How Ayrshire garden allotments are helping vulnerable community members

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Eglinton Community Garden provides a range of therapeutic activities for community use and directly supports people with learning disabilities, mental health issues, ex-offenders, older people, veterans and those experiencing drug and alcohol problems.Based in Kilwinning, the facility provides all members of the community with learning opportunities related to gardening, growing food and cooking.It enables individuals to learn new skills, tools and coping mechanisms and promote positive changes in health, diet and lifestyle.The Ayrshire Community Trust (ACT) is part of a collaborative of agencies working together, including North Ayrshire Council countryside ranger service, The Conservation Volunteers (TCV), Turning Point Scotland, Health and social care learning disability team and North Ayrshire alcohol and drug partnership.The garden is used by the Positive Steps team to provide a stimulating environment for their participants.Supervisor Diane Clancy said: “The garden has been going since 2014.

It has been helping volunteers to come out and getting into a good space.“People who have maybe not been out of the house for a number of years can do individual projects or help out as part of a group.“We maintain the flower beds and in the past we have grown produce and once it was ready they could take some stuff home to cook, including potatoes, onions and garlic and cook it at home.“We are planting radishes and potatoes and, in past years, we have grown produce in the beds and once it's ready, people can take stuff home to cook.“We are planting a lot of flowers at the moment and that’s what we hope to do in the summer, to add quality to the garden.