Community Growing

Volunteering

Want to develop new skills, while getting to know others within your local community? Volunteering at a community growing project might be the perfect place to start, as it offers a friendly environment to learn new skills, participate in community activities and events, and skill share.

See our Community Growing Calendar and Aberdeen City Food Growing Map (below) to find projects, events, and volunteering sessions near you. And if you need help to find a suitable project or a suitable volunteering role don’t hesitate to contact us.

Help to start your own Community Garden

If you would like to start a community garden project, or you want help to develop an existing project, then we’re here to offer support.

We can provide:

• Free site visits and advice for your project, whatever stage it’s at
• Relevant contacts and help with supply of materials
• Lending of gardening tools from our Community Growing Tool Library
• Support with gardening-related activities and/or workshops
• Referrals to training courses to boost you and your members’ gardening know-how
• Access to various partnership organisations that help your organisation to have its say in matters relating to community growing in Aberdeen City
• Support you to recruit volunteers
• Advice on gathering data relevant to funding reports and project development, such as financial savings from produce grown, CO2 savings from reduced food miles, and indicators of mental health and wellbeing for volunteers and community members
• Mailing list keeping you up to date with plant and seed sharing opportunities, available funding, networking events with other community gardens, etc
• Connect you with the Aberdeen City Food Growing Map, helping you add your project and keep your details up to date

Training Courses

We and our partner organisations often provide training opportunities for individuals and groups that are looking to develop green skills. Groups are normally free to attend, and no previous gardening experience is needed. More courses may be available in the future, to find the most up to date information please contact us or watch our social media.

The Grow Dome

The Grow Dome is a community growing installation combining sustainable food growing, creative collaboration, and public engagement. Originally developed by CFINE in 2020, it has become a vibrant demonstration of biophilic design and community innovation, now permanently on display at the James Hutton Institute’s Hutton Hub Café.

You can drop by and see the Grow Dome during café opening hours (Mon – Fri 8:30 – 14:00), or arrange a group visit in advance by contacting Rhiannon Malley at venueservices@hutton.ac.uk.

Find out more about The History of the Grow Dome and Listen to the Grow Dome's Soundscape.