Autumn 2015 Network Bulletin

www.tcv.org.uk/scotland

netw rk bulletin AUTUMN 2015

for TCV Scotland’s community Network

Exploring nature through the seasons Feature on page 10

Autumn 2015

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Over the long weekend of 2-5 October, thousands of people joined The Conservation Volunteers at locations throughout the UK for the Big Green Weekend – the annual event for people of all ages to enhance and enjoy their local environment.

In Scotland, a range of activities were held throughout the Big Green Weekend: • TCV’s Easter Ross Green Gym tackled the menace of Himalayan balsam, one of the non-native invasive plants threatening our local flora.

• Friends of the River Kelvin in Glasgow (see pages 6-7) learned how to identify lichens, which are good indicators of air quality.

own garden situated within the campus grounds. Thanks also to local councillor Christine Simpson for coming along and lending her support.

• TCV’s Inverness Green Gym cleared paths, removed vegetation and planted bulbs close to the ancient burial cairn at Dunain Community Woodland.

• Also in Glasgow, local TCV volunteers planted native wildflowers beside Kelvingrove Museum (right), on behalf of the city’s Natural Environment Officers.

• ‘Discovering wildlife in our hedgerows’ was the aim of a TCV team at the Luminate Festival event at Newhailes Estate, near Musselburgh. TCV staff led members of the public on walks around the estate to see what wildlife inhabits our hedgerows.

• Pictured above are students and staff from the Green and Blue Team at Stirling University who spent an afternoon planting, potting-up and weeding in their

Thanks to everyone who joined in all of these events to make the Big Green Weekend such a success. We hope 2016 will be even bigger and better.

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Kelvingrove

Stirling University

Friends of the River Kelvin Inverness Green Gym

Hello from Debbie

understand a small part of the difference our projects make.

Hello! The photo right is of me joining in with the TCV Glasgow volunteering group planting wildflowers at Kelvingrove during the Big Green Weekend. If the photo was taken later in the day I think my face would have been a little redder from the physical exertion involved! I definitely did not appreciate the physical effort involved in such a pleasant sounding activity.

We are fortunate in Scotland to work with such a thriving network of community organisations that make a huge contribution to the environment in Scotland and to people’s lives. TCV offers a variety of support for groups, such as training, information provision, insurance and the opportunity to network and learn from each other. We are keen to know if there are other ways we could support you or to work in partnership on new projects. So please let us know.

I’ve now been the Director for TCV in Scotland for almost three months and I have been so impressed with the range of work our staff and volunteers engage in.

I’m particularly pleased to have joined an organisation with such strong connections to local communities. My background is in youth and community work and I am passionate about empowering people to make changes to the things that are important to them, be that their health, their prospects or the communities where they live. TCV makes a strong contribution to all of these things: employability projects, Green Gyms, improving green spaces, Citizen Science, and outdoor learning to name just a few. Even after two months here I am only just beginning to

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I loved hearing directly from our Glasgow volunteers about what they gained from their involvement in these activities – exercise, social contact, a feeling of making a contribution topped off with a good douse of Scottish rain on many occasions! I’m going out with our Edinburgh volunteers in November and am looking forward to boosting my exercise quota for that week but will keep my fingers crossed for a bit less rain!

Debbie Adams Director, TCV Scotland

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Pictured beside the old Kennetpans Distillery are Ali Lawson, TCV Senior Project Officer (centre), and two of the Falkirk Council trainees – Steven Sneddon (left) and Ryan Laidlaw. Steven has since progressed on to a plumbing apprenticeship and Ryan recently started work in a local sawmill, so great outcomes for both of them.

Removing vegetation from the outer wall.

Getting into the spirit of things A squad of young trainees, supervised by TCV, was recently involved in a project to preserve one of Scotland’s most important yet little known industrial heritage sites – Kennetpans Distillery.

