The People's Project - Dumfries

The People’s Project, Dumfries is a voluntary group which improves areas around the town. Its strength is that it enables many local groups to work together to improve the local environment. The group wants Dumfries to be a lovely place to live, work and visit.

In 2021, The People's Project - Dumfries was joint winner in the RHS Wild About Gardens Discretionary Award.

In 2019 the Veteran's Garden, Dumfries won the RHS Scotland Discretionary Award for Overcoming Adversity: Following the loss of its previous garden when the property was sold, the group of ex-service personnel were given access to the old nursery garden at The Crichton Estate in Dumfries in 2018. The community gardening project had already proved a successful way of reintroducing veterans, some with conditions such as PTSD, to society.  Work on this project has both physical and mental health benefits. A monthly breakfast club and a drop-in centre are run, providing information and advice, with support from the NHS and The Crichton Trust. It is now a registered charity. The group has enjoyed considerable support from the local community, ranging from donations of tools and plants to specialist construction skills which helped make an old building habitable for indoor activities. It has already created an impressive number of raised beds which are now in full production. The group is also working on plans to replace the derelict B listed glasshouse.