OCTOBER 2011

Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens National Networking Event 2011
Friday 7 October 2011, 10am - 4pm
SNH Headquarters at Battleby, near Perth

This Growing Communities in Scotland event is for everyone who is interested in or involved with community, therapeutic and allotment farms and gardens. This positive event brings like-minded people together from across Scotland to learn together, share information and good practice and shape the future.

The day includes a ‘Have Your Say’ session in the morning and workshops on Wormeries and Composting, Growing and Selling Food, Adaptive Gardening Techniques, Pond Creation for Wildlife, the Various Legal Structures available for community groups and charities, Fundraising, Preserving Your Produce and a site visit to Perth Walled Garden.

Later in the day, there will be drop-in sessions with a variety of funders and opportunities to find out more about the new Community Land Advisory Service, Beekeeping, Allotments and Senscot, (supporting social entrepreneurs). There will also be a tasting session with the Healthy Living Award, case studies from a variety of community garden projects and a Seed Swap.

You can download a booking form and find details at www.farmgarden.org.uk/farms-gardens/your-region/scotland/506-news-a-events, or contact Naomi at naomi@farmgarden.org.uk or 0131 623 7058.

 

SEPTEMBER 2011

Branching Out

Branching Out starts in Edinburgh on 22nd September 2011. These sessions are designed to help you find out how being outdoors can have a positive influence on mood outlook and general well being.Click here for more information or come along to the Information Session on 15th September 2011. Phone the Thistle Foundation on 0131 661 3366 or email info@thistle.org.uk

 

BBC Three is on the hunt for young and talented gardeners. They are looking for gardeners between the ages of 16 and 25, who are up for a challenge and want to showcase their skills to the world. For more information click BBC Press Release

A Fife Showcase for Community Growing Projects Ore Valley Business Centre, Lochgelly, Fife 23rd September 2011 09.00 to 16.00 Community Growing Solutions CIC, the leading horticultural social enterprise in Scotland, is pleased to present a one day conference and exhibition on community growing projects. Fife is rapidly gaining a name as a hub for community growing and many successful projects will be showcased. If you are interested in learning from best practice, improving skills/training, and networking with like-minded community growers and organisers, this is a great chance to find out more. There is an excellent line up of speakers, exhibitors and workshops, with a firm emphasis on real-world applications. For more information http://www.communitygrowingsolutions.co.uk

September 2011

Networking Event on Friday 30 September 2011 at Gardening Leave, Erskine. An excellent opportunity to see the therapeutic gardening work going on there there, meet people from other projects across Scotland, share ideas and support each other. click here for the booking form . Book by 19th September to ensure your place.
The day will also incorporate the Trellis AGM. click for AGM agenda
All welcome.

Income Generation - Life Beyond Grants on Thursday 1st September, 10 am to 3.30pm, The Thistle Centre, Edinburgh, with Pamela Redpath. Learn how to diversify your project income with lots of practical ideas and information. Send in your Booking Form by 15th August to ensure your place.

June 2011

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The Food Programme on BBC Radio 4 has helped to open up a debate about the sustainability of current food growing practices, questioning our reliance on annuals and a narrow range of produce type. See more at
http://www.bbc.coin the UK.uk/blogs/food/2011/05/from-potatoes-to-pecans-what-w.shtml 
and also Otter Farm, who practice this sustainable farming http://www.otterfarmblog.co.uk/ . Send any suggestions of suitable varieties  for  the Scottish climate to Trellis and we'll start a list on the website

 

February 2011

Columcille Ceilidh Band

Columcille, as well as gardening, also encourage musical talent. Their ceilidh band includies musicians with and without learning disabilites. The band is based in Edinburgh and plays for a wide range of events, including workshops, weddings, parties, fundraising and conference ceilidhs. Don't miss the FILM PREMIER of "About a Band" - featuring Columcille Ceilidh Band - at the Glasgow Film Festival on Wednesday 23rd February. Follow this link to the film festival programme www.glasgowfilm.org

Come along to the Bridgend Allotments 5th Annual Potato Day from 11am -2pm on Sunday 20th February. Seed potatoes for sale, talks and tips on growing , refreshments and entertainment . Bridgend Allotment , 41 Old Dalkeith Road Edinburgh EH16 4TE phone 0131 664 9559. For more information about the day click here. Click to read the seed tattie list.

