Borders Act for Change Update!
All over the Borders, you have been taking action on the climate and it has been brilliant to see! We thought it was about time we gave an update on some of the exciting projects that we have supported this month. To recap, our Act for Change seed funding offered constituted organisations in the Scottish Borders up to £500 to organise an activity or action related to climate change or the environment, here is what some of those groups have used the money for:
Stow Disrupters - Alongside local community volunteers, the Disrupters mapped out the area for an orchard of 24 native fruit trees (22 apple and 2 plum trees) on land set aside for the orchard at Stagehall farm, they will be planting the orchard in the near future.
Paxton House - Prepared their raised beds in preparation for the start of the planting season. They also planted 500 hedge seedlings; the hedges will provide important cover for local wildlife.
Hedge saplings, newly planted, at Paxton House
Lowood Community Garden - Hosted two fruit tree grafting workshops. Whilst grafting is a centuries’ old horticultural technique yielding benefits such as, disease resistance, yield improvement, and growth control, it is also seen as a possible measure to help increase tree's’ resilience to climate change.
A tree grafting workshop in progress at Lowood Community Garden.
Beyond Earlston - Have organised a variety of sessions focussing upon plastic recycling, including a day out litter picking on Berwick beach. They have also been teaching young people about plastic recycling - did you know that 76% of the rubbish in an average black bin bag could have been recycled?
Tweedsmuir Community Company Gardening Group - The installation of a water butt in their garden has transformed their ability to maintain and expand the community garden despite having no mains water supply.
Let’s Eat Better CIC - Did you know that a shocking 1.4 million bananas are thrown away everyday in the UK? 1.4 million! Let's Eat Better have been running a sustainable diets course for children in Berwickshire and they've been putting some of those unloved bananas to good use (making banana pancakes)! They also talked about the massive problem of food waste in the UK. The second 'Sustainable diets' session was all about seasonal eating and incorporating vegetables into our everyday diet. They talked about which vegetables are available during the winter months and how to preserve the ones harvested during the summer and autumn in order to be able to eat them through the winter months.
Putting unwanted bananas to good use!
Great Tapestry of Scotland - Ran a two-day creative, hands-on textile activities for school-aged children. The workshops combined sustainability, creativity, and practical making skills, encouraging young participants to think differently about clothing, waste, and reuse. Across both days, the sessions welcomed 74 children and 69 adults, demonstrating the appeal of accessible, creative sustainability-focused activities.
Friends of Coldstream Primary School - Used the funding to build a compost heap at their outdoor classroom and community raised beds. They will use the compost heap to create more compost for their community garden and teach the groups using the space how to recycle.
Ettrick and Yarrow Playgroup - Ran a swap shop event, encouraging people to bring children’s toys and books or clothing that is no longer of use to them and swap it with others. There were many happy children with new books, toys and clothes which their parents didn’t have to buy and they also saved them from ending up in landfill!