Kennetpans Distillery was the world’s first commercial whisky distillery, and as such is considered by historians to be the birthplace of Scotland’s famous whisky industry. The remains of the distillery, which operated from approximately 1720 until 1825, are tucked beside the northern shore of the River Forth, near Kincardine. During its heyday, huge quantities of whisky were produced here, much of which was exported to England. The famous Haig whisky* brand and Ireland’s best selling whiskey, Jameson’s, both have their roots at Kennetpans.

In 1776 the first James Watt steam engine in Scotland was located at Kennetpans, which was linked to its sister distillery at nearby Kilbagie, by one of Scotland’s first canals. And the harbour at Kennetpans was connected to Kilbagie with Scotland’s first railway line, albeit just a mile or so long! The harbour was used to export vast quantities of spirits and other goods,

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whilst it imported huge quantities of rye for the distilling process. So, although not immediately apparent today, Kennetpans and its distillery can be considered to have been at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution in Scotland.

In 2011 the Kennetpans Trust was established by local residents with the aim of stabilising the roofless but substantial ruin, and to make the wider world aware of its importance. In July 2015 an archaeological survey was undertaken at the site and in August work began in earnest to remove the vegetation which had grown within the main distillery building and festooned much of its walls, with ivy being a particular problem.

Much of the vegetation removal was undertaken by 16-17 year olds on a training programme to enhance their ‘land based’

skills, organised by TCV and the Inner Forth Landscape Initiative. The trainees are referred from Falkirk Council Employment & Training Unit, and are supervised by Ali Lawson, TCV Senior Project Officer.

Commenting on their work, Ali said: “The project at Kennetpans has really captured the imagination of the trainees as they have worked tirelessly and with great care to uncover what was a magnificent building in its time.”

The work to rescue Kennetpans Distillery has been supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Historic Scotland, and Inner Forth Landscape Initiative. Further information about the distillery and its history is available on the Kennetpans Trust website at www.kennetpans.info *Scotland makes whisky, Ireland produces whiskey!

In addition to the work at Kennetpans, Ali’s trainees have been involved in other environmental projects in the Inner Forth area to improve their skills and job prospects.

On behalf of RSPB they have cut down regenerating vegetation from around the lagoons at Kinneil, near Bo’Ness. This work will enhance the habitat at this important site for wintering birds such as knot and dunlin. And the trainees have been working for Falkirk Council to clear scrub from sections of the ditch at the Antonine Wall to allow visitors a clearer view of this impressive structure, once the North West frontier of the Roman Empire.

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North by North West

Gairloch beach – a wonderful location for a Green Gym.

The Green Gyms are run by TCV’s staff based at Munlochy, near Inverness. The activities each group carries out can vary, but here’s a flavour: • Wester Ross Green Gym is located in Gairloch where the group is working to improve the path from The Harbour Centre to the area’s fabulous beach.

• Easter Ross Green Gym operates from Dingwall and one of its main tasks is to tackle the problem of Himalayan Balsam in the Cromarty River system. Himalayan Balsam is an invasive non-native species which out-competes many of our native plants and is a growing problem.

• Nairn & Strathspey Green Gym also undertakes Himalayan Balsam clearance

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work to improve the area’s riverside habitats.

ROB THOMAS

People living in the Highlands now have more opportunities to improve their local environment following the launch of six new TCV Green Gyms across this vast chunk of Scotland. As well as making a positive difference to our valuable habitats and wildlife, Green Gym volunteers also enhance their own health and wellbeing with a little fresh air and exercise – an outdoor alternative to a normal gym workout, and it’s free!

• Inverness Green Gym is currently working at Dunain Community Woodland on scrub clearance around the ancient burial cairn.

• Caithness & Sutherland Green Gym carries out woodland work at Newtonhill Croft, near Wick. This new woodland is owned by the Forestry Commission Scotland which is working with local people to develop it as a nature, recreational and educational resource.

• Lochaber Green Gym, centred around Fort William, is still in its early days but we hope to tackle invasive species on the banks of the Caledonian Canal and on the River Moidart, as well as improvements to the local path network.