February 2011
 

West Craigie Local Food Project is a social enterprise established to supply high quality vegetables to local outlets is developing a wildlife garden, working with Edinburgh City Council criminal justice service in their supervision of offenders on community service orders Read More on the News pages

 

Women's wildlife garden to bloom in Craigie

January 2011 

A new study has revealed women in Scotland are being kept in the dark. Those living north of the border were exposed to half the amount of sunlight needed to make vitamin D than their English counterparts. For the full article click here

 

December 2010

Being Socially Enterprising - 1st December 2010, Dewars Centre, Perth, 0900-1300 hours The Local Social Economy Partnership will be hosting a FREE event for those in the social economy sector looking to become more socially enterprising. This event is geared towards voluntary and community groups looking to lessen their dependence on grant funding or social entrepreneurs looking to get started. We have organised for two social entrepreneurs to come along and explain how they got started and for a Scottish Government representative to talk about the forthcoming changes to contracting and tendering. We have also organised workshops on Social Media Marketing, Outcomes and Applying for Funding, Getting Started and Sources of Funding. The event will commence at 0900 and finish at 1300 hours followed by lunch. To register for this free event please let me know by return of email to jillian.milne@pkavs.org.uk

November 2010
 

 

Networking Meeting, Wed 24 November. A chance to visit both Gardening Leave, Erskine and Parklea Branching Out, Port Glasgow and meet with others from gardening projects across Scotland. EVENT NOW FULL Contact Trellis to be placed on waiting list.

Easter Anguston Networking Meeting, Tues 2 November A chance to meet up in the Aberdeen area.

On tour with Vicki Ferguson, Fieldwork Co-ordinator - read how Shetlanders are 'growing their own'.

Precautionary Principle Sees PVG Scheme Postponed .The introduction of the PVG Scheme has been postponed until February 2011 to ensure the system which supports it is as robust as it can be before it goes live. More information is available the Scottish Government web pages or phone the PVG Scheme Help Service: 0870 609 6006

 

 

Rural Scotland in Focus The role of local projects in improving health and well-being in rural Scotland will be the focus of a high profile SAC (Scottish Agricultural College) event in Edinburgh later this month. Up to 100 representatives from the government, public, voluntary and private sectors will take part in Rural Scotland in Focus on Wednesday 24th November. The event aims to identify a set of actions for improving health in rural communities. Thirty local projects from around Scotland - many of which rely on a big input from volunteers - will speak of their work in areas where access to mainstream services can be limited. SAC Contact is Dr Sarah Skerratt Senior Researcher SAC (Scottish Agricultural College) Work SAC, King's Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG Tel Work 0131 535 4335

Forest Education Networking Event

This year's don't miss event for all those involved in forest education and Forest School. This 2 day event will be an opportunity to get together to learn, discuss, explore and catch up with the FEI community. FEI have put together another exciting programme including some fantastic workshops with a range of topics relating to woodlands in the context of International Year of Biodiversity. www.foresteducation.org/country.php?ctry=s

August 2010

Be on the look out for the Citrus Longhorn Beetle ,a danger to British trees, call the Plant Health and Seeds Inspectorate on 01904 465625

Although the beetle is known to have been introduced in Acers, it can affect a wide range of trees or shrubs, such as oak, beech, ash, maple, apple, pear, willow, hibiscus, horse chestnut, hornbeam, hazel, birch, mulberry and rose. The Citrus Longhorn (Anoplophora chinensis)develops inside plant stems and tree trunks, taking between one and three years to emerge, and are therefore difficult to detect. Large (6-11 mm) exit holes are left by the emerging adults in the stem. These exit holes may be just above ground level, but can also be just below ground level and as such cases are not visible. Other symptoms can include:Scraped sections of bark ; Chewed leaves and damage to the petioles by adults;T-shaped egg slits in bark droppings; or wood pulp around holes and larval tunnels in the wood under loose or thin bark. Examination of the ground at the base of the shrub or tree for signs of wood shavings provides a rapid method of detecting activity of late stage larvae.

