Author: admin

Posted on

Trust visits Growing Communities in Scotland networking event

Earlier this month Ardentinny Community Trust Director, Merle Ferguson attended the Growing Communities in Scotland conference. This is her report:

The event was organized by the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens (FCFCG) and Trellis. The Federation was established 31 years ago. To my surprise, their information map highlights 46 community garden sites which can be visited across Scotland, from Good For Ewe in Wester Ross to Crailing Community Orchard in the Borders.

Trellis was established in 2005 as the Scottish Therapeutic Gardening Network and works across Scotland with over 170 therapeutic gardening projects to support each other through the sharing of expertise, good practice and resources.

The day included numerous workshops and a visit to Perth Walled Garden. The main themes were: Social Enterprise and Shareholding; Gardening for Health Initiatives; Environmental Awareness; Transition from Oil; and Sustainable Horticulture Methods. Practical issues where Local Authority Guidance is essential, were Soil Health, Security, Environmental Health and Trading Standards Legislation.

The best part of any conference is networking and apart from the AppleTreeMan and his juicer, a highlight for me was meeting Ron Gilchrist from Fairlie Community Garden. Possibly Ardentinny Community Trust volunteers will be able to visit there in the near future (Greenway looks like a very lively and informative site).

If you are in Glasgow, the Hidden Gardens at the Tramway and Great Gardens run by Govanhill Housing Association are two different and exciting places from which to learn.

Best of all was the visit to Perth Walled Garden where we met the relaxed and thoroughly informative Head Gardener – another man who knows a Bloody Ploughman from a Cox!

Merle Ferguson.
Ardentinny Community Trust Trustee

NB. This day was self financed although at a cheaper rate because ACT is now a member of the Federation.

Posted on

Ardentinny Walks at Cowalfest 2011

Cowalfest is organised by the Cowal Walking Festival Association. The festival is a community led initiative, drawing together community groups, local businesses and individuals to deliver an annual walking and arts festival. This year Ardentinny and its Glenfinart Walled Garden project is participating in Cowalfest for the first time.

Ardentinny Walks

Walk 65 – Glenfinart Walled Garden
Saturday 15 Oct 2011
FREE (No booking necessary)
Time: 10.30
Facilitator: Ardentinny Walled Garden Committee
Distance/Time: 1 miles/0.5 hours
Start/Finish: Forestry car park, Finart Bay
Come and see the site for this new community project and the exhibition about the proposals for this Walled Garden.
Booking not necessary. Donations to the Walled Garden project.

Walk 66 – Ardentinny Discovery Trail
Saturday 15 Oct 2011
£4.00
Time: 11.00
Facilitator: Kevin Firth
Distance/Time: 2 miles/2 hours
Start/Finish: Car park at Ardentinny Church
Journey back to the days of Glenfinnart Estate and a beach used to practise for the Normandy landings. From the Church take the coastal path, cross the River Finnart to join the “Discovery Trail” of birch and oak woods with wonderful views of the Clyde Estuary. On the former wartime camp near the beach, returning along the shore to rejoin the coastal path back to the Church.

Walk 69 – Glenfinart Walled Garden
Saturday 15 Oct 2011
FREE (no booking necessary)
Time: 13.00
Facilitator Ardentinny Walled Garden Committee
Distance/Time 1 miles/0.5 hours
Start/Finish: Forestry car park, Finart Bay
Come and see the site for this new community project and the exhibition about the proposals for this Walled Garden.
Booking not necessary. Donations to the Walled Garden project.

Walk 70 – Ardentinny to Laird’s Grave
Saturday 15 Oct 2011
£4.00
Time: 13.30
Facilitator: Kevin Firth
Distance/Time: 3 miles/2 hours
Start/Finish: Forestry car park, Finart Bay
Minibus back to start.
A short, circular walk taking in the lonely grave of Archibald Douglas high on the wooded hill slope. Wonderful views over Glenfinart.

BOOKINGS
Walks 65 and 69 are free of charge – donations welcome in aid of Glenfinart Walled Garden project.
Bookings for Walks 66 and 70 can be made at Tourist Information Centre, Alexandra Parade, Dunoon. Telephone – 01369 703785. email – dunoon@visitscotland.com, online at www.cowalfest.org and at Seasons Coffee House, Alexandra Parade, Dunoon.

