Volunteer-led organisation Pitlochry Community Action Trust (PCAT) has welcomed Pitlochry Garden Share (PGS) as a core project.

The move comes as part of efforts to secure the future of the Moulin Community Garden on a longer-term basis. 

As a PCAT core project, PGS will retain its own identity, logo and online presence but will come under the auspices of PCAT in terms of financial administration and other core support as and when required, enabling volunteers to spend more time on the aspects of volunteering in the garden that they enjoy most. 

PGS first approached PCAT about a potential collaboration at the end of last year. Since then, representatives from both organisations have been working hard behind the scenes to ensure that everything is in place for a seamless transition of PGS operations to PCAT. 

PCAT was formed in 2023 following the development of the Pitlochry Community Action Plan which outlines the aims and aspirations of the community. The Trust is a charity and works with local people, community groups, businesses, the local authority and other stakeholders to lead and coordinating projects that support a thriving and attractive town that is resilient and enjoys sustainable growth. 

PCAT trustee Catriona Morrison is looking forward to working with PGS. She said: “Pitlochry Garden Share is a fabulous community-led project that has really blossomed in the four years since it was first set-up by a group of hugely enthusiastic, knowledgeable and hard-working volunteers. 

“We are therefore delighted to join forces with the Garden Share team and support efforts to further develop and enhance that offering to the community. 

“Everything PCAT does is guided by the aspirations set out in the Pitlochry Community Action Plan – and establishing community growing initiatives, sharing local produce and supporting and encouraging volunteering in the community were all identified in the CAP by the community as priorities.

“Pitlochry Garden Share was set up to contribute to the delivery of those priorities, and it is wonderful that PCAT is able to support the volunteers to continue do that through the sharing of resources and effort, benefitting everyone involved directly as well as the wider community.

“The fact that PCAT has been approached for support once again by an organisation in our community is testament to the growing reputation PCAT has for listening to local residents and sensitively and effectively delivering projects.”

PGS aims to facilitate growing organic food locally in the community, reduce food poverty and food miles, support mental and physical health and wellbeing and increase biodiversity in gardens in the area.

As well as the Moulin Community Garden, it also works to support organic food growing in the area, and match people with garden space to spare with volunteers who would like to grow fruit and vegetables but perhaps don’t have enough land themselves. One example of this is a private garden share at Dunfallandy which has seen a very successful collaboration between a local homeowner and volunteers.

A steering group made up of volunteers from PGS, supported by PCAT, will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the garden share. 

Anna Stokes is one of the volunteers at Pitlochry Garden Share. She said: “PGS and PCAT are both working towards the same priorities of protecting and enhancing the environmental assets and sustainability of the area, boosting health and wellbeing, reducing social isolation and supporting volunteering efforts in the community. 

“As a group, PGS is passionate about growing organic vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers in and around Pitlochry and supporting as many people as possible to get involved in doing that. We’re also here to connect people who would be interested in sharing their gardens with local volunteers to help look after those spaces.

“This new partnership with PCAT will allow us to focus more on those efforts rather than having to set up as a charity on our own, saving time and resources, and we’re really excited about working with PCAT as we head into the next chapter of the PGS story.” 

For more information about PGS, see www.pitlochrygardenshare.org