Ferguslie Park hosted a number of communities on 27th February 2023 to showcase the climate action taken in the community.
The community exchange was part of environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful’s Community Climate Action Plan (CCAP) programme, made possible by funding provided by The Scottish Government.
The exchange brought CCAP communities and others from the charity’s community improvement initiative It’s Your Neighbourhood together to experience the climate work going on across Ferguslie Park. CCAPs support the work of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, aiding communities to access safe and inclusive green and public spaces.
Ferguslie Park has been working hard to implement climate action measures across the community and there are plenty of results to show for it.
The community exchange, hosted by Darkwood Crew, began at the Tannahill Centre for a welcome and introductions, before moving on to visit Darkwood Crew’s Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Ferguslie HUB, and their proposed community growing space.
Terry, from Darkwood Crew who hosted the community exchange, said: “It was fantastic to see the community learning exchange come into fruition. It is very rare we, in Ferguslie Park, get to show off. I have really benefitted from learning how far we have travelled as a community. Often when you are emotionally invested you can lose sight of progress”.
There was also input from across the community, including a visit to Own Yer Bike, a charity that sells and repairs bikes and also teaches young people how to repair and maintain their bikes.
There was a visit to Glencoats Park, run by Pals of the Privies, a group of women who work to keep the park a safe, enjoyable green space for adults and children. They have installed a play park and keep 5 acres maintained and looked after.
For lunch, soup, made from surplus food, was served, with information given on the very successful Community Market that serves the community and significantly reduces food waste.
Barochan Green Team was the last visit of the day, a small green space behind some houses in the community that used to be filled with rubbish. With the help of a few friends, Maggie, a Ferguslie Park resident, created Barochan Green Team and cleared the area to create a beautiful green space, with woodland trails and raised beds for community growing. This is now a safe space for children to play and for residents to spend time with nature.
Malcolm, one of the attendees from Organic Growers of Fairlie, said: “Today was an insight to what can be done within community, opening avenues of change and growth through small ‘organised’ type of projects. I will have a new positive view of Ferguslie Park as an integrated network, thanks”.
Heather Ashworth, Projects Officer at Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “It was a fantastic opportunity to visit Ferguslie Park and see how they are changing the narrative and how they are making climate action relevant and beneficial for the community”.
Keep Scotland Beautiful will be facilitating another community exchange in March, with the communities of Arbroath and Kirriemuir.
If you are interested in creating a community climate action plan with your community, please get in touch at info@keepscotlandbeautiful.org.