After launching in spectacular style this summer, the Edinburgh Phoenix group’s first project was to take part in reviving a walled garden at Hermitage of Braid, a local nature reserve in their area.
The young people plan to create a raised bed for native Scottish wildlife, designed in particular for people experiencing visual impairments/blindness. The leaders of the group, as trained John Muir Award providers, are supporting the young people to achieve their John Muir Explorer Award as a part of this process.
Group members are responsible for researching, designing and building the raised bed. Part of the research involves the group visiting the Royal Edinburgh Blind School, and liaising with a group of visually impaired people experiencing multiple disabilities in Glasgow. It is hoped that the project will serve as a link between the Hermitage and people experiencing visual impairments living in Edinburgh and the wider area.
In order to finance the purchase of materials and expertise to build this raised bed, the group applied for funding through O2 Big Think, and were delighted to find out recently that they had been successful in their application! Nicole Brandon, Youth Officer for RSPB Scotland, offered her support “They are among the first of Scotland’s youth groups to apply for funding through these streams, so we are glad that they’re setting such a dedicated example for sake of the work their group hopes to do ... We encourage the groups to dream big, connect with nature and take action to protect it, so it’s great to see them awarded funding to make those big dreams come to life!”