Each Green Gym operates once per week, from approximately 10am – 3pm, with plenty of time for lunch and tea breaks, plus a chance to chat with the other volunteers, and take in the views.

The new Green Gyms are funded through the Landfill Communities Fund, using money generated from the Highland Council landfill waste arisings, and administered by EB Scotland. Green Gym volunteers are referred from various organisations, or people can contact us directly if they are interested.

Easter Ross Green Gym volunteers clearing Himalayan Balsam.

Rob Thomas, Senior Project Officer, says: “Whilst each Green Gym operates in a different area, they all provide opportunities for people to get some healthy exercise whilst doing something positive for the environment. The activities are varied and we encourage everyone to take things at their own pace. New volunteers are always very welcome, so if anyone is interested in joining one of our Highland Green Gyms, I’d love to hear from them!”

For further information about the Wester Ross, Easter Ross, Caithness & Sutherland, and Lochaber Green Gyms, please contact Rob Thomas at r.thomas@tcv.org.uk, or phone 01463 811967.

For further information about the Inverness and Nairn & Strathspey Green Gyms, please contact Frankie du Toit at f.dutoit@tcv.org.uk or phone 01463 811967.

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A river runs through it

To help celebrate and care for the river is the aim of a dedicated group of volunteers – the Friends of the River Kelvin (FORK).

Like most rivers running through an urban landscape the Kelvin has had a chequered past. For decades its banks featured many dye and chemical works, and paper mills, which used the river as a source of water and power but also as an open sewer into which they flushed much of their waste products and pollutants. It wasn’t until these works closed in the 1950s and ‘60s that the river began to recover with the return of brown trout and salmon. Today the Kelvin is a haven for wildlife with kingfishers, dippers, herons and otters just a few of the many species that can now be glimpsed along its length. And the botanist will find a wide variety of plants, many of them rare.

joe frei

Think of a river in Glasgow and what usually comes to mind is the famous Clyde – the river that launched a thousand ships. Lesser known but still significant is the city’s ‘second’ river, the Kelvin, which originates near Kilsyth and flows for a total of 22 miles through East Dunbartonshire and into Glasgow’s West End, before joining the Clyde beside the striking Riverside Museum, in Partick.

The Kingfisher – a flash of colour on the Kelvin. the cormorant was adopted as FORK’s logo. Although the major polluters have long gone, rubbish and assorted debris is an ongoing problem on the Kelvin, as on many waterways. So, to keep on top of the situation, FORK’s volunteers undertake monthly clean-ups.

FORK has its own HQ at Ha’penny Bridge House, beside the river and within the Lower Botanic Gardens. The building hosts the group’s meetings and is the base for its outdoor events. The House lies on the

Kelvin Walkway which provides a great opportunity to walk or cycle along the river.

Each summer, FORK holds its annual Gala beside Ha’penny Bridge House as part of the bustling West End Festival. The Gala is a great opportunity to raise awareness of the group’s work, raise funds, and have some fun!

To ensure the river’s health, FORK works with other bodies which are active on the Kelvin including Glasgow City Council, Scottish Environmental Protection Agency, The Kelvin Angling Association, Friends of Queen Margaret Drive, Maryhill Burgh Halls Trust, RSPB, local businesses, schools and colleges. Over recent months FORK and TCV Scotland have run a Citizen Science project for the group’s members, including its youngsters, to learn about the health and diversity of the river and its surroundings. The group has undertaken simple surveys on insects, water quality, and air quality.

TCV’s input has been organised by Amanda Malcolm, Senior Project Officer, who says:

FORK was established in 1991, in which year a cormorant was seen on the river, a further sign of its rehabilitation, and so

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“Our Community Based Environmental Monitoring (CBEM) project was a huge success! It’s a process in which concerned citizens collaborate to monitor, track and respond to issues within the local community. It was great to see so many volunteers and members of the local community getting involved in learning about their natural environment, including identifying lichens and how they can help us determine the local air quality. This was undertaken as part of TCV’s Big Green Weekend (page 2). The Citizen Science sessions enabled the group to develop and increase their skills to monitor and value their own environment for the long term.

