The Hebridean Community Garden announces Island Communities Fund grant success

The Hebridean Community Garden, a horticultural project based at the Clan Macquarrie Community Centre (CMCC) and jointly managed by CMCC and Urras Oighreahd Ghabhsainn, is delighted to announce it has been selected as one of the 29 recipients of the Island Communities Fund.

The Garden, situated in Borve in north west Lewis, has received the impressive sum of £48,361.40, which will be used to improve ventilation in existing polycrubs, upgrade parking facilities, and see the construction of a further polycrub amongst other key developments.

Christopher Smail, Project Coordinator at the Hebridean Community Garden, said: “This generous award from the Island Communities Fund will help to transform the Garden and lead it in all kinds of new and exciting directions. The grant allows us to greatly improve the infrastructure at our Clan Macquarrie Community Centre location, as we can now benefit from a new polycrub, improved ventilation in the existing ones, fresh tarmacking for the parking area adjacent to the garden and lots of new growing space.”

The Island Communities Fund, managed by Inspiring Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government, is backed by £2 million of Scottish Government funding, which comes from the £9.5 million committed to the Islands Programme for 2021/22. Grants of up to £150,000 each were awarded to twenty nine community organisations and businesses across twenty three islands. Only eight organisations throughout the whole of the Outer Hebrides were successful in receiving a grant.

At present, the Garden has two fully kitted-out polycrubs, raised beds for community use, a tool shed and a sensory garden, with growing space available for those interested in gardening and growing. The Garden has also hosted a number of community events, most recently teaching young people about autumn and winter gardening at the school holiday programme ‘Plòigh’.

If you would like to see more information or to get involved with the Hebridean Community Garden, please either visit their website, www.clanmacq.com/gardening, follow the Garden on Facebook and Instagram, or send an email to: office@uogltd.com or info@clanmacq.com