RSPB Scotland Youth Officer, Nicole Brandon has this new blog on a fantastic new project the Edinburgh Phoenix group are raising funds for.
Edinburgh Phoenix – Help them to say “Yes In My Backyard!”
This February, Edinburgh Phoenix group are asking for help in raising the funds for a huge new project at Hermitage of Braid. But time is running out for them to win support, so please read on to discover more about their ambitious and truly wild new venture!
You may have seen in past news from this group, that they have spent many hours over the last three years designing, building and maintaining a beautiful little raised bed garden as part of their ongoing relationship with Hermitage of Braid. Now, they have an opportunity to do much, much more.
Thanks to their steadiness and dedication, the Edinburgh Phoenix group are now the only community group still tending to the community section of the raised bed garden; this has earned them a special opportunity to take charge of the whole area and transform it into a walk-through wildlife garden.
Their plans are truly exciting:
“We believe the wildlife garden project will allow the group to make a lasting contribution to wildlife conservation in the area. It will also be an invaluable project in terms of bringing together the different voluntary and community groups that work in the area, demonstrate to the public a range of measures they can take to make space for nature (from bird boxes to ponds) and most importantly allow the teenage members of RSPB Edinburgh Phoenix to develop career-relevant conservation skills.”- Edinburgh Phoenix Group
From creating their own pond, to planning and signposting paths, to creating and maintaining a miniature meadowland, the experience the Phoenix group will gain from this project shall be second-to-none. Most importantly to them, the garden will be an extension of the original raised bed project completed in 2013. It will be for many different garden users, with special attention made to keep it accessible and fun for those with visual, learning or mobility challenges which can sometimes keep people from fully enjoying and experiencing wild spaces.
Funding to make this walk-through wildlife garden possible is being raised through the new fundraising programme called YIMBY. Short for ‘Yes In My Back Yard’, YIMBY is a tool to help people raise money to improve their local area, and enable local activism from young people to find a broader audience. However, there is a catch – they only have a limited time to raise the funds needed. £1100 is their target, and with £250 raised so far and a closing date of Feb 21st, they have a lot yet to do to reach it.
If you’re keen to learn more about the Edinburgh Phoenix group’s project, or you’re already convinced to give a few pounds towards helping them reach their goal – please click through to here: https://www.justgiving.com/yimby/phoenix#/ and get involved!
And to everyone who has read this far, here is a big wild thank you, from Edinburgh Phoenix!