PICTURES: Alness play scheme and Unexpected Field Dandelion project blossom into beautiful relationship in Easter Ross with series of events leading up to September 10 harvest climax
A BUDDING partnership has blossomed into a beautiful relationship in Alness after a long-standing summer play scheme joined forces with a community gardening project.
Scores of youngsters had fun at The Field with workshops, games and a surprise appearance from World’s Strongest Man winner Tom Stoltman.
A project teaching locals how to grow and cook their own produce has put down roots with support from the Dandelion project, overseen by Dingwall-based arts organisation, Feis Rois.
That includes festivals at the Unexpected Garden at Teaninich Industrial Estate where music and community horticulture are the star attractions this summer.
The Place youth group’s Janette Douglas called it “a match made in heaven” and reflected this week on how far The Field project – offering an outdoor solution to pandemic lockdown – has come. It culminates with a harvest festival on September 10.
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Mrs Douglas said: "As always we are never sure how many young people will turn up on day one of play scheme but this year, our 22nd year, didn't disappoint.
"As the youngsters arrived in their droves we were delighted to see their smiley, excited faces. The play scheme as in previous years cost an optional 50p and for that the youngsters arrive at 10am, some having been picked up in the minibus. They then have a 90 minute workshop followed by a hot meal and then another 90 minute workshop and then home time at 1.30pm.
"All of these activities are led by a team of young leaders. Alness is without doubt blessed with the most amazing youngsters who year after year give up their holiday time to deliver a play scheme for local youngsters.
"When asked why they almost all reply because they want to give back the opportunity they had as youngsters. All young leaders are working towards a recognised SQA qualification which will stand them in good stead in their employability journey when the time comes."
Workshops included Fyrish gymnastics, swimming, crafts, wood crafts, music, storytelling and games.
Looking back, she said: "It wasn’t until play scheme was under way that we fully appreciated how far The Place, and in particular The Field, had come in the last year. Having a play scheme during the pandemic had not only been challenging but this time last year we still had no water, we were having to pay for portaloos and all food had to be made off site and transported in.
"As I looked about at our amazing project which now has all services, an established garden, toilets and a new kitchen I realised how far we had come.
"A large part of the development has been our partnership with the Dandelion project. Fiona Dalgetty, chief executive of Feis Ross who oversees the Dandelion project, rightly said it has been as if the stars aligned to bring the two projects together. They complement each other in that the project has brought a new element to The Field and has made it a much more community focussed resource which is what we had always hoped. "They have also supplied funding which has enabled us, among other things, to put in a new kitchen on site which is amazing and enables us to deliver what we had hoped to set out to do which is 'plant to plate' and have young people grow produce and then learn to cook it.
"Such is the success of our partnership the coordinator of the Dandelion project was chief cook and bottewasher for the whole of the play scheme. Col Gordon is a man of many talents and was a huge help to us providing hot meals for over 100 youngsters a day.
"He then turns his skills in another direction by picking up his ukulele for the many mini festivals being delivered by the project. Hayley and Finlay the two resident gardeners and event managers also contributed to the workshops.
"It was a wide and varied programme which was enhances but the musical and storytelling contributions from Feis Ross.
"Our partnership truly is a match made in heaven and we are going to miss their valuable contribution when the project concludes with a huge harvest festival on September 10."