To contribute to data sets our records have been sent to the Glasgow Museums Biological Records Centre and OPAL (Open Air Laboratory).

TCV and FORK will reunite in December to discuss how our Environmental Monitoring project has progressed over the last few months. We will also be running a session on iSpot - the online resource aimed at helping people identify anything in nature.

To do so people upload their observations of wildlife, help each other identify it, and share and discuss what they’ve seen. iSpot is a great resource to help you identify anything you see in nature that you are unsure of!”

To find out more visit www.ispotnature. org/communities/uk-and-ireland

The lichen hunters.

FORK’s Chair Sally Johnston said: “The Citizen Science project with The Conservation Volunteers has been a really rewarding one for FORK, attracting families and a wide range of keen citizen scientists who have been really enthusiastic and embraced the materials and information that Amanda introduced us to. We’ve spotted species not previously recorded by the River Kelvin, learnt how to monitor, identify and record, and it feels useful to be feeding this information into a national database. FORK now feels confident enough to take on a series of Citizen Science days and aims to involve those who came to this first project to design and lead on the next series.“

Sally added: “FORK aims to continue the rehabilitation of Glasgow’s second river and to present it as a model of river regeneration. We need skilled and passionate people to become members of FORK and ensure that as custodians of the river people can continue to take part in activities on the Kelvin – angling, botany, education, canoeing, social history events, cycling, walks, talks and practical projects such as wildflower planting and our regular clean-ups.

“New members are always very welcome to join FORK. Group activity and membership details are available on our website at www.fork.org.uk.”

FORK members get in the swing of Citizen Science.

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PHOTOS BY LISA EVANS/FALKIRK COUNCIL

Timber!

At Gala Park, in Dunipace, a group of young trainees have been improving their skills by erecting an extensive timber retaining wall beside a flight of steps. The trainees, led

by TCV Project Officer Ross Williamson, have done a great job – excavating the site, digging post holes, cutting timber, mixing cement, and building the wall. All of the timber was sourced on-site from trees felled just yards away. This was a big project for the trainees to tackle, and was done on behalf of Falkirk Council and The Community Green Initiative, who were very appreciative of the trainees’ efforts.

The trainees who worked at Gala Park are on the Jupiter Programme, organised by TCV and Falkirk Council Employment & Training Unit. The programme is based at the Jupiter Urban Wildlife Centre in Grangemouth and provides the young participants accredited training in ‘land based’ skills to improve their job prospects.

Look at the state we’re in If you’re looking for information about the state of Scotland’s environment, a good starting point is Scotland’s Environment Web which includes a wealth of data about our physical landscape, climate, air quality, and much more. In particular the website encourages and supports ‘Citizen Science’ – public participation to help monitor and improve our environment.

So, Scotland’s Environment Web is designed to be used by members of the public, environmental groups, public agencies, community organisations, young people, school teachers and pupils – in fact anyone with an interest in Scotland’s environment.

The site’s ‘Project Finder’ helps you locate projects with volunteering opportunities, or you can add your own project if you’re looking for volunteers. Another section lists a number of smart phone apps

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providing opportunities to learn about and contribute to aspects of our environment. There is also news about current issues and events, including ‘2015 International Year of Soils’ – one of the essential but often overlooked foundations of life.

Something for young folk Young people of primary or secondary school age can enter ‘Our Environment 2016’ – a competition to encourage them to make a difference to their local environment. They are asked to identify a local environmental problem, investigate it, and suggest solutions to solve it. There are prizes available, including £1000 for the overall winning entry, plus help to take the winning idea forward.

Scotland’s Environment Web has been developed by the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) with support from a variety of organisations, including TCV Scotland.

