Happy New Year and happy growing from the Outreach Team!
We would like to start the year by looking back at some lovely moments from before Christmas and sharing what’s coming up next across our projects.
Nursery Outreach & The Beehive Garden
Our young volunteers from Dunbar Grammar have been an amazing support to everyone at the nursery. They have enjoyed spending time with the wee ones inside the nursery during the colder/rainy days, reading stories and playing games as well as getting outdoors in the Beehive to support outdoor play. During Nursery Rhyme Week, the children collected twigs from the garden and created beautiful star decorations, which they proudly attached before everyone sang Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, cute moment overload!
Just before the Christmas holidays, we hosted a lovely Winter Warmer event in the Beehive for children and their parents and carers. With the fire going, marshmallows and s’mores to toast, and fabulous hot chocolate to enjoy, it was a real celebration. Our young volunteers helped make the event extra special by supporting festive treasure hunts, helping children search for hidden elves, and generally bringing lots of fun and energy to the day. It was wonderful to welcome so many families and bring everyone together for a bit of festive cheer.
In recognition of their dedication and commitment, I nominated the entire class for a team Saltire Award, which was presented just before Christmas. Their teacher, Nicola Arnott, described it as a proud moment and spoke about how engaged and enthusiastic the group are. The young people were delighted to receive their awards.
Looking Ahead to Spring
While the garden is resting for now, it won’t be long before we’re planting seeds again with the children. Our next step is a mini consultation with the nursery tots! With help from our young volunteers, we’ll be visiting each nursery room to find out what the children would like to grow, we have planned some fun games and activities to help them choose, and we’ll be designing simple growing guides to match their choices. It’s a lovely way to involve children in decision-making and hopefully encourage them to try lots of new vegetables!
We’re also hoping to expand our growing space even further. The incredible volunteers from the Tuesday Allotment Group have transformed an overgrown patch of land, once full of thistles and brambles into a thriving growing space. Thanks to their hard work, we enjoyed bumper crops of fruit and vegetables this year, with even more to come as they continue tackling the last of those pesky thistles.
A huge thank you to all the nursery room staff who have so warmly welcomed our volunteers and continue to be excellent role models.
Dunbar Day Centre
At the Day Centre, our Intergenerational Buddies Programme is thriving, and everyone looks forward to the weekly visits from the girls. From singing and dancing to hosting quizzes and making the best cups of tea, the volunteers bring lots of joy to the space.
The group recently received their 25-hour Saltire Awards, which were proudly presented by the residents themselves. These young people volunteer every week, including throughout the school holidays, and their consistent involvement has allowed truly meaningful intergenerational connections to flourish. The relationships formed are incredibly special, enriching for the young people and deeply valued by the older adults they spend time with. It was especially heartwarming to hear Margaret, one of our Day Centre friends, say:“Thank you, volunteers, for bringing so much fun, sparkle and sunshine.”
Moments like this remind us just how meaningful these connections are.
Thank you, as always, to the wonderful staff and residents at the Day Centre for welcoming us so warmly.
Thank You to Our Supporters
We would also like to thank our funders and community partners, whose support is vital in keeping these intergenerational projects thriving. Our sincere thanks go to:
- The Mushroom Trust
- Elizabeth Drummond Charitable Fund
- The Robertson Trust
- Volunteer Support Fund
And a big shout-out to the following organisations for their generous donations:
- Thistle Timber
- Treetek
- The Community Shed
- Dunbar Garden Centre
- Belhaven Steering Group
Special thanks to Naomi, Ann, and Ali for all of your thorny encounters in the Beehive allotments. And to everyone who continues to support and be part of this growing community!