These large black beetles grow to between 21-37mm long and have distinct white markings and long horns or antennae. The antennae are longer than the body and are black with white bands. It could be found on a wide range of trees or shrubs.

For images of the beetle click here.

Planning Aid Scotland

Planning Aid Scotland launches a New Mentoring Scheme to help community groups take advantage of their local resources in areas such as renewable energy, community centres and allotments. For more information please email Robert Patrick, Mentoring Co-ordinator on rob@planningaidscotland.org.uk or call him on 0131 220 9739

Scots to focus on Support as 'see me' launches national photography competition

‘see me’ is Scotland’s national campaign to end stigma and discrimination of mental ill health. We know that minds are changed with pictures as much as words. Our annual photo competition brings together your pictures alongside your thoughts about mental health and wellbeing. Could you be one of our 2010 national winners?

Enter here at http://www.seemescotland.org.uk/getinvolved/photography-competition

 

 

October 2010

Networking Event, Castle Huntly, 28 October

Basic Gardening Skills training, Glasgow, 19 October

August 2010

Designing gardens for people with dementia & cognitive impairment, Stirling

July  2010

Graham Miller is hosting a photographic exhibition opening on the 2nd of July at Birnam Arts and Conference Centre. In this personal project he has been photographing workers who are recovering from severe and/or enduring mental illnesses in the Walled Garden within the grounds of Perth's Murray Royal Hospital. Through the project "The Most important people in the World: Honesty" he is seeking to address the stigma attached to mental illness while reminding those affected of their importance to society.

June  2010

Annual Scottish Allotments Conference 2010: Thinking Outside The Plot

 Day 1: Friday June 18 2010 at the Parish Halls, 266 George St, Glasgow

Day2: Saturday June 19 2010 at Victoria Halls Dunblane

 Interest in allotments, community and therapeutic gardens and orchards, meanwhile and guerrilla gardening (‘community cultivation’) is growing rapidly in Scotland. Since COSLA published ‘Allotments in Scotland: Guidance notes for Scottish Councils’ in 2008, over 80 new allotment associations have formed across Scotland, five Councils have allotment strategies and many more are consulting with local people. Community cultivation is about more than spades and vegetables – it is about growing healthy and sustainable communities.  Community groups, Third Sector agencies and politicians are increasingly aware of the benefits that these activities can bring to health, well being, adaptation to climate change, education and biodiversity agendas. This Scottish Allotments and Gardens Society (SAGS) conference aims to raise awareness of these benefits at a senior level within the Public Sector.

This year, SAGS are experimenting with a conference run over two days, in two distinct venues.  The first day, Friday June 18th, will be held in Glasgow at the Parish Halls, hosted by Glasgow City Council. This session concentrates on the strategic issues related to the development, protection and funding of allotment sites. This session should be of interest to senior decision makers interested in finding out how support for allotments can help to meet goals in the areas of sustainability, public wellbeing, community regeneration... and how to implement this support in a practical way.

The second day, Saturday June 19th will be held in the Victoria Halls Dunblane with MSP's to give the view from parliament, experienced speakers to talk about practical matters and the popular workshop sessions. This will be followed by the SAGS AGM.

More information including the programme and booking form for both days of the conference are available at www.sags.org.uk.

 

Captured on camera - Community activity sought!

Would you like free professional photographs of your event or community activity?  Would you like photographs of your community activity to appear on a national website and in national publications?  Then look no further…

CHEX’s parent organisation, Scottish Community Development Centre (SCDC), is currently rebranding and we are looking to capture our shared vision for an active, inclusive and just Scotland - where our communities are strong, equitable and sustainable - through a series of photographs to be used on the SCDC and CHEX websites and in our publications and resources. We would like to invite community projects, volunteers and local partnerships carrying out community activities to be part of these photographs. In turn, you will receive a set of professional photographs for your own use, as well as publicity via acknowledgement of your project (where possible) when the photographs are used. 

We would like to capture activities taking place soon and, hopefully, we can catch the summer sunshine in them too!  So, if you are interested, please contact Olivia Hanley by e-mailing olivia@scdc.org.ukby Friday 4 June 2010. Projects will be selected on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. 

