Campaign urges local groups to keep their communities buzzing
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COMMUNITY groups across the north-east are being invited to help keep their local neighbourhoods beautiful.
Environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful are urging groups to register and take part in the 2021 Beautiful Scotland and It's Your Neighbourhood initiatives.
Run by the charity in partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), the initiatives provide the opportunity for volunteers and groups to gain recognition for their efforts to protect and enhance their local places.
With 2021 being a big year for action on climate change and protecting biodiversity, the optional theme is ‘climate and nature friendly’ and all groups that register to participate will receive free pollinator-friendly seeds to help create blooming beautiful and #BeeDiverse places.
Last year, despite the challenges, the achievements of 200 groups across the country were supported and celebrated. Many of those participating in the initiatives developed new ways of ensuring that the places they care about were looked after under the three pillars of community participation, environmental responsibility and gardening/horticultural achievement.
Catherine Gee, Deputy CEO of Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “We are facing a climate and nature emergency, but our research has shown that in the last year over 40 per cent of people have spent more time using outside space in their neighbourhoods, reconnecting with the environment and their communities.
"We’re looking forward to welcoming people from well-established groups, through to those just starting out, as they register for free support through the Beautiful Scotland or It’s Your Neighbourhood initiatives this year.
“As a thank you for all that volunteers are doing across the country we will send out pollinator seeds to those who register to help create an extra buzz as we collectively work to make Scotland clean, green and sustainable for nature and people.”
To widen the appeal this year, a non-judged category to Beautiful Scotland has been introduced for those groups who would like to take part but feel the competition element is too much for them at this time.
Registration for Beautiful Scotland and It’s Your Neighbourhood is open until April 30, 2021 and more information can be found at www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org
