Volunteering is becoming second nature to New Scots who have proudly completed allotments project
Posted on 25 Apr 2024
Ukrainian volunteer Yuriy, Locality Link Worker Lucy Russell and volunteers Taras and Mykola at the hide they created at Three Towns Growers in Ardrossan.
Volunteers from the New Scots community have wrapped up a year-long allotments project by building a nature hide.
The group has been using gardening and woodwork skills to help make improvements at the Three Towns Growers site in Ardrossan.
They previously did some painting, built planters and erected a greenhouse, and recently wrapped up the project by creating a nature hide that will allow visitors to enjoy local wildlife without causing any disturbance.
Volunteer Yuriy Yatsuta, from Ukraine, said he joined the project to improve his English, do some practical work with his hands and give himself some headspace.
“On this project, I have been building decking, painting and helping to make a hide,” he explained.
Lucy Russell, a New Scots Locality Link Worker with North Ayrshire Council’s Connected Communities service, has been working with the volunteers over the past year and has praised the small, core group who have been giving up their time for almost a year.
“The project at the Three Towns Growers allotments has come on well. We started off making planters and helping out in the community gardens before moving on to building a nature hide and decking with railings.
“The volunteers have been amazing. They have worked really hard, made some great friendships and their English has improved.
“The nature hide overlooks the pond and will really help people to enjoy the nature and wildlife.”
The Council has supported the volunteers by running the weekly gardening group, by supplying timber and tools and having Lucy on site to assist with planning.
The allotments pond is home to frogs, newts and Damselflies, and there are honey bees from five hives as well as foxes, squirrels and bats at the site.
Lucy added: “Now that this project has come to an end, we are looking for other small community projects to get involved in, and we would like to hear from organisations who could use our help.”
Various organisations have contributed to the project, including The Ayrshire Community Trust (TACT); New Scots support group Spike Wheat Scots, which supplied tools and Ardrossan Youth Association, which paid the £30 annual allotment fee.
If you have a small community project that could benefit from some voluntary support from the New Scots group, please check out “ESOL North Ayrshire” on Facebook for more information.
If you know someone whose first language isn’t English and needs support with their English, you can complete a short referral form online here: https://bit.ly/3ZEFrLj
If you are interested in finding out more about volunteering opportunities across North Ayrshire to help New Scots improve their English and integrate into their community, you can fill in a form here: https://bit.ly/411LLO9