A total of 24 community groups from across Lanarkshire were celebrated for their climate and nature action projects at the annual It’s Your Neighbourhood awards run by Keep Scotland Beautiful.
They include two community gardens in Blantyre, a South Lanarkshire eco-site producing its own solar power, rainwater harvest and freshly-grown vegetables for the local foodbank and a long-standing group working to support a Monklands park – all of which received top honours.
Organisers praised the dedicated volunteers across Lanarkshire for their “passionate and committed efforts to improve and protect” their local areas with their environmental work.
The Lanarkshire entrants received recognition ranging from the top level-five award of “outstanding” to level-two “improving”, with some also earning additional certificates of distinction in their respective categories.
Among the recipients of both the outstanding and distinction awards were TACT Healthy Park, based at Coatshill in Blantyre, where volunteers visit every weekday to grow vegetables and flowers, sharing their gardening knowledge and giving everyone who visits “a reason to smile”.
Blantyre Miners’ community garden received the same honours, with awards organisers telling how the Bonnie Blantyre serenity garden and growing area was created during lockdown on land at the welfare club and continuing to go from strength to strength.
Flourishing Forth has three polytunnels plus growing beds at its eco site, and generates its own power, collects rainwater, provides fruit and veg to the foodbank and local butcher, recycles green waste in compost bays and grow some of the flowers for local street displays.
Monklands group Friends of Centenary and West End parks was among four North Lanarkshire organisations to earn level-five awards and certificates of distinction, in recognition of their years of ongoing work to promote and improve the greenspace at the prominent site between Airdrie and Coatbridge.
They were joined by Northern Corridor community volunteers, whose projects range from woodlands to walking, Pride in Carbrain and Greenhead Moss Community Group, who work on planting, litter picking and creating meadow areas at the Wishaw nature reserve.
Outstanding awards were also earned by Bothwell Community Garden, High Mill and community gardens in Carluke and the community garden at St John’s Primary in South Lanarkshire; and by Cumbernauld organisations Village Veggies and Old Parish Church kirkyard and cemetery group, plus the award-winning Friends of Hartwood paupers’ cemetery.
Level-four “thriving” accoldates went to Blantyre-based Friends of the Calder, Rutherglen and Cambuslang groups Grow 73 and Friends of Holmhills Wood community park – all of whom also earned distinctions – and to Burn Road action group of Carluke.
The same double awards were presented to Upperton Residents’ Committee in Airdrie, Friends of Gartcosh and Hope Community Garden in Cumbernauld, all of whom also qualified for distinction certificates.
Lanarkshire’s winners at last month’s virtual ceremony were completed by Carluke group Jock’s Burn community orchard, Friends of Douglas Park and East Mains Community Council, who were awarded level-three “advancing” status, and Holytown Environmental Group, whose members earned level-two “improving” status.
Juliette Camburn of Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “Every year we celebrate the remarkable achievements of our fantastic It’s Your Neighbourhood groups – they all make such a difference in their areas.
“Their impact is felt and appreciated by all and it’s crucial that they are recognised and thanked for their tireless efforts. Congratulations to all our entrants and thank you to the amazing volunteers for all they do to make their communities a cleaner, greener and more sustainable place for us all.”
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