THE top team at a lifeline Inverclyde organisation set up to tackle social isolation and teach new skills has won a major honour from an environmental group.
Inverclyde Shed won a Royal Horticultural Society Community Engagement Award at the recent Beautiful Scotland celebration held at Duthie Park in Aberdeen.
Organised by Keep Scotland Beautiful, the accolades recognise groups which improve, enhance, and protect the biodiversity of communities.
The Shed was nominated for the honour by Keep Scotland Beautiful judges Nancy and Malcolm McQueen, from Organic Growers of Fairlie, after they visited all of the charity's sites.
Moira Baxter, supervisor at Inverclyde Shed's Muirshiel Lane community garden in Port Glasgow, said everyone at the Shed was 'absolutely made up' to win the honour.
She added: "We were surprised to have been nominated for the RHS Community Engagement Award, let alone win it.
"We've worked hard to support, encourage and develop our own community growing initiatives, school gardens, and community orchards across Inverclyde for the past few years.
"We're proud to have represented some of the great community gardening activity that is happening in Inverclyde, and proud to be now be representing Scotland at UK level for grassroots community gardening."
Moira said the commitment and dedication of Shed volunteers helped secure the honour, and said the organisation is keep to develop further partnerships.
She added: "It's the work these volunteers have put in that has contributed so much to winning this award.
"We work with a wide range of school and community partners, and suppliers, and our super team of volunteers work across our various garden sites and apiary.
"We're actively exploring how different voluntary groups and councils across Scotland can successfully support each other, and carry out work that leads to making their places bloom."
The team at the Shed thanked all of the volunteers and companies that help with their vital work, including McCabe Tree Services, B&Q Port Glasgow, River Clyde Homes, Children in Action, Natwest, McGowan Fitness Training.
Moira said she wants to see groups continuing to work together to grow and develop Inverclyde's open spaces going forward.
She added: "Inverclyde is blessed with some really great groups, gardens and growing spaces, and Inverclyde Council's horticultural team did some great work recently with wildflower and new tree planting.
"We want to see a more co-ordinated approach that will connect local groups to helping keep our place blooming.
"Our hope is that more communities within Inverclyde consider setting up growing spaces, and that more people join the growing network of volunteers who are helping make this such a great place to live."
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