Weigh Ahead – Plant for the Planet
Weigh Ahead is a zero waste refill shop in Dunblane, who serve the local community. They have around 300 refill products and sustainable options for most household items, along with a small garden out at the back of the shop, which they were looking to develop using their 2024 Seed Grant.
“We worked with schools to host two workshops in our garden in March where we set the theme of community growing, promoting pollinator friendly planting and looking at ways of reusing and upcycling items to create some garden sculpture. Both Dunblane Primary and Dunblane High School contacted us to work together on promoting environmental and climate change issues. We had the young people help plan the layout for the planting and help to create the space ready for late spring and summer.”
“We had a great deal of engagement with our two events and people loved to attend. In total we engaged with around 80 people. We were able to share reasons why planting, particularly edible plants help the cause of climate change. We also shared solutions, such as building a pond, reusing material to enable the project, and companion planting as a way of reducing use of pesticides.”
“We engaged well with the high school and the primary schools, so much so that a new gardening club has been created. The project helped the young people be more vocal in speaking up about climate change at the school and they made links with developing a sustainability program.”
“We loved how people painted our slates to use as artwork in the garden and as name plaque for the plants. This involved one of our young members of staff helping with the drop-in workshop. There were a few very enthusiastic adults too!”
“We had a lot of cross-generational working and learning from experienced people passed down to others, especially the younger generation. At the high school the students who participated have taken on a project to develop a sustainability group and have already actioned one of their plans to design and build a pond at the community garden space at the high school.”
“Annelise, who led the project, was particularly pleased with the design and build of the school pond. She loved how the young people engaged with the design and then how they were able to reuse items to make it. “
“One fabulous outcome is our new drop in gardening club that came out of this. This will be as much about the social aspect of life as about gardening itself, but it will help a great deal in keeping the garden maintained. We hope this builds strong social links and a greater understanding of gardening. The people now using that garden will be able to see biodiversity in action and how the pond and its pond life interact with the rest of the planting and borders.”
“For all the reasons above we think the project was a success. Not least of which because we have a new gardening club, and our garden is being planted up ready for this year. We were able to emphasise how important access to nutritious food is too.”
If you want to learn more about the Weigh Ahead shop, please visit their website (Weigh Ahead – Zero Waste Shop Dunblane)
