Whitfield Digs In: Orchard Planting & Family Fun!

By Cain Lindsay

Locals welcomed the beginning of Spring at Whitfield community garden on Saturday as the Changemakers hosted a family fun day to celebrate the new season.

A fantastic turnout in the sun kissed garden saw just under 100 people filter through the gates to join in with orchard planting and a range of activities.

ScrapAntics provided yet another popular Loose Parts Play session as dozens of children got creative with recycled goods, a basketball hoop and the highlight of the day; the giant parachute. 

As per usual the ScrapAntics team were excellent in encouraging the youngsters to come up with inventive ways of playing with re-used items and teaching them the value of things that might otherwise be wasted.

The Dundee Cycle Hub (DCH) were also in attendance. Pre bookings with Dr. Bike saw staff members occupied throughout the day, fixing bicycles for members of the public and even handing out six up-cycled bikes free of charge. The DCH receives over 100 recycled bikes every week and strives to distribute as many as possible in order to promote a healthier lifestyle and cut back on car usage to reduce carbon emissions. It’s a wonderful initiative which on Saturday alone saved members of the Whitfield community hundreds of pounds.

The afternoon was fittingly catered by the Dundee International Women’s Centre on International Women’s Day, with plenty of vegetarian and vegan options, feeding several families at no cost.

While almost every mouth was fed the few remaining trays were transported to a local mosque, just in time for the breaking of fast during the holy month of Ramadan, meaning nothing went to waste.

Volunteers of the garden were never off their feet as they assembled posts to showcase their brand-new signs. With the garden tucked away in such a remote location signs directing locals to its whereabouts are an important addition. The idea of this was raised at one of the many Whitfield meetings and goes to show the type of cooperation underway as a result of community networking.

March’s meeting was a stark contrast to recent events at the garden, with the harsh winter months now in the rear-view mirror and the promise of Spring on the horizon.

It was a fantastic opportunity for children to quite literally get their hands dirty and get stuck in as four new trees were planted just outside of the garden’s gates.

With permission from Dundee City Council the four trees were intended to mark a perimeter for wider Whitfield groups to focus on planting an entire orchard.

Sadly, the garden team discovered that the trees had been ripped out within a few days. They have been recovered and will be replanted inside the community garden in the hope that they recover and manage to flourish. Whilst it is disappointing that the community is unable to create an orchard in the planned space, we are undeterred.

Sat just outside the gates of Ballumbie Primary School the garden also has plans to incorporate classrooms in the growing process. They hope that by collaborating with the school, their experienced volunteers can teach younger generations skills for life and how to maintain the land.

The Changemakers Hub continues to provide support for the Whitfield area and build relationships with members of the community, facilitating collaboration and connection.

The past eight months have flown by, and the Changemakers’ presence in Whitfield has been significant, dedicating hours to organising events such as this.

The community garden team have voiced their aspirations of becoming a green space for the entire Whitfield area, and as spring approaches for the first time since this project began, everyone is excited for the months ahead.