A COMMUNITY garden project in Auchinleck has won a coveted in ternational accolade for the second year in a row.
The Green Flag award has been given to the Knowe Garden Centre by Keep Scotland Beautiful, which administers the scheme in Scotland.
The award supports the opportunities that our green spaces provide to enable exercise, improve mental wellbeing and provide safe spaces for play.
Knowe Garden Centre, managed by the Auchinleck Community Development Initiative, has won a Community Award for the second year in a row.
Garden centre manager Kaye Hannah said: "We are delighted to have achieved a Green Flag Award again, especially after a difficult start to the year due to lack of employability funding to hire and train staff.
“This award is for everyone who has played a part in transforming 2.5 acres of waste ground into our community garden. Our loyal volunteers have been faithfully coming in each week to assist core staff maintain our garden and plant nursery.
"Five [volunteers] have recently progressed to paid employment with us as apprentices or garden assistants.
“It has actually been our most successful year to date with plant and basket sales.
"Community gardening is so rewarding, we see people who volunteer with us learn new skills and gain confidence to go on into paid employment.”
Jamie Ormiston, senior awards officer at Keep Scotland Beautiful, added: “Congratulations to The Knowe Garden Centre.
"Every park has a wide range of people visiting them and their requirements can vary. What is essential is that they are well maintained and provide a place for people to relax and have fun.
“Our award-winning parks have demonstrated they are worthy winners, meeting the criteria of the coveted international award.
"Receiving this prestigious benchmark recognises all the hard work that has gone into maintaining and managing these precious green open spaces.
“It is imperative that Scotland reconnects with the natural world if we are to fix the biodiversity crisis and these green spaces will provide a space for people of all ages to do that.
“Green spaces are so important for our physical and mental wellbeing and it’s fantastic to see such a wide range of parks and green spaces across the entire length of the country.
"I encourage everyone to make the most of them this summer.”
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