In the Spotlight – Sustainable Garden

Bianca has been one of our regular participants for nearly a year. She attended our English classes and social activities as well being a really keen and enthusiastic volunteer at our Sustainable Garden. It is thanks to volunteers like Bianca that the Welcoming is able to run so many different activities. Unfortunately for us, Bianca is now back home in Italy but here is a little something she wrote before she left:

The Sustainable Garden is a project started in April after a long process to obtain a piece of land in Edinburgh called an allotment. This project is based on the idea of creating a space in which it’s possible to demonstrate ways to reduce pollution and make people aware about what we eat every day, and where it is from.

To minimise damage to the environment, one of the most important things that has a key role is food. Everyday we eat food that is imported to Scotland from all over the world, generating high carbon emissions.

In addition to our environmental goals, our aims are various. The Sustainable Garden is a way to volunteer, make friends, spend time with native speakers and improve your English whilst spending time outside, this summer, in plenty of sunlight. You’ll learn about the differences between vegetables, methods to make the ground fertile, what a good weed is, what a bad weed is, build up compost and be inventive, because when you don’t have a full budget you need to use your strength and will, and look out for donations! The Sustainable Garden is the result of our commitment, our weekly work, but also of our friendship and love; love for food, love for the environment, love for Edinburgh.

Unfortunately, my time as a keen volunteer is up. I have to go back home but I’ll keep inside everything that I’ve learned and I hope you will all continue with this amazing project, to learn some new skills and teach others, trying to catch up the final claim. Our plants are growing, and we are growing up as people. Are you still waiting? Why? Join us today.