Improve your neighbourhood

ENVIRONMENTAL charity Keep

Scotland Beautiful is inviting community groups working to boost their areas to join the 2022 Beautiful Scotland and It’s Your Neighbourhood initiatives.

Groups with an interest in improving their local environment – from cities and towns, to villages, parks or community gardens – are welcome to register and take part, with a deadline of 30 April 2022.

Run by the charity in partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), the projects give volunteers and groups the chance to benefit from expert support, resources and recognition for their efforts to protect and enhance their local places. The charity’s team of expert volunteers also provides mentoring throughout the year.

Following on the success of last year’s theme of ‘Climate and Nature Friendly’, and joining the national celebration of Scotland’s Stories, 2022’s theme will be the ‘Year of Stories’. Groups will have the option to build on last year’s projects or start new projects and focus activities around this, finding innovative and creative ways to tell the tale of their endeavours.

Catherine Gee, Deputy CEO of Keep Scotland Beautiful said, “The last year has been very important for action on climate change in communities. Volunteers across Scotland make a huge contribution to the essential work being done to tackle the climate and nature emergency we are facing, helping make Scotland clean, green and sustainable for nature and people. As a recognition of this and of the challenges faced by groups over the last year, the registration fee for Beautiful Scotland was removed in 2021 and entry will also be free this year.

“We’d love people from wellestablished groups, through to those just starting out, to register for free support through the Beautiful Scotland or It’s

Your Neighbourhood initiatives this year – joining a network of passionate people who they can share their stories with and learn from.”