5.5m to 257 projects across Scotland, The National Lottery Community Fund’s Scotland Chair, Kate Still, said: “In these uncertain times our priority is to ensure that National Lottery money continues to flow to charities, voluntary sector organisations and grassroots groups.

“I would like to congratulate Upward Mobility, Street Fit Scotland and Sikh Sanjog on their awards.  Each are important projects which will support people now and in the future when they can physically come back together to make great things happen in their community.”

“National Lottery players can be proud to know that money they raise by buying tickets is continuing to make such a difference.” 

National Lottery players raise £30 million every week for good causes in the UK.

The National Lottery Community Fund in Scotland is currently focusing its funding on those projects that supporting organisations and communities to respond to the challenge of COVID-19.  

To find out more visit www.TNLCommunityFund.org.uk       

Lottery cash for Granton Castle Walled Garden

Lottery boost for Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden

The Friends’ group’s Gillean Paterson explained: “We received £10,000 from the National Lottery to match fund the grant from The Robertson Trust.

“The money is specifically to employ a Community Project Development Officer for one year to put in place plans for the garden.

“These include more community veg growing, a green gym, planting a miniforest to increase biodiversity, longer opening times – and that’s just to begin with!”

A busy year ahead for the Walled Garden team!