Groups recognised for climate and nature action
05 December 2023
The passion, commitment, and positive action taken by 208 groups from 27 local authority areas across Scotland to improve their communities for people, climate and nature have been recognised today at the virtual 2023 Beautiful Scotland and It’s Your Neighbourhood Annual Seminar and celebration event.
Additionally, 80 groups were recognised with Certificates of Distinction – presented to groups which have displayed continuous improvements over a four-year period as part of the It’s Your Neighbourhood initiative.
Special Awards, open to all members of the It’s Your Neighbourhood and Beautiful Scotland network, were presented to:
- Children and Young People Award won jointly by FARE Lochend Community Allotment, Glasgow City, and Kinnesswood in Bloom, Perth & Kinross
- Growing Communities Award won by Campy Growers, Dundee City
- Gardening in a Changing Climate Award won by Meldrum Amenity Improvement Group, Aberdeenshire
- Parks and Green Spaces Award won by Ury Riverside Park, Aberdeenshire
Juliette Camburn, our Senior Community Initiatives Officer, said: “Our annual celebration of the inspiring efforts of people across Scotland who work tirelessly to improve their own neighbourhoods and communities is always such a happy event.
“Each and every It’s Your Neighbourhood entrant recognised today has made a lasting contribution, however small or large to combat climate change, restore nature and biodiversity, tackle litter and improve the places they care for.
“I’d like to congratulate and thank all entrants, alongside the 27 volunteers we work with, for all they do to make their community a cleaner, greener and more sustainable place.”
A further three entrants were recognised for their successful pollinator-friendly approach and received a NatureScot It’s Your Neighbourhood Pollinator Friendly Award, along with money for further pollinator friendly activity. The award was presented by Jim Jeffrey, Pollinator Strategy Manager with NatureScot, and the winners were:
- 1st place – Green St Boswells, Scottish Borders
- 2nd place – Growing Together, Glasgow City
- 3rd place – Yorkhill Green Spaces, Glasgow City
Jim commented: “Community groups and gardeners are in the front line helping our hard-pressed pollinators. The high standard of entries in this year’s It’s Your Neighbourhood Pollinator Friendly Award is evidence of a range of impressive projects helping our vital pollinating insects. Viewed individually they are fantastic, and viewed as a whole they contribute to the creation of expanding green corridors in our communities.
"It is increasingly clear that making space for nature in our gardens, allotments, greenspaces and communities is good news for people and pollinators.”
The 2023 theme was health and wellbeing, and the winner of our public vote, presented by SAMH, was FARE Lochend Community Allotment in Glasgow.
It’s Your Neighbourhood is a community environmental improvement initiative which we manage in partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It runs alongside Beautiful Scotland but is non-competitive and is based on the three pillars of community participation, environmental responsibility and gardening achievement.
We're always looking for new entrants to join the nature and climate friendly network so do get in touch if you want to find out more.
