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Coorie In, Eden Communities Event at Glasgow Botanic Gardens

What a brilliant event at Glasgow’s Botanic Gardens at Coorie In, Winter Warmer, with Eden Communities Project Scotland on 12 December, 2023. Eden Communities Project is to bring people together to build healthier happier communities where people know one another and neighbourhoods thrive. The event was very well attended considering it was a very cold and wet day and it was uplifting to learn about the many different projects in Glasgow.

I enjoyed chatting to workers and volunteers from various charitable organisations and groups operating in and around Glasgow.  From Neilston to Scotstoun you can find great environmental projects promoting wellbeing, encouraging empowerment, participation, equality of opportunity and inclusion with people coming together to improve their neighbourhoods.

Glasgow Eco Trust

I already knew a bit about Glasgow Eco Trust, an environmental charity in Scotstoun, with a focus on Active Travel  that encourages people to walk and cycle more.  It was great to catch up with Neil, whom I hadn’t seen for a long time. and learn more about support and facilities available to the community. I didn’t know about their impressive  Food and Climate Action Plan – involving working in partnership with other projects to promote healthier food options for people and the planet.

Music Broth

Music Broth, which creates access to affordable musical instruments, was another project I was familiar with.  However, it was interesting to chat to James about the opportunities it provides for everyone to learn to play an instrument, about the classes Music Broth provides and how it contributes to caring for the environment by preventing landfill

Historic Environment Scotland – Community Connections

Historic Environment Scotland connects with community groups to explore how culture and heritage can contribute to post Covid recovery and renewal. They emphasize that the starting point for involvement is not necessarily heritage but can be to do with health and wellbeing, nature, green matters, skills and volunteering. Their series of online events has covered a range of topics including youth empowerment and the connections between heritage, wellbeing, arts and culture.  Find out more and access advice and support. 

Volunteering

One of the main themes of the event was volunteering and the immense contribution volunteers can make to their local communities. I enjoyed chatting with Cat about her work with local communities promoting sustainable food including with Propagate, Blether, and Incredible Edible Neilston.

Brilliant Environmental Projects

I discovered brilliant environmental projects that I had never heard of such as  Seven Lochs Wetland Park, where volunteers have created new ponds and wetlands, improved woodlands for wildlife, and planted wildflower meadows. The Seven Loch Trail is at Hogganfield Park and apparently in Wintertime you may see whooper swans and goldeneye ducks, who have come to Scotland from the Arctic.

At the event I also learned that in the East End of Glasgow, unusually, there is a population of water voles living in grasslands. A recent study by the University of Glasgow discovered that populations are among the highest in the UK.

So much to learn and investigate.

Eden Project Communities in Scotland

I very much enjoyed chatting to Martin Quigley, Community Network Developer for Eden Project Communities in Scotland 

He was very enthusiastic about his work pulling community organisations together to support and promote community development.  I was delighted hear that a very ambitious Eden Project is planned for Dundee,  This “will be a transformative project for the Scottish city, drawing on its rich history and playing an important role in the regeneration of the Dundee waterfront.”

Friends of Glasgow’s People Palace, Winter Gardens and Glasgow Green

While I was at the event I had the opportunity to share with workers and volunteers the aim of FOPPWGGG to restore the Winter Gardens at Glasgow Green. Most of them knew about the plight of this iconic venue in Glasgow and many of them had completed the survey – others said that they would fill in the questionnaire and share around their organisations.

Charitable and Community Organisations at the event:

I didn’t manage to speak to every project as they were caught up with other people. I would have liked to hear about Food for Life Scotland (I’ve been reading about their Food Standards for Primary Schools and Healthy Eating in Schools Regulations).  I also managed to miss the networking event but spent almost two hours chatting to the different organisations and found it very encouraging and reassuring that so much great work is taking place in our communities to inform and support people about healthy eating, the environment and sustainability and so on.

Eden Project Communities – Propagate, Blether, and Incredible Edible Neilston –Historic Environment Scotland – Glasgow Eco Trust – Glasgow City Council – Music Broth – Weekday Wow Factor – Glasgow Community Food Network – Blether, Neilston – Incredible Edible Neilston – Community Development Alliance Scotland – Community Councils Scotland – – Inverclyde Community Food Network – Volunteer Scotland –

Look out for forthcoming events by Eden Project Communities including Northern Ireland and Scotland Festive Special Online Community Networking Session on Tuesday 19 December at 6.30pm!

On leaving the event it was great to grab a brief chat with Andrew Sinclair, General Manager at Glasgow’s Botanic Gardens.

Pat Byrne, December, 2023

This section: Community event, Peoples Palace Winter Gardens and Glasgow Green