St Fittick’s Community Garden Set To Flourish

 Community, Events, Information  No Responses »
Jun 172013
 

With thanks to Ed Walker.

st-fitticks-garden-project-2
With the help of local community support and our Roots and Shoots team, Aberdeen Forward is about to launch the long awaited St Fittick’s garden project with a week of activities from Monday 17th to Friday 21st.

The local charity will begin to transform an area of wasteland into a community garden for everyone in the Torry community thanks to a grant of over £50,000 from the Landfill Communities Fund.

Andy Devine, Project Officer with Aberdeen Forward’s Roots and Shoots team said:-

“‘With the help of the Roots and Shoots team at Aberdeen Forward  and community groups such as the Grampian Police Cadet’s, we are going to build and install a set of  raised beds as part of the community garden which, when finished, will be an asset to the area as a whole.

“However, we also need your encouragement, help and support to make the project a reality and that is why we are running a community day on Thursday 20th June from 10am-2pm.”

The day will be a great opportunity for individuals, relevant community groups and organisations to come along and show support for the project and help out with small tasks such as bed filling, litter picking and stone picking. Other groups from around Aberdeen will also be present so aside from helping move the project forward, it will be a great chance to meet up with like minded groups from the neighbourhood.

Andy added:-

“Aberdeen Forward we believe in investing in the future of Aberdeen and that’s why we are giving the area over to the community so that they can take ownership of the garden and ensure it is looked after for the community to enjoy in the future.”

If you feel that your community group could perhaps get involved with helping out preserving the gardens for the future, or maybe you just want to express your thoughts on the project, get in touch with us at admin@aberdeenforward.org or 01224 560 360.

Waste Wanted – Waste Not Want Not

 Aberdeenshire, Articles, Community, Information, News  No Responses »
Oct 282011
 

Seasonal Garden Waste Collections – 2012. Don’t let your garden waste be wasted. Aberdeen Forward invites you to join next year’s Garden Waste collection scheme.

VECTOR RECYCLE SYMBOL
City based environmental charity Aberdeen Forward will once again be running a Green Bag collection scheme in 2012.

The scheme will run from April until November and involves fortnightly collection of garden waste from the kerbside in select areas of Aberdeenshire.

This year’s scheme which started in April 2011 has been a rousing success with a fantastic uptake and excellent feedback from community members.

Aberdeen Forward would like to express a thank you to all participants and extends an invitation to sign up for next year’s scheme, as well as welcoming new members to join.

The areas eligible for the garden waste collection service are:

  • Aboyne
  • Kincardine O’Neil
  • Inchmarlo
  • Banchory
  • Drumoak

Reusable garden waste bags will be provided.

The garden waste will be taken to Aberdeen Forward’s composting site and turned into compost for use on a community garden project adjacent to the site.

The service costs a one-time charge of £30 for the year. Anyone interested in joining the scheme can get in touch with Aberdeen Forward via telephone (01224 560360) or
email (admin@abzforward.plus.com) or visit the Aberdeen Forward website for more information at:

http://www.AberdeenForward.org

Image credit:  © Murat Akkan | Dreamstime.com

Practical Vegetable Growing Courses

 Aberdeen City, Articles, Community, Environment, Information  No Responses »
Jan 072011
 

Aberdeen Forward…. Aberdeen Forward…. Aberdeen Forward…. Aberdeen Forward….

allotfeat
Ever wanted to grow your own vegetables? Local environmental charity, Aberdeen Forward, is launching a new course aimed at helping the would-be gardener to learn about growing vegetables in  a garden or allotment environment.

Participants on the course will get their own small allotment plot to practice their growing skills and take home the fruits of their labours.

They will be able to visit their plots throughout the season and tend to their plants whilst also benefiting from 17 support sessions across the season from February to December.

A spokesperson for Aberdeen Forward said:

“Many of us are getting more conscious of how important it is to eat fresh vegetables and the benefits of obtaining them locally, rather than eating produce with many fuel miles attached.  There is no better approach than growing them yourself, either in a vegetable plot at home or via an allotment garden.  This course will hopefully give new gardeners the experience and confidence to grow their own.”

The course is based near Peterculter, and commences on the 19th of February 2011.

Anyone interested in finding out more about the course can contact Aberdeen Forward on 01224 560360 / admin@abzforward.plus.com.

New Compost Project Launches In Torry

 Aberdeen City, Articles, Community, Featured, Information  No Responses »
Oct 292010
 

Aberdeen Forward… Aberdeen Forward… Aberdeen Forward… Aberdeen Forward…

compostpic
Environmental Charity – Aberdeen Forward – has an opportunity for people who live in flats in Torry to get involved in an interesting new initiative. A significant number of people who live in flats are under the impression that they are inherently excluded from composting, however Aberdeen Forward are offering the chance to own a caddy and compost bin, free of charge, that can compost food and garden waste.

Zero Waste Officer Chris Hunt said, “When you put your food waste into your domestic bin it ends up in landfill where it generates methane, a green house gas.  The average family throws away £430 of food each year and it has been shown that when you start composting you become more aware of what you are wasting.  Once you become aware you are more likely to waste less – thus saving money.”

