Recycled rubbish turns fencing into 'living wall'
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More than 20 volunteers of all ages, from pre-schools to pensioners, joined staff from the Kyle of Sutherland Hub and Lairg Learning Centre on Sunday morning under glorious blue skies.
Their joint mission was to transform 75 foot of newly erected fencing at the Hub into a new, exciting living wall for the children to learn about growing and wildlife.
The idea was pitched by the Hub’s chairman, Hayley Bangs, who contacted the learning centre to see whether they would like to be involved. Manager Jane Dixon actively seeks out local partners and was delighted to be asked, saying: "We’re in the middle of a two-year project tackling climate change, funded by CCF, and we have made planters and benches from recycled materials for schools and local communities. Our upcycling tutor, Graham Lonsdale, is an artist, and together with Hayley they came up with a brilliant design."
The learning centre’s community group were tasked with transforming old tyres, pallets and scrap wood into planters, some being decorated with flowers or made into quirky Highland cows. The Hub’s volunteers built and painted the fencing, upcycling tins into planters, and put out a plea for soil, plants and volunteers for the big day, and they weren’t disappointed.
Families crowded into the space and whilst adults attached planters to the fencing, youngsters had great fun with soil, hands turning black as the planters filled with donations. Bug hotels were crammed with mosses and sticks, to attract in wildlife, and strawberry plants sat alongside decorative plants to keep bees and flying insects happy.
The trailer of topsoil and compost soon emptied and after two busy hours the wall was completed. The learning centre used 275 kg of materials that were destined for landfill and Hayley was delighted with all the hard work.
She said: "We have been running Sunday Session children's clubs at the Hub with funding support from the Aspiring Communities Fund and are always looking for exciting new projects to do. The living wall was not only a chance for the children to enjoy a hands on environmental project and learn about plants, but also for this to be an intergenerational event.
"And what a day it turned out to be. The wall looks amazing and has transformed an unused, untidy area of the Hub to a beautiful seating area which also supports our living environment. A big shout out to every one involved in the day and particularly the Lairg Learning Centre and Reg Bangs and Carl Porter who built the fence that made it all possible."
