Keep Scotland Beautiful presented certificates to the groups at the 2023 Beautiful Scotland and It’s Your Neighbourhood Annual Seminar and celebration event, which took place virtually on Tuesday 5 December.

“Congratulations to everyone involved in the groups on their wonderful achievements,” said North Lanarkshire Provost Kenneth Duffy.

“They have invested time and effort in improving the local environment for everyone in their communities, helping create pleasant greenspaces and running activities to bring people together.”

Cumbernauld Old Parish Church Kirkyard and Cemetery Group is a volunteer group formed in 2018. Its original purpose was to transform the overgrown and neglected cemetery in Cumbernauld Village into a space for people to enjoy and explore. The group have carried out an extensive survey of the gravestones and are working hard to promote the heritage of the church and cemetery. They also maintain the ground around the War Memorial and have produced a booklet about the men named on the memorial.

Friends of Centenary and West End Parks was formed in 2004. Although they work closely with North Lanarkshire Council, they have become the main group maintaining the parks. The group continues to strive to provide a pleasant environment for local people.

Friends of Gartcosh began setting up a community garden within the grounds of Gartcosh Bowling Club during the first lockdown. They have created growing space, social areas and play space in a previously unused part of the village. They are continuing to build and develop this and make it accessible to all local people.

Greenhead Moss is a local nature reserve in Wishaw, at Waterloo. The volunteers meet every Wednesday in order to maintain and improve their local greenspace. Duties range from litter picking, ditch clearance, to thinning of trees and cutting back of vegetation. Path work and other construction tasks have also been carried out in the past, whether it be path construction and maintenance, or constructing and maintaining board walks and foot bridges.

Hope Community Garden Project helps and assists vulnerable, disabled, and people with mental health problems within Cumbernauld and outlying areas how to plant and grow their own flowers, veg and fruit. The group is always happy to see old and new friends.

Kildrum Community Council is creating beautiful spaces in their area of Cumbernauld, through various projects including tree planting and cultivating of abandoned land. They are also celebrating the many beautiful private gardens that local residents have grown.

Northern Corridor Community Volunteers cover active travel, climate action, community growing, habitat and woodland creation and community wellbeing activities in the eight former mining villages of the Northern Corridor.

Pride in Carbrain is an ongoing project to encourage community engagement and interaction within Carbrain's green spaces. This is facilitated by a collection of groups, organisations and agencies including C&H Community Council, Cumbernauld & Carbrain Community Hub, Cumbernauld Living Landscape, Scottish Wildlife Trust, North Lanarkshire Council and Craigieburn Community Garden.

Supporting individuals and group of neighbours with advice, upskilling and supplies to plant in the community. Promoting food producing and self-sufficiency. Biodiversity training is available to the community to enable a greater understanding of our native species of plants and animals. A focus on future-thinking and sustainability to reach environmental goals within the area is always taken into consideration.

Stepps Community Development Trust has over 100 local members. They are improving local spaces and amenities through maintenance of large planters at the Stepps shops, and litter picks at local amenities such as the train station and schools. 

Upperton Residents Committee mainly carrying out maintenance and tidying up. Their newest projects have been allotments and hopefully a connecting walkway to the nearest village.

Village Veggies was set up in March 2021 by the Cumbernauld Village Community Council and funded by the Climate Challenge Asset Fund. The group grows organic fruit and vegetables in the historic Langriggs and encourages local people to help themselves. They also work with the local Family Learning Centre to inspire the children to grow their own.

Any group who would like to join Keep Scotland Beautiful’s It’s Your Neighbourhood initiative can email beautifulscotland@keepscotlandbeautiful.org