For further information on SCDC, please visit www.scdc.org.uk.

 

May 2010

“Learning for Citizenship & Independent Living” - GDA Learning Festival 2010

Wednesday 26 May 2010, 12.45pm to 3.45pm

Thistle Hotel, Cambridge Street, Glasgow

 A free, half-day conference organised by Glasgow’s largest groundswell of disabled members, Glasgow Disability Alliance, to launch the 2010 Learning Festival. Funded by the Big Lottery and Glasgow City Council, the Festival will celebrate the role of learning in empowering disabled people to be full and active citizens, living independent lives and fulfilling their potential.  It will also introduce the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Disabled People and offer workshops on this.  The conference aims to:

• increase awareness of the barriers facing disabled people in realising their rights and responsibilities as full & active citizens
• increase awareness of the important role which learning and personal development play in relation to disabled people accessing choices and living full and independent lives
• promote learning for all including workshops about disabled peoples’ human rights under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Disabled People (UNCRDP) and a focus on what organisations need to take account of in relation to rights contained within the Convention.

 The event is free and open to all individuals within partner agencies and organisations interested in finding out about the work of Glasgow Disability Alliance, the UNCRDP and how their own work might contribute to promoting the human rights of disabled people. For more information or to book a place, please call 0141 556 7103 or e-mail Shirley Coull, Administration & Communications Officer,

Glasgow Disability Alliance at shirleycoull@gdaonline.co.uk.

 

A Plant Sale will be held at the Horticulture Project, Royal Edinburgh Hospital on Thursday 27 May from 10.30 to 2.30pm. For details call 0131 537 6232. 

 

If you are in Orkney on 31st May you may wish to go along to the Network Meeting in The Garden Rooms, King Street Halls, Kirkwall 2.30 pm - 4pm or 7pm - 9pm . Space is limited so please book ahead See here for details.

 

May  2010

Stornoway Network Meeting The Growing Communities Partnership will be hosting a Network Meeting on Stornoway on 4 May. Click here for details.

Outer Hebrides Network Meeting An opportunity to meet with others connected with therapeutic and community garden projects in the Hebrides - the Growing Communities Partnership will be hosting a Network Meeting on North Uist on Wednesday 5 May. Click here for details.

Forth Valley Network Meeting 11 May at Camphill Blairdrummond NETWORK MEETING POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

April 2010

The Trellis network would like to thank John Playfair of Gardening Solutions, for his donations of free compost to network projects. John heard about the work of therapeutic gardening projects, was inspired by what they do and wanted to support and reward projects for their achievements. John runs his soil improvement business from Ballencrieff Farm, Longniddry, East Lothian and has supplied and delivered over six pallets of compost and soil improvers to projects in Edinburgh and the east of Glasgow for distribution to local gardening projects. We'd like to send our thanks to John and wish him all the best in the future. If you are looking for soil improvers, mulches, composts and manure and would like to source locally, why not try the Gardening Solutions webpages.

Trellis Network Meeting at Knowetop Community Farm, Dumbarton G82 5AT, details from: naomi@farmgarden.org.uk

Inverness Study Tour. A selection of the therapeutic and community gardens in the Inverness area to raise the profile and understanding of the work undertaken in these projects. If you are an NHS, Local Authority, Local or National government representative, contact Naomi Knights at naomi@farmgarden.org.uk

Growing Communities Networking Event at Rubha Phoil Forest Garden, Armadale Pier Rd, Isle of Skye IV45 8RS. Learn more about the work of Trellis and the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens and get an update on the work they are doing. Contact: Chris Conniff, Growing Communities Fieldworker 12 Coast Poolewe Ross-Shire IV22 2LR Tel. 01445781331 email chris.conniff@btopenworld.com

March 2010

How to improve diversity within your garden, allotment or smallholding at Mayfield Community Centre, Stirling. Guest speakers include RSPB, and Central Scotland Bat Group. Hosted by: Details from: Central Scotland Smallholders Association

February 2010

2010 Institute of Horticulture Young Horticulturist of the Year. Heats int February and March. Contact the IoH office on 01992 707025 or email info@horticulture.org.uk . Regional finals will follow in March, and The Grand Final will be held at Kew Gardens (Jodrell Lecture Theatre) on Saturday 15 May.

