Funding Support for Blooming Gardeners Project
A therapeutic gardening project in Easter Ross has been awarded a grant from North Highland Initiative to help adults with learning disabilities enjoy and develop their awareness of horticulture and nature.
Photo from Blooming Gardeners website.
About blooming gardeners
Blooming Gardeners is a therapeutic gardening project in Easter Ross that aims to maintain and improve the health and well-being of individuals with potential exclusion issues through involvement in horticulture and to develop their awareness and understanding of the natural environment and their responsibility towards it.
As part of their latest project, they plan to create a new wildflower meadow which will benefit both the gardeners and the wider local community.
The Vision
The new meadow will be in public view and accessible from the roadside at the front of the former Green Wellie Garden Centre, where they are based.
Once created, they hope that their wildflower meadow project will also be enjoyed by residents of the Mull Hall Care Home, which is just across the road from the Green Wellie site.
Seeding these areas with native species of wildflowers will not only enhance the natural beauty of the site, but will attract bees, butterflies and other insects. The project will also promote discussion with the gardeners about the importance of caring for the environment, as well as the importance of native flower species to wildlife.
NHI Input
As part of the North Highland Initiative’s Community Infrastructure Support Programme (CISP), Blooming Gardeners were provided with a grant of £430. The financial support they received will help to create the wonderful new wildflower meadow as part of their ongoing therapeutic gardening project.
Here at Blooming Gardeners, we’ve been helping adults with learning disabilities enjoy horticulture and nature for over three years. This latest grant funding means we can undertake this new venture and make a positive, lasting improvement to the local environment. It will not only enhance the wellbeing of adults with learning disabilities and local care home residents, but will provide enjoyment for members of the wider community. We’d certainly recommend the programme to other eligible community groups. The application was straightforward. NHI was very helpful and encouraging in answering queries about the process and the decision about granting us an award came through very quickly.
Dr Fiona Sim, Chair of Blooming Gardeners
How to Apply
If you are a community group or business looking to develop sustainable infrastructure in the North Highlands, apply for CISP funding by filling out the application form.
For any enquiries, please contact: info@north-highlands.co.uk
