Green fingered helpers
Trust’s harvest goes to help most vulnerable across area
There were tatties, peas and vegetables galore thanks to the green-fingered volunteers at East Kilbride Community Trust (EKCT).
The food growing programme saw the first harvest of its produce after nearly four months of graft, planting and growing vegetables from seed during the COVID pandemic.
And the haul has went to some of the most vulnerable across the town to help stock their larders.
Prior to the crisis, EKCT had planned to run a growing programme at its K-Woodlands site, as a unique way to engage with people across East Kilbride living with poor mental health.
The project had aimed to help reduce social isolation by creating a safe space for group discussion and community gardening.
Through sharing stories and experiences, whilst sowing seeds, watering, feeding, and nurturing plants, the overall desired outcome was to help encourage individuals to consider adopting strategies where they would apply that same level of care towards themselves.
Jane McArdle, K-Woodlands Project Delivery Officer, told the News: “Despite the COVID-19 outbreak, EKCT managed to adapt our plans and respond quickly to a community need by creating the Community Food Growing Programme.
“This meant that instead of focussing solely on mental health, we considered the community as a whole and what was needed during these unprecedented times.
“With the help of existing and some new volunteers we did a number of things including collecting recyclables to use as pots from kind people all across East Kilbride, built raised beds from pallets, wheelbarrowed tonnes of soil and planted thousands of seeds.
“We have been lucky enough to receive significant support throughout this period from local people and businesses who have helped to keep us safe.”
Jane added: “By working in partnership with South Lanarkshire Council’s Community Engagement Team, we have connected with other charities and groups based within East Kilbride who are best placed to distribute fresh produce to those vulnerable and shielding individuals across our community.
“With our first crop ready to harvest, we were delighted to be put in touch with Share Alike, one of the local organisations providing such essential support, which is headed up by East Kilbride resident, Annemarie Campbell, who makes it all happen.
“We are so pleased to have been put in touch with both Share Alike and Annemarie after hearing that all of our freshly picked produce went out to all those most in need across our community within 24 hours of being collected.”
Monique McAdams, EKCT CEO, said: “After us working with so many kind organisations and individuals throughout this extraordinary time, we are extremely grateful and look forward to continuing our successful partnership work.
“We hope to seize many more opportunities to grow and share all the lovely, local vegetables the volunteers and staff from the EKCT Community Food Growing Programme have worked so hard to produce.
To those of whom have been involved, we cannot thank you enough.”
EKTC would like to thank GSS Contracts, David Thomson Haulage, Adio and Vasco from Adio’s Fish Bar, Peter Inglis of Jinxys Bakery, Brian Bingham from Highlander Recycling and James Bias from Morrison’s Lindsayfield – all of whom donated items such as containers and pallets which would otherwise have been discarded but put to good use in the project.