Only residents in the following areas can participate:
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Edible Garden at The Action Group
2025-05-06 • 1 comment • • Grow Your Own fund
We would propose the following: • The Green Thumbs (our clients) has approached us at The Action Group to set up a unconstituted /informal gardening group made up by our clients. The role of The Action Group is to provide assistance in facilitation and risk management, and we agree to be the parent company of this project. • The group would use our indoor courtyard space, that is privately accessed by The Action Group, that the group could access freely, with an emphasis on fresh produce (herbs, vegetables, fruits) to be grown safely there, away from public misuse or vandalism, to ensure it is safe to then share with this community. • The group would then harvest the produce, and we could set up a publicly accessible stall in the land/garden that is publicly accessible currently. This is where people could take the fresh produce for a small donation or for free, with donations going towards the gardening groups endeavours or local charities within the community. • For larger fruit trees we do have a public accessible spot that we would happily set up a orchard. We would put recycled signs up to encourage people to help themselves to the fruit. One client in particular has a vision of us making apple juices from trees that we hope to one day plant/be able to acquire!
Additional things we'd like to be able to achieve: o One of our service groups in Falkirk are learning how to make planter boxes and basic woodwork skills from recycled goods and so we’d plan to incorporate their skills and recycled goods to aid this project further and to invite community volunteers to help us with this project. o Eventually we’d love to see our clients proudly sharing what they manage to do with the ingredients we harvest and sharing that information with our community. One idea that the clients have had is to make a recipe book based on what we cook from the fresh produce, to share with the communtiy. o We'd like to connect with Edinburgh College which is across the road from our centre, for them to share their skills in horticulture and gardening where possible, and potentially the cooking units. We'd also welcome any of the students to gain volunteer experience with us.
Growing Together
2025-05-12 • No comments • • Grow Your Own fund
The events and activities on offer the chance to take part in gardening and growing workshops, cooking on a fire and wood oven, sessions with music and movement, woodland crafts, planting growing your own food at home and celebration events. All the activities will be developed around the needs of the community and we plan to be led by their ideas moving forward.
Addressing current barriers preventing the local community from connecting whilst engaging them to develop their own social hub. A place where they can grow, socialise and enjoy food together. Helping local people to develop friendships and feel more invested in the area, making it sustainable in the longer term.
ELGT’s team who currently deliver Out & About in and around South Edinburgh, which has been successful for many years, will plan and deliver the programme on behalf of the management committee and centre. We have collaborated on many programmes over the years with families, kids groups, youth groups and older adults, which have all been very successful. Their aim is to introduce communities to outdoor based activities in an affordable way, making them more sustainable for the future. These should be offered in a comfortable and fun way – with lots of positivity to encourage further attendance.
In the longer term aiming to give the local community tools to move forward with a sustainable and achievable plan to improve health and well being.
Collaboratively we will be getting people involved, building relationships and developing trust by using innovative ways to engage with those that are hard to reach. Using our knowledge and skills to bring the young people we work with along to activities, whilst the team at ELGT will gain referrals through Community Link Workers, GP’s and clinicians, other organisations and key stake holders. We will also promote these activities thorough our popular social media platforms as well as distributing and displaying promotional materials locally too.
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- Increased food production for community cooking groups and pantry
- Forming friendships and reducing social isolation
- Trying new activities
- Learning new skills
- Greater connections with community
- Improved confidence
- Increased independence
- Intergenerational opportunities for the community
- Connected with nature in their local greenspace
- Increased community participation and volunteering
- Build strong, inclusive and resilient communities
- Opportunities that meet community needs to address health inequalities