Garthdee Allotments

Grow Greener with Garthdee Field Allotments Association

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Garthdee Field Allotments Association Awarded Green Flag for 2024/25

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On November 9, 2024

In News

We’re delighted to announce that, in partnership with Aberdeen City Council, Garthdee Field Allotments Association has once again been awarded the prestigious Green Flag by Keep Scotland Beautiful for the 2024/25 season!

The Green Flag Award is Scotland’s benchmark for well-managed, high-quality parks and green spaces, reflecting our commitment to environmental standards and sustainable practices. Earning this distinction requires meeting 27 rigorous criteria, encompassing biodiversity, community involvement, safety, and overall quality of green space management.

This accomplishment follows a thorough assessment, confirming that our allotments not only meet but excel in these standards. Achieving the Green Flag acknowledges the hard work and dedication of our members and volunteers in maintaining Garthdee Field as a thriving, environmentally friendly community space.

Thank you to everyone involved in making this possible – it’s a fantastic achievement! Now, all we need is a gentle breeze to fully enjoy the sight of our Green Flag waving proudly.

Read more about the Green Flag awarded to Garthdee Field Allotments Associatoon here.

Green Flag Assessment

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On August 17, 2022

In Events, News

Plotters, volunteers, friends and visitors to Garthdee Allotments will have noticed the green flag that flies by our main entrance, but not all may know quite why it is there.

The Green Flag Award Scheme is run nationally and aims to promote, support and celebrate well-run, green spaces that are open to the public. More information is available on their website.

Garthdee Field was first awarded Green Flag status in 2020, but sites have to be reassessed annually. Assessment focuses on the management and maintenance of the site and is based on a comprehensive set of criteria and involves an annual assessment visit by two external judges.

Yesterday we welcomed the assessment team onsite.

Aberdeen’s Green Flag entries are coordinated by Aberdeen City Council and we were pleased to have Laura Russell (on the right in red) from ACC turn out to bat for us on the day.

Thanks go to Laura and to Irene, our volunteer, who did her usual great job providing teas, coffees and eats.

It will be a wee while before we get the official assessment report, but the visit seemed to go very well, and allowed a good exchange of ideas and some very welcome advice, so we cross our fingers and hope for the best. Watch this space.

Duthie Park Celebration

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On July 26, 2022

In Dates, Events, News

Representatives of Aberdeen City’s six Green Flag sites today attended an event to celebrate The Duthie Park being awarded with their tenth annual Green Flag Award. Yes, they have achieved Ten in a Row.

Garthdee Field’s third annual inspection visit is scheduled for Tuesday August 16 at 9.30 in the morning. Please put this date in your diaries if you will be able to come along. The Judges very much look forward to chatting with plotters, friends and volunteers during their visits. They will want to know and see:

  • How welcoming our site is
  • How well maintained it is
  • How we encourage biodiversity and green gardening
  • How sustainable our approaches and practices are.

Of course, we hope to have our site in the best possible shape for the visit to ensure we retain our Green Flag status and recognition as a well run public green space. All help to tidy up on and around plots will be much appreciated. If you would like to help on the communal areas please see a member of the Committee for suggestions.

Keep Scotland Beautiful Newsletter

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On October 29, 2021

In News

It was good to see a reference to our recent Green Flag award in the current edition. Plotters, volunteers and friends of GFAA can check it out in the web edition via this link.

Community Climate Asset Fund Award for GFAA

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On January 14, 2021

In Equipment, News

The Community Climate Asset Fund (CCAF) is a funded programme from Scottish Government run by Keep Scotland Beautiful. CCAF aims to:

  • Build on the invaluable role that community based organisations are playing in Scotland’s response to COVID-19
  • Support community groups to play a prominent role in the Green Recovery
  • Provide capital funding to community based organisations to help them tackle climate change as we accelerate our just transition to a net zero society
  • Complement funding provided through the Climate Challenge Fund and other community and place based initiatives
  • Help communities to reduce usage of petrol and diesel cars, cut waste, grow local food and reduce emissions from community buildings.

Following an application made in November, GFAA is pleased to announce the award of just over £3000 for the purchase of capital assets for our allotment. Our bid centred on making our operations greener by:

  • the retention of rainwater to reduce the amount of tap water used
  • increased use of a wider range of compostable materials produced on plots
  • reducing the amount of plot waste burned on site
  • increasing the contribution our community makes to producing more locally grown food.

The award has enabled us to purchase a small wood chipping machine which we will use to chip prunings from around the site and so reduce the amount of material being burnt and hence the amount of carbon produced.

We have also purchased 1000 litre rainwater storage tanks which we will use to reduce the consumption on site of town water supplies.

If you are interested in getting involved with any of these activities please get in touch with myself or any member of the Committee.

Increasing composting and reducing the amount of green materials burned were recommendations made in our recent Green Flag Award evaluation, and it is very pleasing to be able to make a start on this agenda thanks to the CCAF funding.

Awards Time

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On December 5, 2020

In News

In the year of our first Green Flag Award, we are also pleased to have these.

Thanks to all those plotters, volunteers and friends whose contributions and efforts make these successes possible. We literally could not do it without you.

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