Category: Glenfinart Walled Garden

ARDENTINNY COMMUNITY TRUST LTD.
is looking to procure
A CONTRACT FOR THE DELIVERY OF SERVICES (Project Officer)

Our new, exciting community walled garden project requires a person to support the board of directors to develop a social enterprise. The successful self-employed contractor will be expected to deliver the following outcomes:

• Consult with the community through a range of activities
• Identify income streams and funding opportunities
• Prepare funding applications
• Develop a range of policies
• Create a robust business plan for the enterprise

The timeframe for delivery of the contract is approximately nine months. The contract has a value of £10,000. Experience of fundraising, community engagement and work in the public, private and third sectors is essential.

All enquiries to the Trust Convener on 01369 810220 or by email to info@glenfinartgarden.org. Applications must be received in writing with accompanying CV by 26th October 2011. Applications will be shortlisted on the basis of the quality of the information provided and will be expected to be able to attend interview on the 31st October, 2011.

This project is funded by Ardentinny Community Trust, the Scottish Government and the European Community Argyll & Islands LEADER 2007-2013 Programme and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Earlier this month Ardentinny Community Trust Director, Merle Ferguson attended the Growing Communities in Scotland conference. This is her report:

The event was organized by the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens (FCFCG) and Trellis. The Federation was established 31 years ago. To my surprise, their information map highlights 46 community garden sites which can be visited across Scotland, from Good For Ewe in Wester Ross to Crailing Community Orchard in the Borders.

Trellis was established in 2005 as the Scottish Therapeutic Gardening Network and works across Scotland with over 170 therapeutic gardening projects to support each other through the sharing of expertise, good practice and resources.

The day included numerous workshops and a visit to Perth Walled Garden. The main themes were: Social Enterprise and Shareholding; Gardening for Health Initiatives; Environmental Awareness; Transition from Oil; and Sustainable Horticulture Methods. Practical issues where Local Authority Guidance is essential, were Soil Health, Security, Environmental Health and Trading Standards Legislation.

The best part of any conference is networking and apart from the AppleTreeMan and his juicer, a highlight for me was meeting Ron Gilchrist from Fairlie Community Garden. Possibly Ardentinny Community Trust volunteers will be able to visit there in the near future (Greenway looks like a very lively and informative site).

If you are in Glasgow, the Hidden Gardens at the Tramway and Great Gardens run by Govanhill Housing Association are two different and exciting places from which to learn.

Best of all was the visit to Perth Walled Garden where we met the relaxed and thoroughly informative Head Gardener – another man who knows a Bloody Ploughman from a Cox!

Merle Ferguson.
Ardentinny Community Trust Trustee

NB. This day was self financed although at a cheaper rate because ACT is now a member of the Federation.

Ardentinny Community Trust Ltd. is delighted to be able to announce the receipt of crucial funding for the community purchase of Glenfinart Walled Garden under the National Forest Land Scheme. The Big Lottery’s Awards for All scheme has granted £8,000 while Highlands and Islands Enterprise has granted the remaining £2,000 towards the total purchase price of £10,000. Conveyancing has already begun, the cost of which, in large part, was also covered by Highlands and Islands Enterprise funding from a previous grant.

The Trust has also raised an additional £6,500 through local fund raising and donations and would like to thank Awards for All, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and local residents and friends of the walled garden for their support. Trust Convener, Dennis Gower, said ‘This is great news for a very small village which has lost many of its community facilities over the years and can now look forward to the restoration of a beautiful piece of Argyll’s heritage’.

Buying the garden is just the beginning. There are further grant applications in process and local fund raising will continue alongside additional community and expert consultation in order to facilitate the further progress of this inspiring and pivotal village project. If you would like to know more or become involved, please contact the Trust via email or Facebook page.

Woodlands above Ardentinny rang to the sound of laughter last Sunday when the sun shone on a party to raise funds for Glenfinart Walled Garden Community buy-out. Dave Lilley opened the occasion, spoke of previous community developments in Ardentinny and Glenfinart and welcomed this latest and most ambitious project.

Highlights of the afternoon were the ‘Tea with Mussolini’s’ who hulahooped to a total of £994 in sponsorship. An auction of work by local artists and promises ranging from 8hrs oddjobbing (Chris) to a day’s work from Billy the contractor with his digger, (lots of bids for both of these handsome men!) raised £1090, making a total raised of £2084. The children especially enjoyed battling with the Green Knights and their Archers. Elaine, the Mystic Seer channelled good fortunes from her magic horse whisperer.

The organisers wish to thank everyone who contributed to the delicious homecooking and good cheer.

Merle Ferguson.

Watch the video!

Ardentinny Community Trust Ltd. held its AGM on Friday 22 July, 2011. It appears to have been a packed year for the Trust’s Walled Garden sub-committee which stacked up various meetings with Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE); Development Trust Association Scotland (DTAS), of which it is now a member; Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO); and Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) and its independent panel of advisers. There were also seminar and conference attendances in Campbeltown, Blantyre, and Ardfern and knowledge and skills exchange visits in Rothesay and Haddington.

Glenfinart Walled Garden Business Plan.

In the interim it prepared a successful application, which included its first draft business plan, to FCS for the community purchase of Glenfinart Walled Garden, in accordance with the expressed wishes of Ardentinny residents. It also prepared and submitted grant funding applications to the Co-op Community Fund; Trusthouse Charitable Foundation; Highlands & Islands Enterprise (HIE); Awards for All; and LEADER.

It has already received initial grants from HIE and Firstport which, having to be spent before the end of the last financial year, secured the cost of conveyancing and other legal services and the purchase of a poly tunnel, in preparation for the garden’s first cash crop. There has also been local fund raising with a regular stall at Ardentinny’s weekly open mornings at the village hall and at Kilmun Flea market. Local artists have been very supportive of the project, donating their work in aid of the charity and Pauline Gordon, the Trust’s Treasurer, reported a current walled garden bank balance of £4,038.22.

There are further fund raising plans for a garden party in September; a raffle; guided historic walks from next spring; a bag packing day at Morrisons on Nov. 26th; a cello concert in December and a Variety Concert in Dunoon in January 2012. The committee also has plans to sell its own line of EWE products which will be well designed, locally produced, arts and crafts which can be taken to markets locally and further afield and the Trust also plans to publish a History of Ardentinny and Glenfinart which should go on sale next spring with all profits going to the walled garden charity.

During the meeting a proposal was made that the Trust hold open meetings every two months in order to raise awareness of the work being done, further advertise the project, and hopefully attract more donations and/or loans. This was agreed. In accordance with the Trust Constitution, all the Directors stood down and the following were elected to the Board: Dennis Gower, Pauline Gordon, James Gordon, Merle Ferguson, and Anna Williamson get no credit check loans . Officers will be elected at the next Directors’ meeting.

It is also the intention of the Board to appoint three more directors with specific skills necessary for the project. In addition to the Board, there are plans to appoint a part-time, self-employed project development manager supported by grant funding. The Trust’s updated Glenfinart Walled Garden Business Plan will soon be available on its website www.GlenfinartGarden.org. This 22 page document grew out of the Trust’s initial village survey and continuing consultations. It is also intended to reflect its subsequent research and work in trying to deliver, not only the purchase of this community asset but to incorporate as many as possible of the community’s requested uses and functions of the garden in a viable and sustainable way. Plans, being what they are, are adaptable to changing needs and circumstances and it is hoped that the immediate and wider community will engage in taking this exciting project forward.

Ardentinny Community Trust AGM Minutes.

Glenfinart Walled Garden Business Plan.