Growing Together Scotswood

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Funded on
20 Jun 2024

To run our Growing Together project for a year. The project provides conservation volunteering and training for diverse adults. Volunteers maintain our community garden for wildlife and the public.

£31,159 Raised of £31,147

126 Backers

100%

Our Delivery Report

Funded on 20 June 2024 | Delivered on 30 June 2025

£31,159

RAISED

126

BACKERS

85

DAYS TO FUND

BIGGEST PLEDGE

£19,069

From North East Combined Authority

£10

MOST POPULAR PLEDGE AMOUNT

101

people have visited this project!

Project Image

m<sup>2</sup> of public or community space improve

10117 m² of public or community space improved

donated £25

Scotswood Garden donated £5

More about our impact

The environment

The project had a huge impact on the environment of Scotswood Garden, a designated local wildlife site, and the nature-depleted wards surrounding the garden. Volunteers have completed a range of environmental projects including reseeding and replanting our 2 wildflower meadows for pollinators and enhancement of our Forest Garden. Additional habitats have been enhanced and mainstaned includiing our woodland and 2 wildlife-rich ponds

The local economy

It provided volunteering and training opportunities for diverse adults living in the west end of Newcastle

Volunteering, jobs & education

101 diverse volunteers participated in the project including people with disabilities and people in the asylum system who are prevented from working. A range of unaccredited skills-based training was also completed including citizen science monitoring, using tools, landscaping and food processing/cooking

Activity, health and leisure

Our monitoring found that 100% reported increased social connections, activity levels and improved wellbeing as a result of the project.

http://www.scotswoodgarden.org.uk

" Volunteering at the Garden is the best thing I have ever done.. it gets me out of my flat and stops me staring at 4 walls. I have made loads of new friends, grown vegetables, made juice...it's like family" - Jim aged 68

Scotswood Garden is an award winning environmental community organisation and public garden based in Scotswood, Newcastle Upon Tyne . Our stunning Garden was set up in 1995 on the site of an old school playing field and boasts wildflower meadows, a woodland, ponds, orchards and fruit and vegetable gardens designed as Forest Gardens. The Garden is a designated Local Wildlife Site and home to a number of the UK's Biodiversity Action Plan protected species. We are a Learning and Demonstration site for the UK Permaculture Association and a centre of excellence for others to visit and learn from. The ward in which the Garden is based is ranked in the highest 10% for multiple deprivation in England.

We have a 26-year track record of using nature-based interventions to improve health and wellbeing, bring people together to boost social connections and equip people with new skills and knowledge, We work with 2000- 3000 people a year delivering a range of support, training and education services for people aged 1-100.

From the Garden we deliver

1. Inclusive volunteering and training for adults 3 days a week. Our volunteers work outside on ambitious conservation projects and maintain the garden. We are a One Awards registered training centre and deliver accredited National Open College Network units.

2. Older People's Services - we run accessible outdoor volunteering sessions 3 days a week, a weekly older women's gardening group, nature based craft and activity sessions, social activities, trips and social and therapeutic horticulture for people living with Dementia including outreach in care homes.

3. Education programme working with schools across the city. Environmental education workshops linked to the national curriculum, Forest Schools for mental health and accredited Forest School leadership training .

4. Play and youth work. We deliver 5 nature based youth groups a week from the Garden plus detached youth work in our local area. We also run Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme, exciting holiday activities, camps and expeditions.

5. Outreach and Community work - 4 large community fun days at the Garden and partnership projects with Marie Curie Hospice and West End Refugee Service,

Project Owner: Scotswood Garden The Project Owner takes legal responsibility for receiving and spending the funds raised and ensuring the project is delivered.