Highland Green Health Fund Announces Support For Green Health Projects

15th May 2023

The Highland Green Health Partnership is delighted to announce, during Green Health Week, funding support for 15 community projects that are delivering sustained action for nature-based health interventions across the Highland region.

A number of strong applications were received with a wide range of project ideas and initiatives put forward. These include training for young people, development of community growing projects, digital resource creation, and purchase of tools and equipment.

The projects that have been supported span seven of the nine NHS Highland health board areas and will help sustain green health activity and enable more people to access green health opportunities across the Highland region.

The projects are:

Gairloch Area Development Ltd - Skye, Lochalsh & Wester Ross
Kyle of Sutherland Development Trust - Sutherland
Glen Urquhart Rural Community Association (GURCA) - Inverness-shire
Gearrchoile Community Woodland - Sutherland
Sluggans Woodland Park Group - Skye, Lochalsh & Wester Ross
Caithness Voluntary Group - Caithness
Fearn Feed Food Garden - Easter Ross
Lairg and District Centre - Sutherland
Nature 4 Health - Nairn
Lyth Arts Centre - Caithness
Darach Social Croft - Lochaber
Stratherrick & Foyers Community Trust - Inverness-shire
Insh Community Holdings - Badenoch & Strathspey
Wild Things - Inverness/Cairngorms
Staffin Community Trust - Skye, Lochalsh & Wester Ross
Kate Thomson, Senior Development Officer for the Highland Green Health Partnership, said:

"The green health projects we are funding this year are diverse and exciting and it is great to see a wide geographical spread of projects supported.

"The small grant fund allows us to support local community organisations who are integral to the provision of green health activity in Highland."

Green Health Small Grant Fund 2023 Awarded to 15 Community Organisations -

Please find below a short summary of the groups and projects who have been awarded grants.

Gairloch Area Development Ltd - Skye, Lochalsh & Wester Ross- This project will set up a Wester Ross Growers and Seed Savers Group which will connect people across a network of remote, rural communities through collecting, regenerating, and sharing seeds, plants, and stories.

Kyle of Sutherland Development Trust- Sutherland - Funding will support paddle board instructor training for three local females. Trained instructors will build capacity for the Sutherland Girls on Boards project which aims to decrease social isolation, increase confidence and build mental and physical resilience through paddling and engaging with nature.

Glen Urquhart Rural Community Association (GURCA)- Inverness-shire- Fund supporting the purchase of outdoor equipment to enhance existing activities for local groups to meet and socialize outside, providing meaningful opportunities to come together in Blairbeg Community Woodlands.

Gearrchoile Community Woodland- Sutherland- The community wellness woodland programme will deliver 55 one hour sessions to increase green health and creative opportunities for local children and adults.

Sluggans Woodland Park Group- Skye, Lochalsh & Wester Ross- This project will raise the profile of the woodland park, develop the capacity of the board and build a volunteer network which will enable development and safeguarding of this important community greenspace.

Caithness Voluntary Group- Caithness- The organised nature walks to Dunnet Community Woods will enable the volunteer befriending team to support older adults and those with reduced mobility to access local natural spaces and help to reduce loneliness and social isolation through connecting with nature.

Fearn Feed Food Garden- Easter Ross- The windowsill gardening project is aimed at people who are living with disability, socially isolated or experiencing poverty and will support participants to access outdoor growing space with the equipment, skills and knowledge to grow microgreens on their windowsills.

Lairg and District Centre- Sutherland – Coisich! A series of walking activities aimed at local adults and children focused on exploring Gaelic in the landscape, biodiversity, archaeology and listening to the sounds in the environment.

Nature 4 Health- Nairn – A day of nature connection for the local community focusing on local green spaces with all their healthy benefits, both physical and mental. Participants will be encouraged to forage for food, cook over an open fire, engage with local volunteer groups, connect to various local health supporting charities, craft and listen to tales of the wild& wonderful!

Lyth Arts Centre- Caithness – The Bower Art Garden will transform an area of unused scrubland to a community led greenspace encouraging socially engaged arts practices- the first space of its kind in the North of Scotland. This funding will enable the project to host performances, community meals and workshops in the new garden for the local community.

Darach Social Croft- Lochaber- A pilot project that will create a Highland wide digital interactive map of publicly accessible greenspaces with suggested nature-connection activities that people can take part in.

Stratherrick & Foyers Community Trust- Inverness-shire – Provision of raised beds and equipment for community food growing project, The Wildside Centre and Inverfarigaig community field.

Insh Community Holdings- Badenoch & Strathspey – Funding will be used to purchase a Capstan Winch to enable safe and effective management of community woodland by volunteers, to supply non-native firewood to in need residents. This bit of kit will allow greater accessibility for volunteers to the tasks associated with woodland management.

Wild Things- Inverness/Cairngorms- Supporting the Growing Wild and Well Programme which works with vulnerable teenagers, providing opportunities to engage in learning opportunities in the outdoors, delivering awards and accredited qualifications that count towards academic achievement.

Staffin Community Trust– Skye, Lochalsh & Wester Ross- This project will work to establish a community garden, consult with the community about plans and development and begin weekly gardening sessions for volunteers.