Alyson will be easily recognisable in her outdoor gear so if you see her up to her elbows in compost please do say hello.

In spring and summer of 2018 GCDT were busy working with the wider community of Gorebridge to create a wildflower meadow area adjacent to the ruins of Newbyres Castle.

This often overlooked green space, nestled behind the historic Main Street is a treasured haven for plants, birds and insects. With the support of funding from the Grow Wild project and the helping hands of children from the nurseries, schools, community groups and volunteers work took place to enhance the biodiversity of the area by sowing and growing native wildflowers to be planted in the area.

Midlothian Artist Fiona Maher delivered a number of community-based workshops inspiring community plant conservation through art by designing a wildflower graffiti design for the meadow space. Midlothian Council Landscape department are helping in preparing the ground, spreading the subsoil and putting in a protective fence to allow the seedlings time to safely establish. This is a long-term community project with nature doing most of the work!

Why improve this area which many will say is already wild?

The UK has lost over 95% of its wildflower meadows since World War II and with this its pollinators that are vital to humans.

There is pressure on nature from building for accommodation and business, to people paving over their green spaces and cutting down trees. Urban areas are one of the most biologically diverse habitats in the country.

Newbyres has indicator species that show it was at one time a site of ancient woodland, long before the village was built. This information tells us a story about the history of our environment and signals the actions we need to take to stop the “ecological apocalypse we are presiding over” as Chris Peckham describes in his July 2018 Bio Blitz campaign across the UK. He is not alone in this vocal campaign to take action to protect the wildness of nature with many key Conservationists and Organisations promoting action to protect species especially with changing climate across the world and pressure on natural resources.

With this project, we aimed to support the ethos of Grow Wild and Kew Gardens by promoting and supporting action on a local level. We hoped to change the mindset and attitude that everything has to be neat, tidy and highly managed. Nature isn’t about everything being in rows with bedding flowers which are ecologically sterile and offer nothing to pollinators.

The UK is home to remarkable and beautiful wildlife but is also in big trouble.

In the case of some species, this means we are fast approaching the last chance to make a difference.

The Gorebridge Rewilding Grow Wild project supported the creation of a valuable wildflower-rich habitat that will help both pollinators and people. Inspired by the project Nature Artist Paul Hodges has created a beautiful series of boxes to highlight the biodiversity treasures of the UK (an exhibition to follow later in 2018) with species that are under threat from our countryside. They are truly amazing.

It is not just the loss of species that is of concern. Many Conservation organisations, including Kew Gardens are working with communities across the UK to bring people back into harmony with nature. Areas such as Newbyres Castle matter. The loss of connection to nature across the UK has been having a recognised and measurable negative impact on our health.

Who doesn’t get a good feeling from hearing a bird sing, spotting wildflowers on the verges or breathing in the beauty of the trees? Being in natural spaces improves our own wellbeing over time in nature being prescribed by many medical practitioners to improve physical and mental health.

We hope to shine the light on taking action to protect our green spaces. Nature Reserves are not enough and all green spaces play a vital part.

Help us make that difference by continuing the work of Rewilding Gorebridge. To find out more about the project, volunteer training available in conservation and horticultural skills along with upcoming events go to www.growwilduk.com/community-projects

Rewilding Gorebridge was funded by:

Not just your clothes, but your families clothes too?!

School uniforms, old party dresses, everyday clothing that you don’t fit into, or you just don’t feel good in anymore?

Feel like you don’t know what to do with it all and you really don’t want to put it in the bin?

We have just the solution for you, it’ll save you money and help keep it all out of landfill.

School Uniform Exchange and Family Clothes Swaps!

In fact we’ve just had our 2nd Clothes Swap of the year last weekend, accompanied by Sam’s delicious carrot and honey soup.

So sorry if you missed it. Don’t worry we’ll be hosting lots more!

It was quite a quiet night, but we were competing with the glorious summer sunshine we’ve been having! Nevertheless we rehomed 4.79kg of clothes during the course of the evening, and there is still a rail full of kids and adults clothes still up for grabs.

We also welcomed a brand new volunteer into our team, the lovely Sarah! She and we are very excited to have her enthusistic reuse and upcycling skills to share with you all in the coming months.

From August onwards we will be hosting a monthly Clothes Swap at Pop-Up Beacon or the GCDT office. Dates to be confirmed.

If you would like to volunteer with us as a maker, repairer or upcycler of things, especially but not exclusive to textiles/clothing please email Jaimie on jaimie.macdonald@gorebridge.org.uk.

Our School Uniform exchange is continuing from it’s success in 2017/18.

We have been asking for donations from families across Gorebridge and Midlothian to donate their outgrown and unwanted school items to us so that they can find a new home in the new school year. Stobhill Primary have had another wonderful collection for us at the school before the holidays.

Between Stobhill donations and people popping in to the office with bags we have collected 29.96kg of uniforms so far. 