If you are interested and want to find out more about the project, Aberdeen Forward will be at the Tullos Community Centre from 11am to 3pm on Tuesday 26th and Thursday 28th October.  For more information phone 01224 560360

Footnotes –

* Composting is nature’s process of recycling decomposed organic materials into a rich soil known as compost. Anything that was once living will decompose. Basically, backyard composting is an acceleration of the same process nature uses. By composting your organic waste you are returning nutrients back into the soil in order for the cycle of life to continue. Finished compost looks like soil–dark brown, crumbly and smells like a forest floor.

*Aberdeen Forward is an environmental charity based at 2 Poynernook Road, Aberdeen. AB11 5RW.

*Figure of £430 of food thrown away comes from the national Love Food Hate Waste campaign.

Aberdeen Forward Donates To Romanian Charity

 Articles, Charity, Community, Information  No Responses »
Oct 082010
 

Aberdeen Forward…Aberdeen Forward…Aberdeen Forward…Aberdeen Forward…

real-nappies
Few people – and even fewer mothers – would deny the ease and convenience of disposable nappies, yet they are relatively costly in terms of the family budget and to the environment.

Now, as part of its Real Nappie project, local environmental charity Aberdeen Forward  is hoping to raise awareness of the issue and at the same time help newly-established charity North East Scotland Support for Romania (NESSR).

The two charities will combine forces at a Coffee Morning this Saturday at Udny Station Hall where staff will be on hand to advice on the environmental and financial advantages of using natural materials for these essentials. All nappies donated will be given to NESSR for delivery to Romanian orphanages and parents.

Aberdeen Forward spokeswoman Vicki Brown explained: ‘There are 8 million disposable nappies used each day in the UK alone. This is hugely detrimental to the environment and expensive options for families. Most end up in landfill sites, they take forever to biodegrade and many people using them are unaware of this. We are keen to get this message out and if we can encourage awareness in other countries too, then that’s fantastic. Of course we’re also delighted to be able to help another charity at the same time.’

NESSR is a recently formed charity which has taken over the role played by the Romanian Support Group which was affiliated with the New Hope Trust based in Peterhead. It provides humanitarian aid – such as money, clothing and bedding – which is distributed through church agencies to communities and families in Western Romania.

Grampian Real Nappy Project

 Articles, Community, Environment, Information  2 Responses »
Sep 242010
 

Aberdeen Forward…Aberdeen Forward…Aberdeen Forward…Aberdeen Forward…

real-nappies
Did you know that one child uses on average six and a half thousand nappies from birth to potty training?  This results in 8 million disposable nappies being thrown away in Britain every day!  That’s 2.4% of all household waste! Continue reading »

Give And Take Day At The Rescue Hall, Peterhead

 Charity, Community, Events, Information  No Responses »
Sep 102010
 

Aberdeen Forward …Aberdeen Forward …Aberdeen Forward …Aberdeen Forward …

givetake
Aberdeen Forward, a local environmental charity, along with Aberdeenshire Council are to organise a “Give and Take” Day at the Rescue Hall, Peterhead on Saturday, 18th September, 2010.

The idea for the event is people can take along, items such as furniture, kitchenware, books, dvds & cds, toys, and plants/gardenware between 8.30am and 12.00 noon. From 10.00 until 3.00pm the Rescue Hall will be open to the public who can come along and take items they want for FREE.

Clothes, paint, videos and all electrical goods will NOT be accepted.

Teas, coffees and home bakes will be available on the day.

It is hoped that among those who may benefit are families on low incomes, or those setting up home for the first time. It is also hoped that by holding this event, items that might have gone to landfill will be found a new home.

If you wish to arrange large items to be collected to take to the event, you can contact Aberdeen Forward on 01224 560360 or email admin@abzforward.plus.com for more details. There will also be a delivery service on the day for people wanting to take large items away.

Give And Take Day At Inverurie Town Hall

 Community, Events, Information  No Responses »
Aug 132010
 

Aberdeen Forward …Aberdeen Forward …Aberdeen Forward …Aberdeen Forward …

givetake
Aberdeen Forward and  Aberdeenshire Council are holding a Give and Take day at Inverurie Town Hall on Saturday 14 August. Anyone can take along, for example, furniture, kitchenware, books, DVDs, CDs, toys, plants and gardenware between 0830 and 1200.

Continue reading »

Green Advice At Huntly Farmer’s Market

 Charity, Community, Events, Information  No Responses »
Aug 062010
 

Aberdeen Forward…Aberdeen Forward…Aberdeen Forward…Aberdeen Forward

The people of the Huntly area might want to visit Huntly Farmers’ Market on Saturday 7th August to speak to the Zero Waste Volunteers on the Aberdeen Forward stall where there will be advice offered on where to purchase discounted compost bins and what to put in them. They can advise on how to get the green/brown mix right, so that you don’t end up with a smelly, slimy mess. Continue reading »

 Older Entries