Better Balmedie
Who Are We?
Better Balmedie is a group of like-minded people, interested in gardening, planting, growing, generally improving the environment around our village and keeping active. The group has been meeting since August 2009 after a local survey "Balmedie Views” carried out by Aberdeenshire Council identified enthusiasm for the creation of such a group.
(Click on the picture to enlarge) To view the "Balmedie Views" report click here.
Since then we have been involved in a whole range of meetings and activities throughout the village all year round. We have also worked with local residents and activity groups, Balmedie School, Belhelvie Community Council, Aberdeenshire Council, and the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers. Members’ knowledge of gardening and green issues has been expanded by inviting a range of guest speakers to meetings.
What Have We Done So Far?
- Held monthly Gardening Club meetings
- Planted bulbs, plants and seeds around the village
- Applied for and received funding for project work
- Built and maintained planters and containers around the village and at Eigie House Sheltered Housing
- Installed benches and planters on Eigie Road and beside the Leisure Centre
- Cut grass in communal areas
- Held 3 Litter Pick events
- Held a successful plant sale and participated in Balmedie Gala
- Been Awarded a “Highly Commended” in “Formartine in Bloom” competition
- Enjoyed guided tours of Cruickshank Botanical Gardens and Duthie Park Winter Gardens
- Trained 5 people to build and repair dry –stane walls
- Rebuilt wall beside football courts
- Built a Polytunnel
- Planted a wild flower meadow
- Learnt new skills
- Had Fun!
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What About 2011?
We will continue to meet monthly, to maintain planters and tubs around the village and to mow communal grassed areas.
We are delighted to have our Polytunnel, sited at the back of the Leisure Centre on Eigie Road. This was achieved with funding from NESTA and with the support of the Leisure Centre Committee and Aberdeenshire Council. It was built thanks to a lot of hard work from our members, in some awful weather conditions! The Polytunnel became operational at end of April, being used for growing-on plants for use around the village and for members’ own projects. We are keen to encourage other groups in the village to use the Polytunnel. This has already started – the Leisure Centre 2’s Group are growing plants for their Sunflower Competition!
Looking further into the future, Better Balmedie members would like to explore the possibilities of a community garden and some allotments somewhere in the village. Some members are also keen on extending and maintaining public walks around the village, and opening new parkland pathways through the woodland to the east. Aberdeenshire Council has already started this work, and we are keen to work with them to develop these areas into improved recreational areas. Our training in dry-stane walling will be put to good use and repair and rebuilding will continue around the village.
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| Date | Event | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 2011 | Maintenance of summer planters etc | tbc | tbc |
| August 2011 | Maintenance of summer planters etc | tbc | tbc |
| 29 Sep. 2011 | To be arranged | tbc | tbc |
| 27 Oct. 2011 | To be arranged | tbc | tbc |
| 24 Nov. 2011 | To be arranged | tbc | tbc |
| Dec. 2011 | Party and/or Meal - to be arranged | tbc | tbc |
Getting Involved
Better Balmedie already has a group of committed, enthusiastic volunteers, but we need more people to get involved, if we are to achieve a range of tasks and keep our activities going.
From the start, members of Better Balmedie Group have agreed that no-one should be committed to any particular level of involvement. People can spend from an hour a month up to an hour a day and all kinds of help and contributions are very welcome. People have a range of skills which they can use; the group is not limited to avid gardeners! Annual membership costs just £10 or you can pay £1 for each meeting, if you just want to join us occasionally. Full members receive membership cards which entitle the holders to a discount on garden products from Parkhill Nurseries.
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To find out more and to get involved, contact Rosie Nicol 01358 742557, rosie.inform@lineone.net or just turn up at a meeting! You will be very welcome!!
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