If you have some school uniforms to pass on, you can donate to us at the Trust Office (58 Main Street) Monday-Friday 10-4pm. or you can come along to the Community Recycling Project at Gorebridge Parish Church Hall on the 1st tuesday of each month to donate or pick up school uniform items. 9:30-11am

Keep up to date with our events by following us on Facebook or Twitter @greengorebridge 

Thanks for reading

Jaimie and Sam

Sam provided a delicious lentil and cumin soup and energy balls, I made beetroot hummus (obvs) and Jaimie led a beeswax wrap workshop. All our volunteers really enjoyed making this reusable version of cling film, not only will it help prevent plastic waste but it was also a nice memento of the evening.

After we ate, everyone shared their skills, what they could offer and what they were hoping to gain. We were surrounded by some very talented people whose skill set varied from translator to knitter! Most people said they wanted to get more involved with the Gorebridge community, as well as some looking for an excuse to get out the house.

What is particularly interesting about volunteering is that even though the primary aim is to help others, it also feels great! Research backs this up, indicating that it doesn’t just provide a warm glow and a sense of connection but it can improve mental health as well as reduce the risk of dying by 22%.

However, before becoming a volunteer, it’s important to ask yourself what you’d like to learn or accomplish from the experience.  If you jump into an opportunity that doesn’t resonate with what you’re already passionate about on some level or doesn’t align with your current skills or interests, you could walk away with a negative volunteer experience, which would be a shame!

Here are some of the volunteering opportunities we have available:

• Upcycling and Repair Volunteer – this would really suit someone crafty or someone wanting to learn new crafty skills
• Community Engagement Volunteer – this would suit someone who enjoys community events
• Community Fridge Volunteer – this would suit anyone who has an interest in food, cooking, waste reduction and people
• Community Gardener – this would suit anyone who enjoys being outdoors
• Volunteer cycle ride assistant
• Health walk leader/back-marker – both these roles would suit someone keen to be a bit more active

20 Awesome Benefits of Volunteering

1. Reassess your strengths and weaknesses
2. Explore your interests
3. Strengthen past skills
4. Develop new skills
5. Learn something new
6. Become the teacher you never knew you were
7. Broaden your horizons by interacting with new people & places
8. Strengthen your compassion for others
9. Improve or develop new interpersonal skills
10. Gain a natural sense of accomplishment through helping others
11. Achieve a new or strengthened sense of purpose
12. Increase your self-esteem and self-confidence
13. Have a brighter outlook on life
14. Develop a new support system through those you meet volunteering
15. Improve your physical health through more active volunteer opportunities
16. Improve your overall mental health by helping others
17. Experience greater happiness through volunteering
18. Expect a healthier and longer life expectancy when you’re a regular volunteer
19. Advance your career through new connections, work experience and skills
20. Experience more fun and greater life fulfilment

If you are interested in volunteering with GCDT and the Greening Gorebridge Project please contact us, or email michaela.jackson@gorebridge.org.uk

A Community Clothes Swap!!! and it was made even better by the warming soup and salsa cooked by Michaela.

We welcomed 8 folk from Gorebridge with bags full of clothes of all kind of styles, colours and sizes and quickly set to work displaying everything nicely. note to self…time bring more hangers next time!

Our first guest of the evening was Keiron Munro- Councillor for Midlothian South, we set him to work hanging up clothes and the supremely important task of cutting our delicious chocolate cake.

After we turned up some cheesy tunes and everyone had had a bite to eat, a really good rummage and a try on of some things they liked the look of, we had everyone stand to one side of the room… to make it fair you understand!

Then Ready, Steady, Go…off they went to grab their favourite clothes! 

Everyone went away with a good carrier bag full of clothes and by the end of the evening we had rehomed just over 10kg of clothes.

Over the course of the next week we invited anyone using the building to take some items that they loved and asked them to add it to our total.

By the end of the week we had rehomed  15.3kg of clothes! Hooray!

We also had a good few really lovely conversations with folk about sharing, reuse, upcycling and the negative impacts of the fast fashion industry on the environment, as well as the the impact on the people who work in it.

Plus we had lots of requests about when we could have another clothes swap! Watch this space we’ll probably have one in March as part of Pass It On week activities between 12-18th March! 

Thank you all for a really fun evening and we hope you can come along to our Pass It on week celebrations

Sign up to our Greening Gorebridge mailing list by emailing jaimie.macdonald@gorebridge.org.uk and we will send you 1-2 emails monthly to keep you up to date with the events and workshops we have planned.

Would you be interested in getting involved with the project as a volunteer? email michaela.jackson@gorebridge.org.uk

Happy swapping!

We had a busy time on the run up to the Christmas in the Pop-Up Beacon.

Michaela worked her cooking magic for everyone, the delicious smells wafting through the open door as people made their way into the old bank building.

On Wednesday 13th December we had the pleasure of the company of 15 folk from the Gorebridge community, who dropped in during the afternoon to join us for a Christmas Community meal.

We served up a warming and hearty menu which included 2 lovely vegan/veggie stews (recipes to follow)

On Thursday 14th December we had our annual GCDT staff meal, and it was met with lots of happy faces and tummies and a flurry of requests for the recipes Michaela had used as inspiration.

