Community spirit is blooming
and Sandwick Trust is always happy to support growth – and its donations to Mossend Residents’ Association have done that, with nearly £2,000 going towards improvements at the little-known but lovely Bayview Community Gardens on the outskirts of Stornoway.
The gardens are tucked away between the Barratt houses near Plasterfield and are accessed by paths from Cnoc Iomhair (Ivorhill) or Redburn.
They’ve been growing for 10 years and are looked after by green-fingered members of the residents’ association.
Popular with young and old residents, the area where the gardens have been developed was once waste land which was beginning to attract flytippers. But it has been steadily transformed and is now bringing the generations closer together as the residents’ association has been working with a Gaelic medium class (primary 3/4 composite) from Stornoway Primary School on a community gardening project. The children, accompanied by class teacher Muriel Macleod, recently visited the gardens and were shown how to plant cabbages and potatoes by association committee members Donald Macleod and Ken Kennedy, who is also the treasurer. Donald and Ken then accompanied the children to Maybury Gardens where they helped the youngsters choose plants for their plot at school and later went up to the school to help them with the planting.
Mr Macleod said: ‘The children were talking away about all sorts of things and the more we see them, the more open they become.’
Ms Macleod said they had ‘a fantastic day’ at Bayview Community Gardens.
‘We learned how to plant potatoes and cabbage.
‘It’s lovely to see how a small community can come together and work so well as a group. We’ve really appreciated their help with our project. They’ve been great,’ she said.
Point and Sandwick Trust, the community wind farm charity which runs the three turbines at Beinn Ghrideag, has given two donations to Mossend Residents’ Association.
The first was for £999 in spring 2017 to help it create five raised beds. This allowed them to buy timber, compost and plants for the beds, which are now growing onions, leeks and strawberries.
Last month, the trust gave another £940, which went towards maintenance equipment including a new mower.
The area is leased from the council but operated by the residents, mainly those from Cnoc Iomhair and Airigh Ard. The association extends out and down to Steinish and Tolmie Terrace and up to Plasterfield, North Street and Sandwick.
The garden was created in 2008 and designed by the council’s former landscape architect Robert Stubbington.
Councillor Angus McCormack was also instrumental as it was his idea to set up the association.
Mr McCormack commented: ‘Not too many people know about it, but it’s a lovely place to go. It’s just a beautiful location and it’s very calm and peaceful.’