Thursday December 4th 2025
Newtongrange Community Garden
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Liam Eunson
The dedication, passion and committed action of more than 200 communities has been recognised by environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful at its annual seminar and awards event.
Across Midlothian three community groups were recognised with certificates – including Millerhill Community Gardeners (Thriving), Newtongrange Community Garden (Thriving) and Volunteer Gardeners at National Mining Museum Scotland (Thriving).
Across 29 council areas volunteers dedicate thousands of hours working to nurture the people and nature living in their neighbourhoods.
With support, guidance and mentor visits the growing membership of the Climate and Nature Friendly Communities Network is enhancing local environments across Scotland while promoting healthier lifestyles and taking action to address the climate, nature and litter challenges we face.
At an online seminar and celebration event on 3 December 2025, 205 groups were recognised for their commitment to improving spaces for nature and biodiversity with an It’s Your Neighbourhood certificate of recognition.
Juliette Camburn, Senior Community Initiatives Officer at Keep Scotland Beautiful, said:
“We strongly believe in the power of nature and community growing to transform places and help tackle the climate and nature emergencies. We would like to thank the incredible people of Scotland who we recognised with certificates today. Shining a light on their amazing work is as vital as it is to support volunteer groups with mentor advice, guidance and resources – so we are delighted to celebrate the highest number of groups ever this year.
“Our research highlights that almost 70% of people are embarrassed by levels of litter in their neighbourhood – we often see this as a driver for action in communities, with litter picks leading to more and more ambitious projects to improve neighbourhoods and make cities, towns and villages clean, vibrant, appealing and nature friendly.”
It’s Your Neighbourhood is Keep Scotland Beautiful’s community environmental improvement initiative which is managed in partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It sits alongside Beautiful Scotland, an annual competition, and all entrants are members of the Climate and Nature Friendly Communities Network.
Juliette added: “Next year we celebrate 60 years of the Beautiful Scotland competition and it is no doubt that it has played a significant role in the development of our Climate and Nature Friendly Communities Network. The work of the diverse community gardening and growing network is even more relevant today, as it connects people of all ages and backgrounds with nature on their doorsteps, at community centres, on high streets or in housing estates. The It’s Your Neighbourhood groups we recognised today are generating multiple benefits for individuals and society as a whole and I would like to thank them all.”
Ahead of the Scottish general election, Keep Scotland Beautiful is calling for national funding to support, recognise and celebrate the dedicated volunteers delivering community environmental improvement initiatives every day across our country, and the significant contribution they make at a local level to help combat climate change, restore nature and biodiversity and tackle litter.
To register your interest or find out more about joining our Climate and Nature Friendly Communities Network in 2026 email: Beautifulscotland@keepscotlandbeautiful.org
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