Mining communities across Fife are being supported to grow their own fruit and vegetables as part of a project to address food poverty.
Funding totalling almost £90,000 has been awarded to more than 20 projects from Fife to Dumfries and Galloway to support the work of community groups, volunteers and other partners.
One project to benefit from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust (CRT) cash is Grow West Fife, whose volunteers rescued an old walled garden at Blair Castle in Culross during lockdown last year to grow vegetables for local food projects.
It was designed to address concerns that coronavirus would worsen food poverty around Kincardine, Oakley and Valleyfield.
CRT awarded the project £4,174 to expand the scheme and recruit community gardeners.
Volunteers have been back working on site after a quieter January and February, one of whom is Dean Nelson.
“I never thought I’d do so much gardening this year or that it would give me so much pleasure and help us to meet so many amazing people,” he said.
“Huge thanks to all our Grow West Fife volunteers, The Scottish Miners Convalescent Trust for trusting us with their beautiful walled garden, Culross Development Trust for taking us under their wing in lockdown, Social Farms and Gardens for constant advice, the Coalfields Regeneration Trust for real support and Coalfields Worx for mucking in with us.”
The CRT decided to allocate funding to areas that had already participated in its Coalfields Community Futures Programme.
This resource was available as Covid-19 restrictions meant usual community activities could not go ahead.
Community groups highlighted their produce growing projects as a priority as they are helping people facing food insecurity – a problem that has been exacerbated during the pandemic.
Nicky Wilson, chairman of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust in Scotland, said: “Underlying social and economic issues in mining areas have been exacerbated by Covid-19.
“We have seen more people struggle to be able to afford to feed themselves and provide their families with healthy meals.
“We hope the funding we’re awarding to groups in coalfields communities across the country will help tackle the serious issue of food poverty.”
Fife’s other main beneficiaries were the Lochgelly Community Garden, which received £5,000, the Touch Community Garden, which has been awarded £4,100, and the Bowhill Garden in Cardenden, which will receive £1,000.