This month we have been lucky to be able to employ three new staff members, thanks to the renewal of our Climate Challenge Fund grant. We thought you might like to get to know them better:)
Volunteer Coordinator – Jenny Glen
Contact: volunteer@tayportgarden.org
We would like to get as many people involved in Tayport Community Garden and Jenny is helping us with volunteer recruitment and support, and liaising with community groups wanting to use the Garden. Together with Peter, our Gardener, she is also supporting our Royal Caledonian Society’s Grow and Learn Award.
You can contact her directly on volunteer@tayportgarden.org. She will also be around at the Garden a lot of the time.
Here are some words from Jenny:
Hi, my name is Jenny Glen and I’m really pleased to be the new volunteer co-ordinator with PLANT. I’m originally from Dundee but have spent the last 20 years working down south, mainly in London, as a Community Learning and Development Manager. I moved back to Tayport last year to be closer to my family and love being back in Scotland and living in this beautiful wee town.
The community garden is great and I am looking forward to meeting new people and working with all the volunteers to continue to develop the project. Please drop by if you haven’t already and see how much we’ve grown!
Community Gardener – Peter Christopher
Contact: At the Garden or gardener@tayportgarden.org
We are drawing on Peter’s gardening expertise to help us make the garden into a productive space and to learn how to grow fruit, vegetables and salads.
He will be available to advise and support volunteers and community groups using the Garden at the following times (this may change so keep an eye on our Events calendar and Facebook announcements):
Sundays: 11 am – 5 pm
Mondays: 10 am – 4 pm
Wednesdays: 4 pm – 8 pm
Peter is also in charge of our Grow@Home programme aimed at helping Tayport residents grow more food in their own gardens. And – he is getting our a new tool library and maintenance programme going this year.
Here are some words from Peter:
I was Head Gardener for the National Trust for Scotland at Hill of Tarvit for 27 years , I have a B.Sc. in Botany and Biological Science and have been growing my own fruit and veg organically with my wife Kirsty for the last 30 years. I was part of the Fife Organic Gardeners for many years and I’m a member of the Professional Gardeners’ Guild and the Chartered Institute of Horticulture. I enjoy passing on my knowledge with people who have a good connection and interest with the well being of our fragile environment.
Blog coordinator – Kaska Hempel
Contact: blog@tayportgarden.org
Kaska is helping Tayport food growers at the Garden and at home tell their stories on the community blog. Get in touch if you would like to join community blogging team!
Here are some words from Kaska:
After arriving in Tayport from Australia 12 years ago I have fallen in love with the place – not many people out there can say that a view from their window encompasses a castle, a forest, stunning sunrises over the river and dolphins playing in the harbour! And now there is the Community Garden:)
My background is in environmental science and botany so I love everything plant and relish being able to help with a project which is trying to make a difference for the environment (hopefully learning to grow my own veg in the process;). After my arrival in Scotland I spent 8 years creating online learning spaces and supporting others in using them while working at the University of Dundee and Edinburgh University.
Recently, I found PLANT and I have enjoyed volunteering my experience in the set up of the garden project blog pilot and helping our community bloggers flourish over the last year. Now I am looking forward to helping it grow into something more permanent. And to convincing more people that blogging isn’t as scary as it looks!
What a great team!