The majority of the work has been done in partnership with Street Level who are working collaboratively with Carluke High School and the Carluke Youth, Family and Community Learning team.
Carluke Community High Mill and Gardens are delighted to receive the Gardening with Young People award from RHS Keep Scotland Beautiful.(Image: WSH])
Carluke Community High Mill and Gardens are delighted to receive the Gardening with Young People award from RHS Keep Scotland Beautiful.
The award is for work done with all ages of young people.
The High Mill Community Gardens worked with young people from Nursery to Secondary School with Ace Place Nursery using the site to embed numeracy and literacy skills as well as grow food such as potatoes and carrots and High Mill Primary School using the Quiet Garden for developing the ethos of Forest Schools with great success.
However, the majority of the work has been done in partnership with Street Level who are working collaboratively with Carluke High School and the Carluke Youth, Family and Community Learning team.
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Laura Gilchrist, Community Gardener and Street Level youth worker, said “It has been a wonderful experience for all who have participated in our project and we are very proud to have received the award and to gain some recognition for our young people’s efforts.”
The gardening groups from Carluke High School call themselves the ‘Grafters Collective’.
Participants have been able to learn many things including sustainable food growing techniques focusing on local organic produce, supporting biodiversity, making their own compost and working in an environmentally impactful way.
“They get the opportunity to support their local foodbank, provide food for their families and use the ingredients in cookery, as well as to make products to sell at the school fayres for additional funds, like jam and chutney.
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“These groups have also helped reduce the barriers to young people contributing positively to their wider community, aiming to promote community cohesion and positive perceptions.
“There has been a positive impact on wellbeing too. There is a sense of achievement for those involved, allowing the young people to evidence what they can achieve together as a team and to build resilience to overcome the challenges of everyday life.
“Everyone who participates in these groups is making a positive contribution to their community. They truly are ‘Grafters’.
The Grafter groups began through Carluke Development Trust but in 2024 when CDT collapsed the groups faced some serious challenges and their existence was seriously jeopardised.
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However, the Street Level youth project stepped in with their support to ensure that the young people did not lose this valued resource. This allowed much needed consistency and continuity for the young people.
Street Level is a long-established youth project which invests in the young people of the town. It was established and is supported by the church community within the Parish of Carluke, including ‘Choices’ the local community shop, as well as external funders and donors.
The school and young people who attend are incredibly thankful for the donations and funding provided from the community and beyond to ensure its continued existence.
Street Level sees the value in the work and has increased its support which has allowed further engagement, increasing capacity from three groups to five for this academic year.
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“I am excited to see how this opportunity continues to grow and develop,” said Laura.
None of this would be possible if it was not for the drivers behind the Carluke Community High Mill and Gardens, a charitable community group that is passionate about the restoration of a significant piece of Carluke’s heritage.
They have been working tirelessly towards the ambition of developing a meaningful place for the benefit of all within the community. The High Mill and its grounds capture the heart and imagination of all who visit, particularly the younger generation and everyone who has contributed to the work there love the place and hope it will flourish so it can continue to be a place where we can all grow and learn together.
Through their volunteering the young people have been able to work towards the Duke of Edinburgh award, obtain a John Muir Discovery award and learn skills to share their wares at the High School Christmas fayre.
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“We are so incredibly grateful to have such a unique greenspace within the heart of our town, as well as the willingness of the High Mill SCIO to accommodate engagement within the gardens,” said a spokesperson from Carluke High School.
“The Grafters Collective extend a huge thank you to the High Mill voluntary team for never giving up on them or on their long-held vision, despite the many challenges that have arisen during the journey over the years.
“Their community spirit, resilience and determination are the backbone of our place, proving that Carluke truly is a Town called Courage.”
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