Target reached!
If we were to raise more than the £1,000 we need to complete the Sensory Garden and ...
Alford & District Men's Shed: Sensory Garden
Alford, Scotland, United Kingdom
Aim
We have created a refurbished building for ADMS plus 18 Allotments and a Community Orchard. We now want to provide a Sensory Garden.
First of all....We were inspired by the statement by Maurice Tulloch, Group CEO of AVIVA...
"Everyone at Aviva wants to make a difference. We are here for people when it matters most, helping them create a better tomorrow. And by excelling at the fundamentals, we will deliver on our promises."
Maurice Tulloch, Group CEO
Where we started from 3 years ago........ In the beginning......
Mission
Complete the building refurbishment to Building Warrant requirements
Obtain full Certificate of Occupancy and open the building to full operational status and start Members projects
Complete the Sensory Garden
Repair and insulate the glazed walls and flat roof
Research and install the optimum heating system based on renewable energy
Increase the Membership. Establish a reliable revenue stream from Community and Individual Project donations
Develop the Alford Green Hub as Leaders using grant funding from CCF Fund
Vision
To deliver specifically we need to target particular local groups:
‘Spikin Autism’ - A well organised but under-resourced village group who want to engage on the sensory garden.
Arthritis group – mostly older women - immobility and social isolation are issues here.
Oil workers or ex oil workers with varying offshore and onshore regimes needing healthy activities e.g. allotments for onshore periods.
Socially deprived or disadvantaged folk in social housing, often re-located from Aberdeen, including drug abusers, ex-offenders and some difficult cases, often lead isolated lives. Some could benefit from inclusion and support from the Men’s Shed activities.
Existing village clubs (history, gardening etc.) for whom our space can be accessed on foot and it is much more convenient and central than our new Alford Community Campus, which is very well equipped for youth, but ill-equipped to deal with the needs of these clubs .
Difficult kids for whom STEM mentoring, bike repair facilities etc. might offer avenues of useful activity.
Non-pharmacological prescribing of exercise and leisure to address health issues. Via the Alford Medical Centre. The doctors and therapists basically tell the patient to join a walking group or a men’s shed rather than prescribe a medicine. The therapeutic activity is the medicine. The Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation for the Alford West data zone has got worse in some respects over the last few years.
We think there is a need for us to take a lead and show how the shed, allotments and gardens can interface with these and other groups.
Aviva Community Fund provided £15 of match funding
This project successfully funded on 22nd April 2020