West Lothian Council signs Glasgow Food and Climate Declaration

The Glasgow Food and Climate Declaration brings together local and regional authorities from across the world to speak with a unified voice in committing to putting into practice integrated food policies to tackle the climate emergency.

Launched at the UN COP26 climate negotiations in Glasgow, the call encourages national governments to take joined-up action on food and climate.

The Glasgow declaration can be viewed at www.glasgowdeclaration.org

Locally this commitment will see the council enhancing its work with local organisations on initiatives which promote the sustainable food production which can also benefit local communities.

Through the West Lothian Food Growing Strategy, West Lothian Council has outlined its support to all forms of community food growing, from allotments and community gardens to community planters and fruit trees in public spaces.

Such an example can be seen at the Whitburn and District Community Development Trust (WCDT) Community Garden.

Whitburn and District Community Development Trust (WCDT) has secured funding from the Scottish Government's Town Capital Grant Fund and the West Lothian Town Centre Improvement Fund to create a Community Garden within the town.

The Community Garden will contain a variety of features including a food growing area where produce will be made available to the local community fridge project.

Other features are set to include a sensory garden and a wild flower meadow which will include a therapeutic space for people to recuperate, a learning zone full of exciting things to touch and smell whilst being fully accessible for all users.

The overall space is designed to be one where people will be able to share knowledge, such as how to grow fresh food, how to support wildlife, how to improve the local environment and much more.

As well as looking to benefit the wider community, it is also hoped that the Community Garden project will see participants will feel the positive mental and physical impacts that are often associated with volunteering.

If you are interested in finding out more about volunteering with Whitburn and District CDT, then please get in touch via email - David@whitburncdt.org.uk or call 01501 748708.

West Lothian Council Depute Leader, Kirsteen Sullivan said: "By signing the Glasgow Food and Climate Declaration, West Lothian Council is further demonstrating its commitment to looking at how the environmental impact of food production and consumption can be mitigated and improved upon.

"Food production and consumption is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. One way we can look at this at a local level is to support and promote the sustainable growing of food in our own communities. The Whitburn and District CDT community garden will be a perfect example of this where fresh food will be grown locally in a sustainable environment with the added bonus of supporting those most in need in the local community."

You can read more about food growing in West Lothian via the council website - https://westlothian.gov.uk/foodgrowing

Whitburn and District Community Development Trust, Community Development Worker, David MacDonald said: "Through both our Community garden and Community fridge project, Whitburn and District Community Development Trust are striving to reduce food waste in our community by redistributing surplus food from local supermarkets and then ensuring that any waste is being used to compost to make more soil for our raised beds. We are also excited for our first growing season to be able to grow some fruit, vegetables and flowers at a local level to then be available to the members of our community fridge project, working towards a cycle of sustainable food growing and distribution at local level."

Keep up to date with the Whitburn and District Community Development Trust via Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WhitburnCDT