Local priority: - Improve community facilities to support wider range of projects

We propose developing a community garden within our existing allotment space to significantly enhance community wellbeing, foster social cohesion, and rejuvenate an underutilised area. This initiative directly addresses local priorities by offering inclusive, accessible outdoor spaces that promote physical health, mental wellness, and environmental sustainability. The garden will provide dedicated spaces for community members, including accessible areas specifically designed for individuals with disabilities. We will install raised beds, pathways suitable for wheelchairs, sensory garden elements, and seating areas to ensure broad accessibility and usability. Moreover, sustainable features such as rainwater harvesting systems and compost bins, will be integrated to promote environmental awareness and sustainability practices within our community. Residents have highlighted the demand for safe, communal spaces that enable outdoor activities and community engagement. This garden will serve as a vital communal hub, offering structured activities such as gardening workshops thus enriching community interactions and social ties. The anticipated outcomes of this project include enhanced community resilience, increased physical activity, improved mental health, and heightened community spirit. It will contribute to local sustainability objectives by promoting biodiversity and sustainable practices. Additionally, the garden will provide opportunities for education and skill-building around gardening, environmental care, and healthy lifestyles. By developing this community garden, we seek not only to transform an underused plot but also to establish a lasting asset that fosters community pride, wellbeing, and sustainability. This aligns directly with Dundee City Council’s objectives of improving local environments and building resilient, inclusive communities, ensuring long-term positive impacts across the neighbourhood.

With better access to the site we can offer more activities within our campus and hold more open days to raise the awareness of our allotments and foster better relationships within the local community.  Hopefully encouraging local people to develop the skills around gardening which can be used within the allotments and  in their own gardens and the wider community.

We see that with better access we can develop our plots to be more user friendly for wheelchair users encouraging participants to be included  in  a gardening community.

The benefits of safer access will not only enhance our site but will encourage inclusion for all.

The need for the community garden at our allotments has been clearly established through direct consultations and engagement with local councillors, community stakeholders, and consultancy support. This has highlighted significant local interest and demand for enhanced green spaces that actively support physical and mental health, community cohesion, and inclusivity. Initial conversations with local councillors revealed consistent feedback from constituents about the lack of accessible community facilities that foster wellbeing, especially in the densely populated Coldside area of Dundee. Councillors emphasised the importance of utilising existing community assets, such as allotments, to promote health and social integration, reinforcing the necessity of our proposed garden. Additionally, a specialist consultant engaged by our Association undertook structured stakeholder engagement, notably with representatives from NHS Tayside. This identified significant local health inequalities and an need for community interventions promoting preventative health measures, mental health support, and active lifestyles. NHS Tayside representatives particularly noted the role community gardening initiatives play in addressing isolation, depression, and physical inactivity, supporting our strategic alignment with broader local health priorities.

We have proven commitment to promoting community wellbeing and enhancing local green spaces. Since achieving charitable status (SC054265), we've undertaken extensive engagement, hosting numerous fundraising and community awareness events. This demonstrates not only our active role in community development but also our capability and commitment to delivering sustainable projects. Importantly, the proposed community garden will be accessible to all, offering specially designed spaces for those with disabilities and mobility issues. This inclusivity directly responds to community feedback about the lack of accessible, therapeutic green spaces. Furthermore, educational workshops, gardening activities, and intergenerational events will foster social cohesion, helping to build stronger community relationships. Funding from the Neighbourhood Capital Fund will significantly advance our goals, enabling immediate enhancements and lasting improvements that resonate deeply with community needs. By investing in this initiative, Dundee City Council will help secure lasting positive outcomes for the neighbourhood - transforming our space into a cornerstone of community wellbeing, pride, and sustainability.

Local Priority: Improving spaces to increase opportunities for sport and exercise

We hope to purchase and install new portable football goals at our 3G pitch, located at Fairfield Community Sports Hub. The existing goals are worn and heavy, making them difficult to move and unsuitable for the range of activities and age groups who use the facility. The new goals will be lighter, safer, and easier to reposition—improving flexibility for training, matches, and inclusive programming across all user groups. Our 3G pitches are used by people of all ages, from toddlers as young as 18 months to older adults in their 70s, 80s and even 90s. Activities include early years football, youth development, adult 5-a-side, walking football, para football, and mental health recovery sessions. The new portable goals will ensure a safer, more adaptable environment for all, enabling coaches and session leaders to tailor the pitch layout to the specific needs of each group. This project aligns strongly with local priorities by: Improving health and wellbeing: High-quality sports infrastructure encourages people of all ages and abilities to be active, helping to address physical and mental health challenges, tackle loneliness, and build resilience. Supporting inclusion and participation: With easier-to-move goals, we can better accommodate inclusive formats like para football and mental health sessions, creating a more welcoming environment for people who may otherwise face barriers to participation. Empowering young people and families: The pitch is regularly used for sessions that support early years development, youth engagement, and family activity—offering positive pathways through sport. Strengthening community cohesion: As a valued community asset in an area facing economic and social challenges, the Sports Hub plays a vital role in bringing people together. This investment will improve the quality of delivery and open up more opportunities for diverse groups to share the space. By replacing our outdated goals with modern, portable alternatives, we’ll be able to offer a safer, more flexible, and inclusive sporting environment that meets the needs of our community now and into the future. This upgrade will enable us to continue delivering meaningful, accessible, and engaging physical activity for all—from 18 months to 99 years.

