Project partners dig in for a flying start

A Garden share project,launched

by Banff Castle Transition Towns

Network group earlier in the year,

is off to a flying start.

Three groups in Banff have joine

forces to create a unique community

garden project where young peopl

in the town can learn about producing

thier own food,care for chickens and

look after the enviorment.

Banff castle community association

are working on the project in partenshi

with Banff Day services,Ist Banff scouts

and the Transition Towns Network.

Harry Rusling,who is in charge of

looking after the chickens,said" I

wanted to be part of the project because

I like chickens,and looking after them.

I think it's a really good thing that other

people in the community can learn about

keeping them."

The community project will be run

through the new Citizen Leadership

programme at Banff Day services.

This scheme is designed to train service

users in developing an leading community

initiactives outwith the traditional

building-based service.

The Banff Scout group are creating

five keyhole gardens within the

walled unused grass area at the castle,

where they are using green cone food

digesters to compost food-wate, which

in turn feeds the soil directly.

links

This project aims to build community

links,and everyone will share responsibilty

for the chickens and the eggs,and keeping

the weeds under control.

Funding for the five digesters and hand tools

was donated by Banff and Macduff communit

saftey Group,and the chickens and their coops

are being supplied by Banff Day services.

Castle co-ordinator Jay Wilson said: "When

the garden share scheme was launched,we

didn't know what responce we would get.

Everything just came together through

casual conversations with people;you

could say the idea just grew and grew.

"The Scouts started digging their

keyhole gardens last Monday,and

have made quite a difference to the

unused garden already.The chickens

should take up residence at the castle

in about a month."

Keyhole Gardens are an African concept,

where a compost basket is placed in the

middle of a manageable area of garden.

The shape resembles a keyhole.

In africa the heat quickly decomposes

garden waste while feeding the garden,

but in Banff it needs a bit of a helping

hand,which is why the food digesters

are being used.

While the project has been initiated

by three groups,other people who are

interested are welcome to join in.

For further details,contact Jay Wilson

at Banff Castle on 01261 815325 or Emma

Afif-Watt on 07985939980.