Posted on

Aerial spraying – the future

As aerial spraying has taken place in Ardentinny on two occasions in as many years without apparent forewarning to residents and visitors, Ardentinny.org has tried to ascertain what should happen should spraying take place in the future.

Following up on the information provided by two of our site visitors regarding the need for signage when aerial spraying is taking place, we contacted SEPA to clarify what regulations are in force in Scotland. We received a reply from Gayle Howard, their Media Officer – Communications who said she had checked with her colleagues in their land unit and that they had confirmed that the regulations do apply in Scotland and that it is a legal requirement that signs be erected.

We subsequently copied this to Russell Lamont of Forestry Commission Scotland, inviting comment. On the 12th September Russell Lamont replied saying that the helicopter team concerned had been consulted and that they had responded saying that appropriate measures to exclude the public from the spraying area were taken and this included the posting of signs. We followed this up requesting the following:

– How many signs were posted?
– When the signs were posted.
– The wording of the signs.
– Where the signs were located (map coordinates).

On 30th September Russell Lamont provided us with this response from Nicholas Hawkings-Byass of MFH Helicopters Ltd.:

‘I am afraid the question you have asked I cannot answer with any further accuracy since we are not obliged nor would we see any need to keep such records of where such signs are posted or alternative measures that may be taken. Please also bear in mind that after nearly 25 years of aerial spraying this is the first time that such information has been asked of us. I do not know the reason behind this request for information but if it is based on concerns with Asulam and aerial spraying then I would be more than happy to address these directly.’

It is our understanding that the aerial spraying company when applying for the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Aerial Application Certificate should detail the company’s procedure related to warning signs:

‘5.1.11 Warning Notices
The manual should detail the company’s procedures for provision and positioning of warning signs required to be placed within 60 m of the land to be treated so as to warn pedestrians, drivers and others of the activity.’

As Mr. Hawkings-Byass offered to deal directly with our enquiries, we wrote to him on 27 September and have received a response saying he will deal with the matter on Monday 3rd October. We continue to copy all correspondence on this issue to Russell Lamont of Forestry Commission Scotland and will report any further findings here.

Posted on

Have your say – Draft National Park Plan 2012-2017

Ardentinny residents recognised the importance of familiarising themselves with and having their say on the last Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park Plan and may wish to take note of what The Park has planned in its Draft Plan for 2012-2017. The public consultation period runs from 25 August to 16 November 2011 and the Draft Plan can be downloaded here (PDF 5.4mb).

Responses can be made by completing their online form or by sending handwritten responses posted to National Park Headquarters in Balloch.

The Park also offers to visit communities or groups to discuss the issues raised in the plan to help with responses and, if you have difficulty accessing any of their consultation documents, you should contact nationalparkplan@lochlomond-trossachs.org or telephone 01389 722600.

Posted on

Glenfinart Walled Garden receives Awards for All and Highlands and Islands Enterprise grants


Ardentinny Community Trust Ltd. is delighted to be able to announce the receipt of crucial funding for the community purchase of Glenfinart Walled Garden under the National Forest Land Scheme. The Big Lottery’s Awards for All scheme has granted £8,000 while Highlands and Islands Enterprise has granted the remaining £2,000 towards the total purchase price of £10,000. Conveyancing has already begun, the cost of which, in large part, was also covered by Highlands and Islands Enterprise funding from a previous grant.

The Trust has also raised an additional £6,500 through local fund raising and donations and would like to thank Awards for All, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and local residents and friends of the walled garden for their support. Trust Convener, Dennis Gower, said ‘This is great news for a very small village which has lost many of its community facilities over the years and can now look forward to the restoration of a beautiful piece of Argyll’s heritage’.

Glenfinart Walled Garden

Buying the garden is just the beginning. There are further grant applications in process and local fund raising will continue alongside additional community and expert consultation in order to facilitate the further progress of this inspiring and pivotal village project. If you would like to know more or become involved, please contact the Trust via email or Facebook page.

Privacy Policy Proudly powered by WordPress