February 2020
New website launch! We are delighted to announce the launch of our newly designed website. We wanted to create a new website that allows for more dynamic content, that is visually engaging, easier to navigate, and more user-friendly. We would like to wholeheartedly thank the team of students from Edinburgh Napier University who undertook a full rebranding project for us as part of their studies. It is down to their energy, hard work, enthusiasm and creativity that we have a wonderful vibrant new look for EGP. We would also like to thank two of the team, Kelly Pickering and Charlie Buchan, who went on to create our lovely new website. They were a pleasure to work with! Check it out at www.edinburghgardenpartners.org.uk
March 2020
Our response to Covid-19The current pandemic has meant we’ve had to limit close contact between our volunteers and garden owners. However, relationships are at the heart of our model, and our volunteers continue to support their garden partners through regular phone calls, a wave through the window, and leaving essential groceries or fresh veg from the garden on the doorstep. Government advice currently permits allotment visits and we’ve issued guidance to our volunteers to ensure safe garden sharing practices. In short, with some adaptations, our work of finding innovative ways for us all to stay healthy, happy, and connected continues, and our befriending relationships are of greater importance than ever.
April 2020
National gardening week It has been heartening to see how our garden partnerships have continued to flourish despite the lockdown. Here are a few snapshots sent in by our volunteers to celebrate national gardening week, which give some indication of how busy everyone has been and how much there is to enjoy! As well as our existing partnerships, we’ve also been able to adapt our work to continue creating new garden partnerships across Edinburgh by taking advantage of
online platforms and paying close attention to government guidelines on physical distancing.
May 2020
Online befriending through gardening group In May we hosted our first online befriending through gardening group. Befriending through gardening is a pilot programme in partnership with The Welcoming Association, which offers support to newly arrived Syrian families to grow food at home, promoting friendship opportunities with local volunteers through online meeting and advisory sessions. Our volunteer Aindri did some live doodles of the session and the things we talked about! Loving this creative approach to minute taking!