The ORCHARD 800 project, in conjunction with Perth’s 800th year celebrations in 2010, aims to plant 800 fruit trees on publically accessible sites. The official launch of ORCHARD 800 with the first community fruit tree planting at Perth College, as part of Perth Colleges Staff Conference on Sustainability, is on 10th February 2010.

City Critters - Why Should We Care About Urban Nature? at the Live Science Centre, Dundee. Rebecca Wade from The University of Abertay Dundee talks about urban ecosystems and why she thinks we need to culture and conserve these systems.

Potato Day at Bridgend Allotments Community Health Projects.For details call 0131 664 9559.

January 2010

Ideas and Inspiration Day - Year Round Garden Activity Planning at Suntrap Garden, 43 Gogarbank, Edinburgh EH12 9BY, with Lou Evans, Growing Communities Fieldworker as host.

September 2009

The Scottish Rural Gathering at Perth Racecourse. Chaired by Ken Rundle of the Scottish Agricultural College and attended by senior figures from government , agencies and organisations working across rural Scotland. For further information contact your: Local Action Group Coordinator

August 2009

Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) issues retail strategy to garden centres. Members will be encouraged to sign up to the BERR Prompt Payment Code to attend the HTA Plant area Masterclass and Workshop programme. The HTA will also develop an Effective Garden Centre marketing toolkit and workshop to help garden retailers build on community links, local sourcing and environmental messages. The report finds typical garden centre sector sales in 2009 are: Plants 22% Garden sundries 18% Home/gifts/Christmas 17% Catering 15%.

June 2009

Looking for Volunteers in the Aberdeen area? Scottish Business in the Community Grampian have been asked by Aberdeen-based companies to find local projects which their staff could undertake on a volunteer basis. Contact Alex Gauld or Bill Ferguson of SBC by phone on 07717 200472 or 07967 361352 or e-mail them at SBC@gauld6462.fslife.co.uk or sepgrampian@btopenworld.com

Growing Communities Network Event at the Suntrap Garden, Edinburgh.

May 2009

Trellis Network Event at Formartine Community Garden Project, Former Quarry site, Gurgedyke, Methlick, Ellon, Aberdeenshire AB41 7EN , including a tour of the garden and facilities at Formartine Community Garden.

Tayside Biodiversity Festival will be hosting many events from nature trails to book signing designed to raise awareness of biodiversity and wildlife in Tayside. Contact i.ballantyne@dundee.ac.uk or Tayside.biodiversity@ukf.net

April 2009

Become a Vegetable Doctor. Experienced gardeners are being urged to become "vegetable doctors" in a drive to teach the younger generation the lost skills of growing their own food. www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/5098589/Veg-doctors-recruited-in-drive-to-encourage-more-row-your-own.html

The 4th annual Scottish Enterprise Trade Fair at the Edinburgh Corn Exchange offers the biggest trading platform for social enterprises in Scotland. Click for details or phone the events team on 0131 557 5767

March 2009

3rd Annual Trellis Conference at Cardonald College, Glasgow. The theme was Scottish Government Policy : The Gardening Contribution, and aimed to demonstrate how therapeutic gardening contributes to a Healthier, Wealthier, Fairer, Smarter and Greener Scotland. The full report can be downloaded: Word | PDF

The Edinburgh Community Backgreens Association, created to support local residents in reclaiming and regenerating tenement has launched their new website. For further details visit: ECBA Website

Free Training Opportunities in Adult Support and Protection from SAMH - contact admin@samh.org.uk for further information. For free training in Finance and Writing Tenders for Public Sector Contracts, visit SE Academy

February 2009

Tayside Biodiversity Partnership first practical Green Roof Workshop in Scotland, and Swifts in the Built Environment Workshop. Dusty Gedge, Howard Liddell (Gaia Group), Edward Mayer (London Swifts), Neil McLean (SEPA) and Paul Hanson (Arboretum Internationale) will all be giving presentations. Call 01382 433042 or email: biodiversity.events@dundeecity.gov.uk

January 2009

Trellis Networking Event at the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh. Meet Horticultural Therapy volunteers and tour their plot.

