September ‘25

A busy month of visiting Early Learning Centres, harvesting and planting with Inverclyde’s amazing children! So much enthusiasm and joy finding potatoes hidden in the soil - the best treasure hunt! Children learned how to plant onions and bulbs the right way up, how to sow carrots and spinach, plant spring bulbs and pansies to brighten up their gardens. Some children who had worked with us before remembered what we did which was fantastic. It was also good to hear that nurseries had had some good harvests of carrots and peas and some had made soup, potato salad and used the herbs in cooking with the children.

Lots of activity in the community gardens too this month with harvesting, tidying, planting and crafting at Craigend - plus the addition of 2 new raised beds donated by Parklea. Volunteers got to enjoy Alice’s homemade soup every session too which is always a treat as well as having fun with the rhubarb!

Volunteers at Parklea have helped care for and harvest tomatoes, cucumbers, salad leaves, radish, spring onions, courgettes, beans, spinach, kale, onions, beetroot over the past month. The allotment and herb garden are thriving and it’s amazing to reflect on how much has been achieved since the spring! Branches Cafe has been able to use some of the produce, which we hope to build upon next year.

We continue our weekly pick ups of excess food waste from Lidl and Branchton (delivered to Belville, nurseries and Greenock Library) and used coffee grounds from The Alchemist Coffee Shop (for compost).

Behind the scenes, we have been reflecting on our activities for funding reports and planning, purchasing and prepping for October’s activities! Looking forward to lots of soup making with the community and cosy autumn activites with the volunteers.