Explore Scotland’s environment at www.environment.scotland.gov.uk

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RBS staff dig in Improving access for walkers and mountain bikers was the goal of a mass team effort by RBS staff at The Vat Run bike trail in South Queensferry, near Edinburgh. The trail runs through a patch of woods and grassland in the shadow of the Forth Road Bridge, whilst the iconic rail bridge provides a dramatic backdrop. The trail is named after the famous VAT 69 whisky brand which was bottled nearby.

On a beautiful, sunny day in late September, nearly 90 RBS workers dug, barrowed, cut and cleared their way through many square meters of turf and vegetation, and moved huge quantities of stone chippings to improve the path surfaces. The RBS team also cleared vegetation in the area’s wetland habitat, tidied up a stretch of hedging (right), and worked on an outdoor classroom. And last but not least, they uprooted a massive tree stump (above) as part of developing a mountain bike skills area.

The event was organised by Iwan Thomas, Countryside Ranger with City of Edinburgh Council, and TCV Scotland’s Chris Peach, who co-ordinates a programme of community activities for RBS volunteers.

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Chris said: “We’ve done a huge amount with RBS this year involving approximately 800 staff volunteering with us, and so far have concentrated our efforts on seven sites to achieve a greater cumulative impact. In addition to The Vat Run we’ve carried out projects at Polbeth and West Calder Community Garden (see below), St. Gabriel’s Primary School, Whitecraig Primary School, Stoneyburn Primary School, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, and the Children’s Wood in Glasgow. And we’ll be keeping up the good work with RBS staff right through the winter!”

At Polbeth and West Calder Community Garden RBS staff have constructed nearly 300 metres of footpath to make the site accessible to all, including wheelchair users. They are also midway towards creating a new picnic area to include accessible seating and benches close to fruit, herbs and other edible plants, so volunteers and visitors needn’t bring a picnic to enjoy a healthy snack.

The RBS staff have also created raised beds, dug over and maintained vegetable plots, built garden furniture from reclaimed pallets and helped to insulate the garden’s shed.

P&WCCG was recently announced as West Lothian’s ‘2015 Community Garden of the Year’. On receiving the news, garden volunteer Lisa Drinnan said: “We are delighted to have been awarded Best Community Garden in the council’s annual Garden Competition. It’s a huge boost for all the volunteers who have worked so hard to transform the previously derelict Polbeth Market Garden site into a thriving community garden.”

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Exploring nature through the seasons – awesome day!

Typical of the comments from those taking part in the programme came from members of Caledonia Clubhouse in Falkirk who went on a ‘beach safari’ to Dalmeny on the Firth of Forth, near Edinburgh:

“Enjoyed being with everyone and seeing lots of things and finding out what they are.”

Linda

“Awesome day.”

Davie

Pictured here and on the front cover are several outings organised with Deaf Action.

All photos by Alex Furneaux/Deaf Action

“Enjoyed the support and company.”

Lynn

“Fine and dandy – there was nice weather and everything was brilliant.”

John

Rock pooling, willow weaving, pond dipping, fruit picking, Citizen Science and evening bat walks. These are just some of the activities enjoyed in recent months by children, parents, staff, volunteers and service users from a number of disability organisations in Central Scotland. They have all been taking part in Exploring Nature through the Seasons, a programme of outdoor experiences organised by TCV Scotland.

sights, sounds, textures and smells. But for many reasons people with disabilities often have difficulty accessing our green and open spaces. ‘Exploring Nature through the Seasons’ aimed to overcome these barriers with TCV staff running a programme of nature activities with many of Scotland’s leading disability organisations – Deaf Action, Sense Scotland, iWomen, Guide Dogs, The Yard, Scottish Autism and the Caledonia Clubhouse.

Everyone can benefit from contact with nature and enjoy the many and varied

Thanks also to staff from the National Trust for Scotland for their support.

