The Inverclyde Shed manages two successful community gardens - one in Gourock at Shore Street and a larger garden, orchard and apiary, in Port Glasgow at Muirshiel Lane within the Devol Industrial Estate.
We have also helped many others setup growing spaces across Inverclyde and recently expanded our own growing space by developing a previously unused part of The Gourock Walled Garden.
All these projects represent community-led regeneration.
The shed has sometimes gone through a simple license to occupy or private lease for a site. Other times, like the walled garden, we have gone through the more onerous Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 legislation to consult publicly and then secure a medium term lease agreement with the council.
Learning how to navigate the legislation, to build and organise a community, and develop a sustainable case that results in empowerment for the wider community, is a skillset few have - and even fewer can put into action.
That needs to change if are to broaden the benefits of community led regeneration of our communities.
The shed believes in enabling people to sustainably take control over their environment through skills, sharing and collaboration. We like to demonstrate it through our projects.
Inverclyde is blessed with a wide range of community garden and growing spaces. Thanks to the shed securing funding and undertaking the installation of small growing spaces, most of our schools and nurseries now have the potential to benefit from having growing space and orchard on their doorstep.
These spaces offer an opportunity to develop skills often overlooked in today’s education system and something our youngsters will increasingly encounter as global temperatures increase and other pressures signal growing future food insecurity.
Learning and respecting what is required to grow your own food is a core skill set that takes in (STEAM) Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics.
Whether it is learning about soil biology, hydrology, biotechnology, therapeutic benefits or simply ‘counting the beans’, growing can offer valuable skillsets that are transferrable.
At the walled garden we have hosted visits from Binnie Street Children’s Centre, Gourock Primary, St Columba High, St Ninians Primary and St Andrew’s Primary so far, with pupils learning a small part and engaging in practical growing skills.
We have already had countless conversations with passers by on growing tips, approaches and volunteering, every time this empowering others to see how they can contribute to a better place for us all.
We would like to encourage you to come and visit our new growing space, bring the bairns. We will be there at the Gourock Walled Garden during the Gourock Garden Party, from 10am to 4pm on Saturday, June 15.
For information on the Inverclyde STEM Festival 2024, visit the Facebook page here.
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