Trellis Networking Event at Silver Birch Ltd, Milton of Campsie, Kirkintilloch Event details.

November 2008

Trellis Networking Event at Glachbeg Croft, Allanglach Wood, North Kessock, IV1 3XD Event details

A Scottish Government Press Release refers to the growing demand for allotments and announces plans to unlock unused public land for growing fresh, seasonal produce. Click on link Helping Scots to Grow their Own

Welcome to two new faces in the Trellis office - Mike Hamilton will be working with Fiona on development, whilst Melanie Nicoll joins us as our new Office Manager. Meet the team

A copy of the 2009 Trellis Project Information Form is being mailed out to each of you and should be arriving any day now. This form is designed update our database and build a library of project evaluation tools which measure the impact of garden projects.

Health Scotland CFHS ~ annual networking conference at the Thistle Hotel, Glasgow. This year's theme focuses on the important contribution from community-based initiatives working towards achieving national priorities.

Afasic Scotland ~ Conference & AGM at The James Watt Centre, Herriot Watt University, Edinburgh Event details

October 2008

Siblings of Disabled Children workshop at Perth. Visit: Sibs web pages

August 2008

Trellis Network Meeting and AGM at The Hidden Gardens, Glasgow.

July 2008

Jenny Simpson joins us from the 24th September 2008. She will be developing the query service, fact sheets and the website. Contact her at: jenny@trellisscotland.org.uk

We are looking for two new directors to join the Trellis Board - in particular people with skills and experience in finance controls and human resource management. Visit the Jobs page for more details.

June 2008

Announcing details of our recent funding success - Big Lottery funding for Community, Therapeutic and Allotment Gardening in Scotland

May 2008

Trellis big office move to: 40 St John Street, Perth, PH1 5SP

The SAMH Chrysalis Project Open week at Dundee College. Tours, plant sales. Contact Kevin Bruce, Senior Instructor/VGC, Chrysalis Project, Dundee College, Melrose Terrace Campus, DD3 7QX, t: 01382 454147 / 07800 820594 or e: chrysalis@samhservices.org.uk

April 2008

Trellis Network meeting at HOPE Trust, Hospitalfield, Arbroath.

ISHS Symposium at RHS, Lindley Hall, Westminster SW1. Sponsored by the ISHS (International Society for Horticultural Science), the RHS and the Institute of Horticulture. Further details: http://www.rhs.org.uk/ISHS/about.asp

March 2008

Trellis Annual Conference at Dundee College, Kingsway Campus.

February 2008

Trellis Network meeting at Poolewe Village Hall.

October 2007

Central Scotland Forest Trust Regeneration Conference, at Inchyra Grange Hotel, Falkirk. Free: visit www.csft.org.uk

September 2007

Walled Kitchen Gardens Network Forum 2007. Visit: www.walledgardens.net or tel: 01432 354 479

Open Space - People Space: Innovative Approaches to Research Excellence in Landscape and Health in Edinburgh. Visit: www.openspace.eca.ac.uk

Gardening at Holyrood. Trellis will represent the therapeutic gardening network at Parliament at an event organised by SAGS, the Scottish Alloment Gardens Society, during Scottish Food Fortnight.

FCFCG National Networking Event at SNH, Battleby, nr Perth. Tel: 0131 623 7058 or email: naomi@farmgarden.org.uk

June 2007

Trellis at Gardening Scotland.

Photo courtesy of Mike Hamilton

The Trellis stall was within the Garden For Life 'Living Garden' area at Gardening Scotland, 1st-3rd June 2007. Around 500 people visited our stall and our demonstration of adaptive gardening techniques. Our patron, Jim McColl also surrendered his microphone in the Beechgrove Theatre Tent so that we could promote therapeutic gardening and Trellis to the audiences there.

Trellis Network Meeting at Furrow of L'Arche, 13 Drummond Crescent, Inverness IV2 4QR Tel: 01463 239 615

Trellis Network Meeting at Hansel Market Garden, Hansel Alliance, Symington, Ayrshire KA1 5PU. Tel: 01563 831445/01563 830340.