Renfrewshire Environmental Trust's Blog

The Fork to Fork Training and Learning Project celebrated the completion of Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society Certificates on 23rd october 2012. A total of 12 participants received their full certificates from Margaret Teale of the Society.

Over the winter months, a group of new participants will undertake a learning programme botth indoors and outdoors, with the aim of completing the certificate from the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society. This is funded by the Hugh Fraser Foundation and the Scottish Community Foundation.

Fork to Fork Learning and Training Project has been awarded £2,000 from the 2014 Communities Fund.

The gardening skills workshops will be delivered by a sessional gardening worker within two community gardens at 74 Love Street, Paisley and West Lane Gardens, Johnstone.

We will work with up fifteen adult participants with learning and physical disabilities for three days per week, over six weeks in August and September 2012. Up to five volunteers will work alongside the sessional worker to support learning by participants.

The community gardens will be accessed by other adults for therapeutic and health benefits including relaxation, and short walks.

The project will receive referrals from Capability Scotland and Renfrewshire Council. It will be monitored through regular meetings of a steering group involving representatives from the Trust, Capability Scotland and Renfrewshire Council.

For further information go to: http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/prog_2014_communities

The Trust’s application for a CSV Action Earth Award has been successful. This is once again supported by SNH (Scottish Natural Heritage) to help us to make a difference to our community and to encourage more volunteers into environmental action.

Calling House Sparrows project will provide bird boxes to be located within the community garden at 74 Love Street. These bird boxes will help protect and encourage the local popluation of house sparrows. A total of 12 volunteers will be involved in developing this project to support birdlife. We will work in partnership with the Disability Resource Centre and Renfrewshire Council to raise awareness of house sparrows.

The project will provide bird boxes and enhanced habitat for birds, particularly house sparrows, within the community garden at 74 Love Street.

This aims to protect and encourage the breeding of House Sparrows, to raise awareness and develop better understanding of the House Sparrow and to support the involvement of volunteers in the recording and monitoring of House Sparrows.

In June 2012, the Trust received funding from the Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland towards the repairs of existing raised beds in the community garden, at the Disability Resource Centre in Paisley.

The total funding is Renfrewshire raised is £1,681. This is really appreciated by everyone involved. We are able to improve the gardening spaces available for people taking part in the learning and training activities, as well as enhance facilities for growing fruit and veg for the wider community benefit.