If you are interested in finding out any more about the work listed below, please contact us.

Toryglen Community Gardeners

Every Tuesday and Wednesday a team of volunteers work together around Toryglen maintaining and developing 5 local community gardens. The group also helps out with school grounds and nursery gardens, building raised beds and keeping spaces tidy.

Because of the large amount of community involvement we have had very little vandalism, and most of our gardens are blooming and beautiful. We only use organic methods in the gardens and apply permaculture principles throughout. One of the aims of the project is to grow as much food as possible which we then redistribute back into the community via our ‘Fruit Barra’.

We also hope to supply a new community cafe in the area with fresh salads and herbs, grown by local community gardening volunteers.

• Growing vegetables and herbs
• Community orchards
• Creating flower gardens
• Improving local biodiversity
• Involving local people

Gardening collectively currently happens on a Tuesday between 11am - 3pm, and Wednesday between 11am - 1pm. 

Malls Mire Conservation Volunteers

Malls Mire Community Nature Reserve is a site of importance for nature conservation that is bordered by Toryglen, Rutherglen and the railway line. The conservation volunteers work every Thursday on the site, learning a range of conservation skills and working as a team.

• Habitat creation
• Woodland management
• Planting wildflower meadows
• Pond and marsh planting
• Green wood working
• Coppicing
• Creating footpaths
• Educational activities

The Malls Mire Conservation Volunteers currently meet in a Thursday between 11am - 3pm.

Eco-schools

We work closely with the local primary schools, which includes Toryglen Primary, St Brigids Primary and Hampden Primary. All schools are signed up to the eco-schools awards programme and we have been helping them with their journey. Topics covered include waste, recycling and energy use as well as biodiversity and improvements to the school playgrounds.

• Helping to meet the eco-schools targets

• Creating gardens
• Growing food
• Environmental education
• Composting
• Recycling
• Tree and hedge planting
• Wildflower planting

Kidz Clubs

We operate several kids and youth activities in the area where we create spaces for young people to learn about the environment in a safe and friendly atmosphere. Groups meet at the Toryglen Community Halls where we are developing a children’s garden, and at the Geoff Shaw Centre where we work with Toryglen After School Service. We have made films about rubbish, carried out clean-ups, grown food and much more. The children who attend the group range from 5 to 12.

• Environmental education
• Gardening
• Recycling
• Eco art
• Habitat Creation
• Composting
• Waste Education

Fruit Barra (or Food Coop)

In Toryglen there is very little access to fruit and vegetables. Although local shops sell some produce the quality is not great and the prices are high. In order to address accessibility and affordability we have set up a ‘Fruit Barra’, selling low-cost, fresh fruit and veg in a community venue once a week. We will also take orders from groups and individuals which we drop off at a convenient location for collection. The Fruit Barra takes place on a Wednesday at the Toryglen Church of Scotland.

Climate Change Education

We have put together a programme of workshops for community groups and adults that take a look at some of the facts around Climate Change, some of the causes and effects, and what we can do about it.

We are carrying out research locally to establish the collective Carbon Footprint of Toryglen, and we will be working with local businesses and other agencies to develop a sustainable development action plan.

We are also running climate change sessions in the schools, looking at the causes, effects and what you can do about climate change.

• Small scale renewable energy system - solar, wind and pedal power!
• What is Climate Change and what can we do about it?
• An energy monitor loan scheme
• Ecofootprinting

To find out more about any of the projects and how you can get involved, please contact us.