Our consultation has included: Feedback surveys and coach debriefs following sessions and block bookings. Engagement with parent groups and carers, particularly around early years and disability sport sessions. Community events and forums where local residents have raised facility improvements as a priority. The need for this investment is also reflected in wider local priorities around reducing health inequalities, supporting young people, and improving access to inclusive sport. As a well-used and loved facility, Fairfield Community Sports Hub plays a central role in addressing these aims—and safe, high-quality equipment is essential to deliver this. The request for portable new goals has come directly from those who use the pitch every day. This project responds to that need, ensuring the facility remains accessible, inclusive, and fit for purpose for all ages and abilities.

Local Priority: Improving local facilities to allow for more social, learning and creative activities

The grant will be used to purchase a container, to be sited outside East Housing Office, that will house both the Community Toolbox and storage for the Food Hub &Freecycle project (which currently runs from the Hub Library). At 45ft long, the container will be spilt into 2 sections, to house both Toolbox and Food Larder &Freecycle services. It will be insulated, fitted with shelving and have 2 separate entrances. The Community Food Hub & Freecycle are a well-established service, run by members of the local community. They currently are based in the Hub Library, but this building will shortly close to the public and the service is planned to move to East District Housing office but need storage space. The Community Toolbox is a new initiative, to be run by members of the local community, which offers local people the opportunity to hire items such as power washers, lawnmowers, carpet cleaners etc at very low cost. Volunteers will be responsible for this project, supported by Wellgate Community Toolbox who will provide insurance and admin support. Both local groups are working in partnership with Housing and Communities Teams through the Linlathen Fairness Initiative to bring vital services to the area. There are many benefits to the local community of being able to provide these services through the grant award – Local people will have access to tools and equipment, on their doorstep and at a very affordable cost. They will also continue to have access to low cost, fresh, healthy food and good quality clothing and household goods at no cost and also the benefit of volunteering and training opportunities for local people and building their capacity to be instigators of change in their community. The Toolbox volunteers also believe that their service will build the capacity of residents to foster a sharing community with neighbours helping each other out e.g hiring a power washer to clear moss off a garden path and then clearing the path of an elderly neighbour. The outcomes contributing to the Community Plan are – "We need a response to cost living crisis" The project is also referenced in the Linlathen Fairness Initiative narrative inquiry recommendations which state that the food larder should continue to ensure people have dignified access to food.

In Spring of 2024, members of the community took part in a Columba 1400 course, exploring both their own development and that of their community of Mid Craigie/Linlathen. One of the outcomes of their participation was that people agreed there was a need for local people to have a service in their community that allowed them to improve homes and gardens at a low cost. This included garden tools, decorating equipment, power washers, carpet cleaners etc. Developing this idea further, local people were consulted on the need for this and overwhelmingly agreed that this would be a valuable service to be able to access locally. The Linlathen fairness Initiative has been successful in fostering a participatory approach with residents involved in budgeting, planning and delivering services such as the community Toolbox project and it is this approach which builds the capacity of people to be leaders of change in their community The Community Food Hub & Freecycle has been running at the Hub library for 8 years and continues to run to full capacity. Local people who use this service have been consulted on the proposal to move it to the East Housing Office, with storage space in the container and have expressed positive responses to this proposal. Food Insecurity is a significant issue in this community which is affected by low-income, long-term unemployment and poor health. In particular, the community of Linlathen contains several data zones which fall within decile 1 and 2, indicating very high levels of deprivation. A recent evaluation of the value of the Food Hub & Freecycle project, carried out with local people was evidenced by the following quotes - ‘Being able to buy a couple of bags of food here every week for £4 is a lifeline for me and my family’ ‘It’s hard to put into words what the freecycle means to me. As a single parent with 4 kids, I rely on being able to pick up clothes for them here, it takes away some of the stress about money’ ‘The money i save by only paying £4 for bags of food and being able to pick up clothes for growing kids means i have more money to pay for electricity and the odd treats now and again’ Being able to continue the Food Hub & Freecycle, and the addition of the Community Toolbox, will ensure that local people can continue to work together to thrive and develop their community.

We have a garden at school which is not used, and we want to develop this as a play space with a teepee/shelter with bright cushions, an outdoor area with stepping stones, and other play equipment, seating areas, colourful and inviting art and interactive stations on the wall and fence, garden and planting area for flowers and vegetables. This will allow more physical activity, be a safe and inviting space and for well-being and regulation. The garden needs cleared and developed to make it a space which is accessible to all. Some support for learning pupils- due to their specific needs cannot use Baxter Park as an outdoor space as we have done in the past. There are currently three pupils with significant additional support needs, but there are more pupils coming over the next few years, so there is a long-term need to develop this area. 

