WHALE Arts: WestburnCAN Creative Community Gardening Project

WESTBURN CAN

01/11

About us

WHALE Arts is the cultural anchor organisation for Wester Hailes. We are a community-led arts charity and social enterprise, set up by local people in 1992. Our mission is to be the creative heart of a vibrant, thriving community.

Westburn Climate Action Network (CAN) is WHALE Arts' green arts and gardening project, supported by the Climate Challenge Fund.

Our programme of events and workshops aims to support local people to reduce their carbon footprint whilst developing skills in cooking, horticulutre, recycling, upcycling, and creative activities.

2017-2018 was the second year of the project and saw major new development in the outdoor space, an increase in regular attendence of participants, and further embedding in the WHALE Arts and Wester Hailes community. Â

02/11

What did we do?

Through consulation with the community and knowledge gained from the previous phase of Westburn CAN, we programmed a wide reaching programme of events designed to engage people of all ages across Wester Hailes. This included weekly Horticulture Hubs, Cooking Classes, Comunity Meals, and Family Days. Alongside this we ran a series of creative activities to provide skills development in upcycling textiles, furniture, and metal. 3 artists were also commissioned to create permanent artworks for the garden and WHALE building and a builder contracted to build an outside Garden Room.

103

137

Regular advice drop in sessions on horticulture and carbon literacy

Skills development sessions and workshops including upcycling, healthy cooking, and construction

56

Open days for families and the local community

1181

Hours invested in the project by volunteers

03/11

Who was involved?

1000

31

Participants and Attendees

Volunteers

17

4

Staff, Sessional Workers, and Artists

Partner Organisations

 "The community spirit is wonderful. [I learned] how to make a kite from a plastic bag, plant peas, make bird feeders, thank you!!"

Attendee at The Green Gala, 17th March 2018

04/11

What did we achieve?

INCREASE IN CARBON LITERACY LEVELS WITH 91% OF INDIVIDUALS NOW RATING THEIR CARBON LITERACY AT GOOD/VERY GOOD COMPARED WITH 27% BEFORE THE PROJECT

GREW 243.5 KG OF OUR OWN PRODUCE INCLUDING HERBS, VEGETABLES, AND FRUIT WHICH WAS USED IN COMMUNITY MEALS

05/11

What did we create?

103.5 M2 NEW GROWING SPACE IN THE WHALE GARDEN AND LOCAL AREA NEW GARDEN ROOM/ECO BUILD PROVIDING OUTDOOR SPACE FOR GARDENERS AND LOCAL PEOPLE

06/11

3 NEW ARTWORKS AND INSTALLATIONS IN THE WHALE GARDEN AND BUILDING

CANTEEN COOKBOOK SHOWCASING COMMUNITY MEAL RECIPES BY JAYNE TOTTY

WHALE MOSAIC USING SALVAGED TILES CREATED BY CHILDREN ACROSS WESTER HAILES

07/11

REDUCING OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT

DIVERTED 2211 KG OF WASTE FROM LANDFILL THROUGH REUSE AND UPCYCLE SAVING 6179 KG CO2 EMISSIONS

COMPOSTED 2511 KG ORGANIC WASTE SAVINGÂ 1682 KG CO2 EMISSIONS

GREW 244.5 KG OF OUR OWN PRODUCE SAVING 860 KG CO2 EMISSIONS

08/11

THAT'S THE EQUIVALENT CO2 EMISSIONS OF ...

5780000 HOURS POWERING A LIGHTBULB

82936 HOURS OF TV

27554 LOADS OF WASHING

https://www.carbonfootprint.com/energyconsumption.html

09/11

Legacy Local community has developed ownership of the gardens and will continue through volunteer run activity to grow and harvest local produce.

Artist commissions will provide a reminder and talking point for many years for individuals looking to reduce their carbon footprint and learn about environmental issues.

Westburn CAN Family Days and Community Meal will continue through new partnership working.

"GREAT COMMUNITY SPIRIT! YUMMY FOOD. THANK YOU WHALE ARTS."

PARTICIPANT AT GREEN GALA

10/11

The Garden Room/Eco Build will be a resource for everyone at WHALE and in Wester Hailes to use and enjoy.

The CANteen Cookbook will be freely available to individuals visiting and cooking at WHALE to pick up and make healthy, locally sourced, and in season meals at any time of the year.

Westburn CAN themes and environmental advocacy has positively impacted wider activities across the WHALE programme and will continue to do so in future.

Our audience and local community have felt part of the project and are recognising how positively WHALE is working for the community as a result, in part, of open days and events run by Westburn CAN.

11/11