Falkirk residents encouraged to take steps to make their areas 'blooming beautiful'

These two projects aim to encourage and inspire community action and feed into the Royal Horticultural Society’s UK-wide Britain in Bloom campaign.

Beautiful Scotland is for groups who have come together to improve their whole village, town or city, and has judged and non-judged categories, with prestigious awards up for grabs.

The It’s Your Neighbourhood initiative is aimed at smaller scale projects such as a community garden, a Friends of Park group, or a group of neighbours improving their street or a nearby green space. While it is not a competition, it does have levels of achievement to encourage progression.

Groups who register for either initiative will receive support, mentoring and recognition for their ongoing greening and growing efforts throughout the year, and have opportunities to nominate themselves for a range of awards.

Groups are expected to find ways of involving the wider community throughout the year, through activities such as fundraising events and linking up with others. This year, there is an optional theme of Health and Wellbeing to focus activities and events around.

Last year, volunteers across the country contributed almost 200,000 hours, equating to an economic value of over £2.5 million.

Keep Scotland Beautiful, through it’s Beautiful Scotland and It’s Your Neighbourhood initiatives, supports and gives national recognition to many thousands of volunteers who get out there and make a real difference to their local areas.

Juliette Camburn, KSB community projects officer, said: “It is becoming increasingly important to focus action on climate change and take positive steps to protect and

enhance biodiversity in communities. Volunteers across Scotland make a huge contribution to the essential work being done to tackle the climate and nature emergency we are facing, helping make Scotland clean, green and sustainable for nature and people.

“We’d love people from well-established groups, through to those just starting out, to register for free support and recognition through the Beautiful Scotland or It’s Your Neighbourhood initiatives this year – joining a network of passionate people.”

Visit the website for more information.