At the beginning of June, members of Ardentinny Community Trust made a Knowledge and Skill Exchange visit to Amisfield Walled Garden in Haddington. The visit was funded by the Development Trust Association Scotland and the host garden also benefited by way of a £200 donation from the DTA.

Although larger in size and five years further on, the Amisfield project is similar to that of Glenfinart Walled Garden, as they too began by relying on local fund-raising and donations. The main purpose of the visit was to measure the distance they had come; the problems they had encountered and how they were resolved; and where, with hindsight, they felt they might have made more progress by adopting a different approach.

The group was in agreement that the most beneficial aspect of the visit was the information gleaned on  garden layout and crop rotation; and on how they had solved the problems of tree removal, path laying, and the storage of produce and equipment.

Ardentinny Community Trust is most appreciative of the host garden’s formal display and presentation; one-to-one garden tours; question and answer session; and very generous hospitality and hopes it might reciprocate when Glenfinart Walled Garden is five years down the line, if not before.

At an Extraordinary General Meeting on 19 May 2011, Ardentinny Community Trust members unanimously passed the motion to amend Clause 7 of its Memorandum and Articles of Association. The Amendment was necessary in order to comply with the National Forest Land Scheme through which The Trust is buying Glenfinart Walled Garden and, with this now in place, conveyancing can proceed for the purchase when the necessary funds are in place.

Download EGM Minutes.

The Glenfinart Walled Garden Appeal has attracted several donations and some have also opted in to the loan scheme, whereby 10-year loans can be made towards the purchase price. Details of this scheme and a copy of the loan agreement are available from Trust Convenor, Dennis Gower, Lorien, Ardentinny. You can also donate online here. Keep up to date with the latest developments at www.GlenfinartGarden.org or you can become a friend of the Walled Garden at their brand new Facebook page.

On Thursday 5th May, members of Ardentinny Community Trust Ltd. met with officials from Forestry Commission Scotland and members of the National Forest Land Scheme’s Evaluation Panel whose members are drawn from organisations with forestry and community interests throughout  Scotland, e.g., Assynt, Forres, Community Woodland projects and other community buy-outs.

The Panel took a tour of Glenfinart Walled Garden and discussed, with the Trust, the progress made to date. More useful contacts and offers of support were made and both groups concluded that the visit had been very worthwhile.

Trust directors and the NFLS panel members at the garden

You can now donate to the Glenfinart Walled Garden Appeal online at www.mycharitypage.com/ArdentinnyCommunityTrustLtd.

Claire Hannah of HIE with Dennis Gower, Ardentinny Community Trust Convenor

Last week, members of Ardentinny Community Trust’s Walled Garden committee attended a seminar entitled ‘Maximising your Profits – Making Money from Events and Festivals’ It was organised by Craignish Community Company and the Community Assets unit of Highlands and Islands Enterprise and held in Craignish Village Hall in Ardfern, with the purpose of exploring how community groups can reduce their reliance on grants and make money from organising arts events and festivals. As Ardentinny and Cowal, in general, have a plethora of artists, in a variety of genres on their doorstep and, as many of them have already been active in their support of the Walled Garden project, it seemed appropriate that it be represented.

35 delegates attended and topics ranged from ‘Inspirational Stories’ with examples from the Enchanted Forest events programme and the Lochshiel Spring Festival; official input from Argyll and Bute Council on the logistics and legalities of event management; and how to market events locally and to the wider world. On Day 2 a ‘Community Cafe’ comprising four rounds of interactive discussion on Marketing; Income Generation and Sponsorship; Setting up Systems; and Social Enterprise provided an abundance of ideas and advice as all delegates got the chance to share their experience. This was also an excellent opportunity for networking and potentially forging long-lasting, collaborative relationships.

A busy week for members of Ardentinny Trust’s Glenfinart Walled Garden committee (see separate story) concluded with a display at Colintraive’s Christmas Fair. As usual, the stall had on sale arts and crafts donated by Elizabeth Bruce, Anne McLintock, Anne Hammil and Bill Williamson. Unfortunately, due to space restrictions, they were unable to mount the complete Walled Garden display. However, with a single information panel and information leaflets, they hoped to successfully inform another area of Cowal of the plans for the garden.

The fundraising display relies upon the artists who give of their time and expertise in providing crafts for sale and on the volunteers who staff the events. They very much welcome further craft donations and offers of help from supporters to staff the stand throughout Cowal.  If you are interested, please get in touch.

You can also now donate online to the Glenfinart Walled Garden project here.

Workers' bothies at Glenfinart Walled Garden

Ardentinny this week received a major boost in its plans for the community to purchase the Victorian, former Glenfinart House Walled Garden. Forestry Commission Scotland Director, Mr. Bob McIntosh accepted the independent Evaluation Panel’s recommendation and approved the Ardentinny Community Trust’s application to buy.

The Trust now has 18 months in which to raise the £10,000 purchase price and there are long term plans to restore the Grade 2B listed wall. More immediately it is hoped  to establish a working garden, producing organic fruit and vegetables alongside a more formal leisure garden, while creating opportunities for employment and training. The garden aims to be eco-friendly and to embrace all ages with education programmes for a variety of ages and abilities.

Community Trust Convenor Dennis Gower said “This excellent news represents a milestone in Ardentinny’s history. I am grateful to Forestry Commission Scotland for having the confidence to support us in bringing this valuable village asset back to life.

Mr. Gower continued “Raising the purchase price will be just be the start of a major fund-raising effort by the Trust and the community. Re-establishing the garden and restoring the wall will be a major project but we are confident it is achievable. Like so many community land purchases in Argyll and beyond, this is an unmissable opportunity.”

Ardentinny Community Trust Ltd. (registered company No. 245169/Registered Charity No. SCO034235) today received notification from Malcolm Wield, NFLS Programme Manager that Director, Forestry Commission Scotland has accepted the Evaluation Panel’s recommendation and approved Ardentinny Community Trust Ltd’s application to buy Glenfinart Walled Garden in Ardentinny.

Notification of a Trust meeting will be issued in due course.