Community gardeners dig in for a battle
THE POSSIBLE closure of Auchinlee care home has left Campbeltown Community Orchard and Garden (CCOG) facing an uncertain future.
CCOG was established in Auchinlee’s former walled garden 17 years ago. It was originally designed with the help of BBC’s Beechgrove Garden and featured on the programme in 2000.
Kintyre Environmental Group (KEG) is the charity responsible for managing the Community Garden on behalf of Kintyre people.
Sandra Spence a KEG director, said: ‘The financial difficulties facing Auchinlee and Crossreach, its current operator, have seriously jeopardised the future of the CCOG putting it at serious risk of closure or, worse still, under threat of being cleared completely from the two established sites.’
Faced with this threat KEG’s voluntary board of directors is seeking community views to determine if there is support for the continuation of CCOG, either at Auchinlee or at a new location should this become necessary.
If there is no support from the community KEG may sadly be forced to close the facility.
In 2007 the garden was taken under the wing of a dynamic and visionary man, Dave Pearson, who became the garden’s champion over the next five years.
Dave and his wife Trish, alongside the KEG board, worked tirelessly, doing everything from being the chair and secretary of KEG’s Board, organising numerous open days and submitting endless funding bids to further develop the garden and create employment.
Mrs Spence said: ‘KEG has introduced and built several inspiring areas of interest for adults and children to enjoy.
‘The innovative nature watch garden and hide uses spy technology to see inside bird/ bee/butterfly nesting boxes and feeding stations and can be viewed on TV in the comfort of the hide.
‘There is also a motion activated video recorded to capture footage of any wildlife when the garden is unoccupied.’
Other garden features include the children’s play area, fish pond and nature haven, made by the Dalintober primary pupils, bug hotels and the sensory garden.
In 2010, with permission from the Church of Scotland, KEG undertook its most ambitious project to date, to expand beyond the walled garden into the field above to create a market garden.
The intention was to sell fresh produce to cover running costs and reduce the organisation’s dependency on grants.
The polytunnels, orchard and soft fruit areas provide low maintenance continuous crops, berries and fruits, almost all year round and should do so for many years to come. To offer support to KEG contact the board either by phone on 07825 613683 or in person at the garden between 9am and 1pm, every day except Wednesday.
Mrs Spence added: ‘Our previous CCOG website has had to shut down temporarily, due to management difficulties, and the new email is campbeltowngardeners@gmail.com’