The Good Shepherd Centre

With restrictions easing, we decided to get our Good Shepherd schools community garden ‘Grow Your Own Way’ back on track and formed the ‘Green shepherds’, our school’s Eco-Committee. Our garden had really fallen into disrepair with lots of maintenance needed and weeds growing like you’ve never seen before. It was amazing to see how our young people from our residential houses took ownership of the garden and pitched in. Getting back outside into nature has really helped improve the mental health of all involved, and when in class the young people are constantly looking forward to our next set of outdoor learning classes.

Even though our garden had been left to grow wild, it just shows how much nature manages to march on, as we still had lots of fruits and vegetables to harvest. We are now monitoring how much produce we grow and how much carbon we have saved. Also, we continue to increase carbon literacy across our centre. We use a lot of our produce in the centre but also try to share as much with the local community as possible. In the past, we have run the Royal Horticultural Societies ‘Big Soup Share’ and have invited the veterans from the Erskine veteran’s hospital to attend. We don’t want to let Covid-19 stop this tradition and are looking at new ways to get our soup, and produce, to them and other people who may need and appreciate it.

With Autumn now upon us, there is still lots to do to prepare for our best growing season ever next year.

Our message of hope for COP26 is: “Don’t underestimate the impact community gardens can have on the environment and the community. Have a go and get growing, get outside and use whatever space you have available.”