National Gathering to Celebrate a Fruitful Scotland

An invitation to attend the Scottish Orchards’ East Coast/Edinburgh Gathering - and see what you can do to create a Fruitful Scotland on Friday 14th and  Saturday 15th January 2011.

WHERE:  Edinburgh University, 5 Forrest Hill, EH1 2QL.  http://bit.ly/hDyVlR

COST:  Free (donations welcome!)

WHEN: Friday 14th and  Saturday 15th January 2011. 12 - 4pm (soup lunch provided)

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

The event on Friday 14th is aimed more at agency, council,

Government people, designers, planners architects, developers and decision makers. This will address how orchards and fruit growing can fit into the urban fabric and address the growing desire by people to grow food locally.

The event on Saturday 15th is a more relaxed day aimed more at community groups and individuals and will have a skills training element and a strong networking focus. This would interest community groups, teachers, individuals, young and old, keen to create a Fruitful Scotland.

Booking forms can be downloaded at www.scottishorchards.com

Contact John Hancox, for details 0778 606 3918 email john@commonwealthorchard.com

WHAT:

A Central Scotland Orchard

As part of creating a Fruitful Scotland, Scottish Orchards applied successfully to the Central Scotland Green Network Development Fund provided by FCS - to carry out a series of training, networking and support events, to help people to plant, prune, graft and maintain local orchards. 

Our vision is planting orchards for the 21st Century, close to where people live, work, or study.

A Fruitful Gathering

As a wide range of schools, community groups, community

gardens and allotments, local authorities and businesses all have a role in creating orchards - we are keen to get a wide variety of voices contributing to both days so if you’d like to present let us know - and also there will be plenty of networking and space to display information on projects.

A Fruitful Scotland

Scottish Orchards aims to create a Fruitful Scotland with fruit trees growing in every street, planted and looked after by local people and shared by the whole community.

Fruitful Schools (www.fruitfulschools.com)

We would also like to highlight this Scottish Government funded scheme to encourage schools to grow their own food. 

We have schools across Scotland keen to plant and need help to make it happen.

Snow!

One of the many wonderful things about Cuthill Park is its slopes and views across the Forth.  

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This week, with all the schools in East Lothian being closed, the park was full of families sledging and enjoying the snow.

<<< At least one famous person was seen to be having fun away from the prying eyes of the paparazzi.

If you haven't made a snowman, had a snowfight or been sledging yet, get down to Cuthill Park before the big thaw!

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Turn your eyesore to good use!

We don't mean to be cheeky....

...but you know that pile of paving slabs sitting in your driveway, and the leftover bits of decking in your garage, and the random builders bags, pallets and bricks...

....can we have them??

Get your (water) butt down to 

Cuthill Park, Prestongrange Road on

Saturday 27 November 2-3 p.m.

Hard Graft

On Sunday 14th November, the '4 Js' a.k.a Jan B, Jan H, Jocelyn and Josie, set to work planting the 105 saplings included in the Woodland Trust's 'jams, jellies, chutneys and cordials' community tree planting pack.

Using a plan devised by Malcolm, they planted 30 crab apple, 30 blackthorn, 20 elder and 10 dog rose in a double staggered row to form an edible hedgerow.

Fifteen hazel were used in two rows of 7 and 8 which eventually will form an archway into the community garden.

The weather could have been better and by the end of two hours we looked like we had been to Glastonbury but knowing we had planted he first trees for many, many years is a great feeling!

Thanks to Prestonlinks Woodland Group for letting us reuse their tree protectors and stakes.

Make A Difference Day: 30th October 2010

On Make a Difference Day Annemarie, Emily, Georgie, Jan B, Jan H, Katie, Laura, Nigel, and Tom were clearingthe scrubby area by the ScottishWater/Cuthill boundary fence.


We like to think that we Made a Difference - hopefully a positive one!

Next work day: Sunday 14th - tree planting

New children's play area planned for Polson Park

It is always good to hear of other public spaces being upgraded so the Friends of Cuthill Park were pleased for the neighbouring town of Tranent when they heard a new £100,000 children's play area will be built there.

Polson Park is the largest open space in the town but the existing play area has become run down and provides limited play opportunity. Recent surveys carried out in Tranent indicated that the play area was the single most popular reason for people to visit the park but improvements were required.

East Lothian Council appointed Jupiter Play and Leisure Ltd to design and install the new play area following a tender process. In order to ensure that the new play area meets the needs of children of different ages and abilities in Tranent Jupiter Play will consult extensively with local residents and community groups.
Cabinet member for community wellbeing, Cllr Ruth Currie, said:

"Polson Park is an important asset for Tranent residents but visitor numbers have dropped recently because it has become run down. A major restoration plan was prepared for the park but unfortunately failed to secure Heritage Lottery Funding in 2009. East Lothian Council remains committed to upgrading facilities within the park and I am delighted that the work for the new play area will shortly begin. I know from similar projects across the county that the play area will attract children, their friends and families to the park. It seems particularly appropriate that the park will continue to be enjoyed by new generations of local residents as we approach its centenary year." 

Polson Park was gifted to the people of Tranent back in 1911 by the trustees for the Polson family. The foundations of the park were laid out in the following years through the creation of formal walks, turfing and fencing. In 1925 the Tranent Miners welfare committee began the process of developing the park as 'a recreation ground providing facilities for outdoor exercise for the community'. The plans for the park dating from this time show that it was to be divided into four distinct sections - a games area, a children's play area, a formal garden and an open area for juvenile sports. This basic layout of the park remains today.
The existing play area equipment will be removed and the new equipment will be appropriate for pre-school children, early primary years and 10-14 year olds. Seats and litter bins will also be installed for picnic provision and the play area will be completed for opening by Easter 2011. In addition to the new play area East Lothian Council will also upgrade the path infrastructure of the park.

We hope this bodes well for our own plans to upgrade Cuthill Park.

Autumn Antics

The latest pieces of artwork to adorn the park's walls are the 'Lowes Market Garden' mural and 'Cuthill Garden'.  Both murals are collaborative works painted as part of The Big Draw.


The murals aren't the only new thing in the park: the area earmarked for the community garden has been flattened by a digger loaned from Cockenzie Power Station.  Lorraine and her colleagues from Mobex have kindly strimmed away the area along the metal fence ready for planting some hedging. 

Prestonpans, like the park itself, is forever changing.  There are several new housing developments within walking distance from the park and we welcome residents new and old, to come and be part of its transformation.  

On the practical front, we could do with some pallet collars (not pallets) which are always to be found on building sites.  They are perfect for building raised beds and, as they are stackable, would be great for making potato towers.
 
Next work-in day: Friday 22 Oct, 1p.m.  taking delivery of compost and filling half barrels.  Family-friendly, come along and help.