Written by Jessie Colligan, Capital City Partnership, UK Shared Prosperity Fund Programme Administrator
Community gardening offers numerous benefits to individuals and local communities, including increased access to fresh and healthy food, improved health and wellbeing, enhanced biodiversity, reduced carbon emissions, decreased food waste, and strengthened local economies.
This National Gardening Week, we’re celebrating the community gardening projects continuing to deliver work in Edinburgh through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Edible Estates
Growing Together is a collaborative project run by Edible Estates aimed at developing and supporting community gardening and food growing across Edinburgh. It is supported by UKSPF and through the City of Edinburgh Council’s community gardening framework.
Growing Together supports neighbourhoods and local organisations to set up new community gardens, improve existing gardens, and get more people involved. Working with local people, they build and repair community garden spaces, assist with planting and gardening, and help to create sustainable community organisations that provide spaces and activities that positively impact the wider community. The impact of the work includes enhancing individual health and wellbeing, bringing neighbourhoods together, and creating more beautiful and biodiverse spaces to enjoy.
The nine neighbourhood gardens that have been supported by UKSPF funding are:
Neighbourhood gardens are built primarily by residents volunteering at workshops led by community gardeners.
Fresh Start
UKSPF supports several areas of Fresh Start's work, including their growing spaces. Fresh Start has four community gardens in Edinburgh at Inchgarvie Court, Craigmillar, Lauriston Farm, and Ferry Road Drive.
One participant said “I love being at the garden. It has boosted my confidence and taught me to be more comfortable in a group. Adrienne’s leadership is amazing and I feel totally safe in the space”.
Another participant said “I've met some lovely people, learnt new skills and felt part of a team. The group is led by the wonderful Adrienne, who makes everyone feel welcome and comfortable. She directs us towards tasks needing done but happily takes on suggestions from us too resulting in a supportive, collaborative dynamic. Tea break is always a highlight - often with stories and laughter - but it's also a time when folk from different walks of life can come together, drink tea, chat or sit quietly, and enjoy the company of each other.”
Empty Kitchens Full Hearts
Empty Kitchens Full Hearts has an existing core service delivery of turning surplus food into meals that are delivered to those in need across Edinburgh. UKSPF funding supports a volunteer coordinator who has overarching responsibility for the recruitment and coordination of volunteers across all areas of the organisation.
Volunteers grow fruit and vegetables which the team use in meal packs and offer to people to take away with them after the community lunch on Fridays. Volunteers have also been planting flowers in the beds in the garden and around the front of the building, which has brightened the place up and makes the garden welcoming. Due to the improvements within the garden, the project has hosted various events such a community BBQs and community lunches in the garden for volunteers and local service users to enjoy the space together.
You can find out more about the work supported by UKSPF in Edinburgh using the links below:
To read more about Edible Estates here.
To read more about Fresh Start here.
To read more about Empty Kitchens Full Hearts here.
You can also find out more about National Gardening Week 2025 here.
Want to know more about UKSPF funded Edinburgh projects? Visit our UKSPF webpage.
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