Grow Borders Network September meeting at Paxton house

The Grow Borders Network met at Paxton House Community Garden this week, bringing together people involved in community food growing and environmental projects across the Scottish Borders.

SBCAN shared updates on current work and funding opportunities, including Farming for 2045, youth climate action, health and climate work, and the upcoming Act for Change Fund. Members also heard about the new Green Get-Together and opportunities to connect with other groups across the region. We then heard from Susan Henderson from Borders Organic Gardners (BOG)  who gave updates on their seed saving project. The Council's Justice Team and Abundant Borders have been supporting the initiative by helping to provide seeds for distribution.

The group then explored ways to make seed saving and sharing more accessible across the Borders, with ideas including community seed-saving packs, continuing the library distribution and making seeds available through community spaces.

The meeting finished with a tour of the fantastic Paxton House Community Garden, showcasing its productive growing spaces and walled garden. The visit also gave SBCAN the opportunity to see the hedge we funded as part of our Act for Change project last year (an announcement on Act for Change 2027 coming soon)! A group of volunteers from the community as well as a cohort of young people who don’t engage well with school, helped with the planting of the hedge at Paxton last spring.