Shettlestons Growing Project for the future.

Aim

To ensure that our project continues to help local people of all ages to grow fresh fruit and vegetables and learn about nature.

Aims & Objectives 

The project was set up in 2009 by local people who wished to grow food for themselves and their families. A derelict and unloved space that they had identified was turned into an attractive and productive community allotment for local people to use. In that time, we have passed on our gardening skills and knowledge to thousands of local people, helped organisations get established both in the United Kingdom and abroad. We provide support and guidance to likeminded projects and regularly work with universities, colleges, NHS and local Council.

Activities and Management 

In total, there are well over 1500 people of all ages who regularly use the allotments in one form or another, and SCGP is able to provide free training for plot holders, volunteers and other interested parties that want to learn about all aspects of food growing and cooking the produce they have grown. In addition, funding is sought each year to enable us to employ sessional workers for the allotments, and to run the successful Smelly Welly Club on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school and throughout school holidays for young people aged between 7 and 12 years, teaching young people how to grow, nurture and cook the produce they grow each year and everything to do with nature and the environment. Smelly Welly Club members also take part in residential trips, day trip and visits to local parks and attractions. For most of our members this is the only opportunity they get to explore the amazing Scottish scenery and have a break from the challenges that living in an area of high poverty and social deprivation brings.

We work closely with 3 local nursery schools and one additional support needs school each week, bringing young people and staff onsite to learn all aspects of food growing, healthy eating and all about nature that is on our doorstep, as well as assisting them with their raised beds at their respective establishments. 

We also run volunteering sessions on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays for local people to come and help keep this successful project running for the benefit of the community. Our mental health and wellbeing classes have become really popular, providing free activities for local people each week, all free.

Everything we do at the project is FREE to everyone, from arts and crafts to Smelly Welly Club residentials and we will always strive to make sure that this is always the case, especially in the cost-of-living crisis we now all find ourselves in.

Any money raised will allow us to continue this great work by replacing some of our old rotten raised beds so that they are there for another ten years.  It will allow us to continue providing free activities for local people, nurseries and schools and ensure that our recently launched community fridge has a space to provide food aid for anyone that needs it. It will allow us to expand, provide more services and increase our capacity.

This project successfully funded on 2nd February 2023