The area will be accessed mostly by the Support for learning department and by much a wider group of pupils within the school, in science and for pupils taking personal development awards. After speaking with the science department, and some pupils they said they will use it to study different plants and animals. SFL Pupils have looked at the area and through consultation with them have decided on what they would like, their feedback was that the garden needed tidied up and they would like some more things to play with, a nicer place to sit and more things to do. Mr McBain the Head Teacher and I have both attended community meetings in Arthurstone library, for the consultation. 907 school pupils or young people took part in the online survey which was open to all young people in Maryfield as part of the Neighbourhood Captial Grant process and undertaken by Dundee City Council's Community Empowerment Team in Maryfield. All schools in the area took part and a large majority of respondents were school pupils. The results are as follows and clearly evidences the wish for a better school playgrounds, more seating, and outdoor learning spaces- all of which this project would provide at Morgan Academy. This clearly shows the project is supported by school pupils, and young people within the local area.

Funds would be used to buy a wooden shelter, wobble bridge, benches, planters, cushions, plants, sensory toys, cost for construction and installation cost of clearing some of the garden, - Additional sheet sent with the break down of costs.

Students from D&A college garden department to be contacted to help with gardening. Community payback contacted to possibly clear the garden. Senior pupils in school can help with the garden, clear up and maintenance. Staff and pupils will be involved in the planning and location of equipment.

This project will address the Local Priorities:

- Improve safety, accessibility and equipment in outdoor recreation spaces for families and young people

- Improve community facilities to support wider range of projects

The grant will be used to provide a much needed refurbishment to the ladies, gents and easily accessible/unisex toilets at The MAXwell Centre. Our project alone has a footfall of over 2,500 each month and our centre is the nearest available toilets for visitors to enjoying the facilities and attending events in the Hilltown Park. Improve safety, accessibility and equipment in outdoor recreational spaces for families and young people was a key local Coldside priority identified by our very own youth council for this funding. This grant would allow us to open our facilities to accommodate the increase in footfall that the improvements to play facilities and the outdoor recreation areas in the park would create. We would install signage in the park that our toilet facilities are open to all not just MAXwell participants. Part of our plans for the coming year is to provide more evening and weekend activities, this would increase the open times of the centre and allow access to toilet facilities for longer hours. We also have plans to increase the growing spaces in the park enhancing the recreational spaces. We have been key to developing the Berry Train, Coldside’s Playful nature trail with the Hilltown Park being the start point of the route! This is also a perfect fit for the local Coldside priority. We have recently signed a new lease with our landlords to access the large hall upstairs above the centre. This fits with the local priority Improve community facilities to support a wider range of projects that address issues affecting local people. The additional space will allow us to set up new groups and have new meeting rooms and private spaces. We are well known as a one stop shop for support and our new space will allow us to engage with a wider range of partners to deliver their services and activities in the Coldside area. Our footfall continues to increase year after year. This grant also meets our city plan outcome that our communities have high quality and accessible local services and facilities. Our project is truly representative of the broad spectrum of people of all ages, genders, ethnicities, religions, etc. that we have in the area. Our project breaks down barriers and brings people together in an environment that promotes interaction, integration and to empower them to improve their lives and the place they live in.The current toilets are in very poor condition, bitterly cold in winter and no longer fit for purpose. It has been nearly 20 years since any refurbishment has taken place. The hand driers don’t work making us reliant on expensive, less environmentally friendly paper towels. Lighting is poor and overall the facilities are difficult to clean and maintain.

We engaged our youth council to consult with our young people about the refit. We were disappointed to hear that some of our youths actually find the toilets ‘scary’. Lowering the ceiling and installing floor to ceiling cubicles would make the facilities safer and more pleasant to use. The easily accessible toilet will also be gender neutral, ensuring inclusivity for all. We will also make improvements for hand washing/ drying and new lighting would make the space brighter. All the upgrades will make the facilities more sustainable.

The current toilets are in very poor condition, bitterly cold in winter and the gents urinals are no longer fit for purpose. It has been nearly 20 years since any refurbishment has been done. The hand driers don’t work making us reliant on expensive, less environmentally friendly paper towels. Lighting is poor and overall the facilities are difficult to clean and maintain. We engaged our youth council to consult with our young people who quickly established the refurbishment was a key priority. We have 100’s of children a year using the toilets each year as part of our activities. We were disappointed to hear that some of our youths actually find the toilets ‘scary’. Lowering the ceiling and floor to ceiling cubicles would make the facilities safer and more pleasant to use. They identified the need for improvements to hand washing and drying facilities especially before lunch! New lighting was also identified as a priority making the space brighter and using more environmentally friendly bulbs. Our youth council are passionate about supporting us to achieve our local outcome that children will be safe, healthy, achieving, nurtured, active, respected, responsible and included. The easily accessible toilet will also be gender neutral to ensure inclusivity for all. We also conducted a series of community consultations in 2022 to improve facilities in the park. This consultation highlighted the need for access to toilet facilities was essential to increased engagement and park usage. Finally, we have a dedicated team of over 70 volunteers who take ownership of our project and ensure that it continues to be supported. They are true ambassadors of the centre and our work, many have been involved in discussions around the need for the refurbishment and it’s planning.