Community growing isn’t all about food. Allotments and community gardens are also great ways of bringing people together. They can provide opportunities to meet friends and help people feel more connected to their communities, both important for tackling loneliness and improving mental health.
Originally owned by a local housing association, this area of land was not needed for housing and had lain unused for years due to contamination issues. The location was an eyesore and a magnet for anti-social behaviour, so local residents decided to form a committee to look at how it could be brought back into everyday living.
The Shettleston Community Growing Project emerged from those early discussions. The project uses raised beds (ideal for land where ground contamination is an issue) to provide growing space for local residents.Â
Today the project is a successful community enterprise that provides opportunities for local people to grow their own food as well as training on how to cook it. The land now provides valuable opportunities for social interaction for users and a popular after school club for local children.
Find out more about how you can get involved.
Visit Scottish Land Commission to find out more about vacant and derelict land in your area and what you can do.
