Wednesday April 22nd 2026
Newtongrange Community Garden
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Liam Eunson
A beloved community garden in Newtongrange has been shortlisted for the Scotmid Community Member’s Choice Award, bringing the green space ‘one step closer to vital funding’.
Newtongrange Community Garden saw abandoned land in the town transformed into a community space for learning, play and green growth but in recent years the space has been under threat as the land was ear-marked for future development.
The recent shortlist for the award comes at an important time for the garden’s community, with many hoping that the initiative puts funding decisions into the hands of locals.
Despite the award providing many benefits the garden has only been shortlisted with votes required to secure a £5000 prize.
To help the garden secure the prize, customers in Scotmid’s need to ask their counter for their vote to go to the Newtongrange Community Garden participating in local stores. Scotmid members accumulate votes through in-store purchases, which they can direct towards the community garden.
Using a Scotmid membership card, formerly known as Community Connect, members can swipe when they shop in store. If members don’t specifically ask to vote for a certain community group, votes are allocated randomly. The voting cycle, which began this month, ends at the end of July.
Despite there only being one £5000 prize, every shortlisted project receives £1000 in prize, meaning Newtongrange Community Garden will still receive funding.
Transformed by volunteers from the village, the community garden is located on the site of the former Top Club in Newtongrange which sat neglected for more than a decade after it was demolished.
Left derelict, overgrown and gathering litter, in February 2023 the Newtongrange Guerrilla Gardeners were granted permissions to put the abandoned land to good use and transform it into a green community space.
With support from the Newtongrange Development Trust and local councillor Douglas Bowen, the Guerrilla Gardeners were given the go-ahead to transform the area.
Now three years later since construction began on the garden, the green space is a cherished part of the community, offering both a community space and classes for all ages.
Garden lead, Laura Joyce, explained: “We’re absolutely delighted that Newtongrange Community Garden has been shortlisted for the Scotmid Community Member Choice Award.
“This initiative is a fantastic way to put funding decisions directly into the hands of local people, giving members a real say in supporting projects that matter most in their communities. Every vote brings us one step closer to securing vital funding that will help the garden continue to grow as a valuable space for everyone to enjoy.”
For more information on the projects shortlisted alongside how to vote, visit: scotmid.coop/member-choice
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