Our new bench mark! (pun intended)

 PCHub Outdoor meeting area

 

Here we are in March 2025, and we finally feel that we are making progress with one of our projects - the outdoor meeting area, Braes Friendly Growers, in conjunction with PCHub. have been planning this and other Gardeniser projects for six months now! When we applied for funding from Action Earth and Volunteering Matters many months ago, we hoped to get the ball rolling instantly. This would allow people to see our vision in action and appreciate the amazing potential the hub's outdoor area has for this community. However, it has been a long and drawn-out legislative process to change the land's usage from dedicated open space to a community garden, orchard, and outdoor meeting area.

This journey has involved extensive planning, research, numerous application forms, networking, and a lot of legwork. It feels rewarding to finally reach a stage where we can use some of the tools we managed to obtain with the financial assistance we secured months ago. These tools now belong to the hub and will be added to our tool library, which is still in its early stages.

We are excited to share this update on our benches and planters making project! The experience of creating these pieces for our community has been incredibly fulfilling. There's something special about sitting on a bench that we built ourselves, sipping tea, and enjoying the sunny outdoor space at the hub. It's a reminder of how far we've come and how meaningful this and our other projects are becoming.

Initially, we considered purchasing ready-made benches, but we struggled to find options that matched our ethical values and fit within our budget. In hindsight, we’re grateful we chose to create them ourselves, as the satisfaction we feel is unmatched.

Our approach incorporates ethical sustainability at every step. We’ve used some upcycled wood that was generously donated by Nige, while also sourcing additional materials from a local timber merchant. The wood chips for our planters came from a local tree surgeon who was clearing fallen trees after the recent storm, and we've filled the planters with mulch and branches from our own composting efforts.

As part of our commitment to zero waste and promoting biodiversity, we made sure to use a natural wood preserve ( Valhalla Wood Preservatives Limited) sourced from www.thenaturalgardener.co.uk , ensuring our wood treatments aligns with our organic and eco-friendly gardening principles. Our goal is to keep our projects free from harmful pesticides, biocides, fungicides, and plastics, we are going to grow food here we want that food to be organic and wholesome naturally, we also strive to source our materials as locally as possible, to support our aims towards the circular economy.

We envision this project as a catalyst for broader ecological awareness and action within  Polmont community hub. With your help, we can transform this space into a sustainable oasis that will greatly benefit generations to come. Join us in our mission to rejuvenate not only our outdoor areas, but the hubs buildings and infrastructure! 

The atmosphere at the hub has changed from when it was a council-run community centre, we want it to be filled with more of us joyful, happy volunteers, who are now starting to reap the rewards of their environmentally friendly and ethical work. There's a palpable sense of satisfaction in the air as everyone comes together, knowing that our efforts are making a positive impact on the community and the environment. Each bench and planter we build brings not just beauty to the space, but also a feeling of accomplishment community and purpose. The smiles and laughter shared over cups of tea while taking a break from work are a testament to the joy that comes from contributing to a sustainable future. It's heartwarming to see everyone so engaged and passionate about this journey towards creating an eco-friendly haven that will benefit generations to come.