We enjoyed a menu of:

Mushroom Soup/ Sweet potato and fennel lasagne/ Homemade trifle

And then we topped off the week with an evening gathering on Saturday 16th with our first Soup Night Presents… Green Community Christmas.

Our cooking facilitator Susan had rustled up a creamy broccoli soup for us all the enjoy, accompanied by bread and cheese, and a lovely selection of sweet treats.

We laid out a table entitled ‘How to have a Merry Green Christmas!’ where a number of natural products were showcased as gift ideas for friends and families, ideas on waste free gift wrapping, cutting food waste and using up leftovers.

Once everyone had had a chance to eat and browse we invited them all to have a go at a wee green creative activitiy.

Making wooden tree docorations!

We had set up our creative area and set about decorating local freshly cut birch discs.

We did this by using a pyrography pen, burning designs directly in to the wood.

Folk had a fab time, they were very excited and enjoyed every minute, making gifts to share with family and asking when we could do more creative things together.

We even had a wee bit of potential reuse swapping happening, one lady looking for a sofa bed and another looking to find a new home for one! We hope it worked out and loved seeing this neighbourly reuse happening.

We are really looking forward to our events and activities in 2018, with the next 3 months full of more cycling activities and work with local schools.

If you would like to be kept up to date with our activities you can join our mailing list, please email us on michaela.jackson@gorebridge.org.uk

Happy Hogmanay!

We have been told again and again by mums that they can find it a real struggle to get around by public transport to attend important appointments or to get to activities with buggies in tow.

So today today, we welcomed the lovely Kimberley Goudie Mitchell from Honobaby in East Lothian to the Pop-Up Beacon and the Greening Gorebridge Project.

She was wonderful with the mums who came along, and gently showed them how to best fit and wear their babies based on either the sling they already owned, or or helped them in trying out a sling for the first time!

Kimberley came along with a huge stack of slings, all sizes, materials and constructions for mums to have a go (only half of her library!)

We even had a 9 day old baby along today and Kimberley was able to recommend just the right sling to get started with…and mum happily went away to buy her first sling.

We really hope that by trying out these slings and feeling more and more confident in them, mums will be feeling raring to go on regular walks while wearing their baby, and will have much more freedom on where they can walk with their babies in the local area.

If you are interested in having a regular sling library session in Gorebridge, or if you are interested in joining us for our weekly walks for all in Gorebridge please get in touch with Jaimie on jaimie.macdonald@gorebridge.org.uk.

Weekly walks for all– those that can walk at a reasonable pace- mums and buggies, solo adults or small groups of fiends can join us. Mondays- 10:30am-12pm. Up to 1 hour walking. Meet at Pop-Up Beacon 55 Main st, Gorebridge. session are running until November 27th.

The wonderful Ronnie and Gordon who currently look after the meadow need volunteers from the community to help with planting, weeding and tidying.

This new gardening club will begin on Friday 16th June and will meet from 1:30-3pm at Newbyres Wild Meadow.

Parents and children are very welcome, and with this in mind Lorna Lagerman an experienced early years practitioner, will be there to give children even more engaging opportunities to explore the garden through activities such as mini beast hunts and nature scavenger hunts.

Please come along wearing appropriate clothing for being outdoors. Ronnie and Gordon have all other necessary tools and resources for gardening.

No need to book, just drop-in on Friday 16th and you will be warmly welcomed for an hour or so of gardening fun for all.

Greening Gorebridge is a local climate change hub and network run by Gorebridge Community Development Trust. Greening Gorebridge will support the community to change simple aspects of daily life such as choosing sustainable travel options and reducing food waste. Creative and inspiring workshops and activities are planned to support the journey to make Gorebridge a healthier, happier and more active low carbon community.(Scottish Government, 20/2/17)

This award is overseen by Keep Scotland Beautiful‘s Climate Challenge Fund and Davina Bright is the assigned officer who will oversee, advise and help GCDT achieve it’s climate challenge goals.

Food workshops are already underway, with Gorebridge Women’s Health Organisation for ways to introduce cost-effective, low carbon footprint, locally resourced food. Such workshops can now be expanded to the wider community. with emphasis on sharing fresh expertise and traditional know-how. A bike bank, where electric bicycles can be borrowed will be created, also a library of things will be a starting point in helping to create exciting, tangible ways each household in our community can decrease their carbon footprint whilst enjoying the benefits of a further contact point within the area, sharing ideas about sustainability.

These are just a few of the many projects and initiatives that the Scottish Government’s award will help Gorebridge continue to grow and regenerate, and help new generations in Gorebridge to be climate challenge ambassadors.

GCDT chairperson, Stephanie Walker;

The Gorebridge Community are delighted to receive funding for the continuation of the Greening Gorebridge Project.  It will enable community led action for climate change at a grass roots level. We are very excited to see how the project unfolds with focus on food and sustainable travel.  The community are actively encouraged to take part with volunteering and short term work opportunities

If you have ideas and comments, please get involved. Contact us here.