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Other locations enjoyed by the natural explorers included Callendar Wood in Falkirk, Cumbernauld Community Park, Cramond beach

by Edinburgh, and the woodlands at historic Newhailes House, near Musselburgh. Thanks to all those who have taken part in the programme so far, and which continues into Spring 2016. We hope everyone has enjoyed Scotland’s nature through the shifting seasons as much as TCV staff have.

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Green Gym volunteers gain John Muir Award Earlier this year four members of Castle Douglas Green Gym were the proud recipients of the John Muir Discovery Award. William Smyth, Andy Corson, Ross Hewitt and Sharon Robertson all completed the Award which requires a minimum of four days volunteering with a suitable environmental project like the Green Gym. The Green Gym is based at the Castle Douglas Activity Resource Centre (ARC) whose gardens have plenty of space for growing fruit and vegetables. Richard Dickens, TCV Senior Project Officer,

And the award goes to...

TCV Scotland is delighted that two of our projects have recently been nominated for prestigious awards:

Guide Dogs Annual Awards An innovative TCV project has been nominated in the Collaboration category of the Guide Dogs Annual Awards.

The fantastic benefits of discovering the delights of nature have been opened up to people with sight loss thanks to The Conservation Volunteers’ work in Scotland with the local Guide Dogs team.

Rosalind Wallace, My Guide Ambassador for Guide Dogs Scotland, and Julia Duncan from TCV Scotland, arranged a successful skills swap. Rosalind trained TCV Scotland volunteers and staff in sighted guiding, while TCV Scotland organised practical sessions for the people living with sight loss who are supported by Guide Dogs.

The activities varied from tree planting and conservation work to an evening of bat detecting! Julia said: “When we started to run these sessions with people who are blind or partially sighted, they told us

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From left to right: Sharon Robertson, Andy Corson, William Smyth with carer Cassie, and Ross Hewitt (on right).

All pictures: RICHARD DICKENS, except Wiliam and Cassie: GALLOWAY NEWS

was well chuffed with his volunteers’ awards: “It’s great to see their efforts being rewarded this way. As part of the Award they created raised flower beds and planted a variety of wild flowers, plus sunflowers and sweet peas to attract insects. The group were also busy growing veg in the garden and we had all sorts thriving – enough to gladden the heart of any greengrocer! We successfully grew tomatoes, potatoes, onions, spring onions, garlic, carrots, peppers, chilli peppers, peas, sweet corn, cauliflower, courgettes, pumpkins and beetroot! Any produce the

volunteers don’t take home with them goes to the ARC kitchen to help provide lunch for the centre’s users. Looking ahead, I’m hoping more of our volunteers will complete the John Muir Award.”

that they found them empowering. It’s great to be able to make that difference to someone’s life.”

previously underused courtyard areas, and they are also taking part in Citizen Science surveys in the local community. The project was also Runner-up in the Outdoor and Active category of The Conservation Volunteers’ own Heroes Awards 2015. So, congratulations to the Space to Grow Green Gym volunteers and partner organisations – Cube Housing Association and the Wheatley Group.

The Award winners will be announced in December.

Nature of Scotland Awards TCV Scotland has been shortlisted as a finalist in two categories of the RSPB’s Nature of Scotland Awards:

The John Muir Award encourages people of all backgrounds to connect, enjoy and care for the environment through a structured yet flexible scheme. There are four levels of Award to suit the abilities of participants, and whilst not competitive the Award does provide challenges for everyone taking part.

For further information visit www.jmt.org

The Nature of Scotland Award winners will be announced in November.

Innovation Award: The TCV Winter Woodlands Greenability Programme was a series of 21 woodland based ‘Exploring Nature’ workshops for people with a range of disabilities. In early 2015 a total of 233 people took part in new and exciting outdoor experiences.

Many thanks to the programme funders Forestry Commission Scotland, and to the partner organisations – Sense Scotland, Guide Dogs, Deaf Action, Scottish Autism, Restart, RNIB, Caledonia Clubhouse, and the Yard.

Community Initiative Award: The Space to Grow Green Gym was launched in November 2014 to improve the health and environment of residents living in the Wyndford Estate in Maryhill, Glasgow. The project’s volunteers have developed two growing spaces in

Growing in Maryhill.

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Where to find us

FEVA* Forum Exchange & TCV training course Citizen Science in Your Community

TCV Scotland Head Office 24 Allan Park Stirling FK8 2QG T 01786 479697 F 01786 465359 E scotland@tcv.org.uk

Tuesday 24 November 2015, 10am – 4pm TCV Edinburgh, 44 Mortonhall Gate, EH16 6TJ Two free complementary workshops will explore the community aspects of ‘Citizen Science’ – the term used to describe public participation in scientific research. Citizen Science can be undertaken

The Network Bulletin is produced three times annually and contains news and features on Community Network member groups, plus TCV Scotland projects, programmes and volunteers.

Follow us online8 vimeo.com/ conservationvolunteers

twitter.com/tcvscotland #JoinInFeelGood

facebook.com/tcvscotland The Network Bulletin is published by TCV Scotland.

Views and opinions expressed in the Bulletin do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or of The Conservation Volunteers.

Editor Graham Burns E g.burns@tcv.org.uk T 0141 552 5294 ©The Conservation Volunteers 2015. Charity registered in Scotland SC039302, and England 261009. Green Gym is a Registered Trade Mark.

by people of all ages and abilities, so you don’t have to be an expert to get involved. The information collected helps scientists and others understand how the environment is doing and where more action is needed.

There are plenty of simple and fun Citizen Science surveys and activities for youth, school, and community groups.

This combined FEVA event (morning) and TCV training course (afternoon) will provide ideas and inspiration to help people develop Citizen Science

projects within their own group or community. *Forum for Environmental Volunteering Activities Details of this and all TCV Scotland training courses and networking events are available on our website at www.bit.ly/TCVScotlandTrg Regular event updates are also given in our monthly e-bulletin. To subscribe go to www.tcv.org.uk/scotland/ signup-for-our-newsletter

New funding for community greenspaces Communities across Scotland, England and Wales can now apply for up to £12,000 for local greenspace projects thanks to a new grant scheme launched with the proceeds generated from the sale of carrier bags by Tesco. It is anticipated that there will be two funding rounds per year over the next three years. The first funding round opened on 19 October 2015 and will close on 30 November 2015. The scheme is open to community groups, charities and some public sector organisations and will fund capital improvement projects such as parks, play areas, community gardens and other

greenspaces. The scheme is managed by environmental charity Groundwork, working in Scotland with greenspace scotland.

More details are available at www.greenspacescotland.org

Welcome

... to the groups who have recently become ‘paid-up’ members of TCV’s Community Network: • Association of Scottish Smallholders • Dedridge Environment Ecology Project (DEEP) • Orchard Research & Enterprise CIC

Castle Douglas Green Gym Dumfries & Galloway T 07764 655681 E r.dickens@tcv.org.uk c/o Highland Birchwoods Littleburn Road Munlochy Near Inverness IV8 8NN T 01463 811 967 E inverness@tcv.org.uk Unit M1 143 Charles Street Glasgow G21 2QA T 0141 552 5294 F 0141 552 0418 E glasgow@tcv.org.uk Jupiter Urban Wildlife Centre Wood Street Grangemouth FK3 8LH T 01324 471600 F 01324 471600 E jupiter-nursery@tcv.org.uk St Joseph’s Academy Grassyards Road Kilmarnock KA3 7SL T 01563 544304 E scotland-education@tcv.org.uk The Granary 44 Mortonhall Gate Edinburgh EH16 6TJ T 0131 664 6170 F 0131 664 0583 E edinburgh@tcv.org.uk TCV UK Head Office Sedum House Mallard Way Doncaster DN4 8DB T 01302 388883 F 01302 311531 E information@tcv.org.uk

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[NetBul-Autumn-15/GB/RB]

TCV Scotland’s community, health and environmental volunteering activities are supported by:

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