Case study 3

Pilton Retreat, Ratho

The site

The Pilton Retreat is a charitable organisation that provides a safe play setting in a rural location for children and families from deprived areas of North Edinburgh, an area where there is little safe play space for children. The centre hosts around 1,200 visits per year, with a mixture of day-long and overnight visits. 

The site consists of a restored scout hall and approximately 1 acre of ground. New Caledonian Woodlands, in partnership with Scottish Business in the Community (SBC), were asked to coordinate volunteer input at the site to improve the grounds. The key objectives with this project were to improve the usability and interest of the grounds for children and families, while improving the biodiversity of the site for the benefit of wildlife and the environment.

Our involvement

The role of New Caledonian Woodlands was to coordinate a series of events over a three month period that would allow each staff member from the HBOS Customer Relations Department at Rosyth in Fife to spend a team building day at the Pilton Retreat.

In total, we coordinated 9 volunteer team challenge days, involving 144 participants between July and October 2008.  In this time, the groups created a tricycle track, built a large living willow structure, created a series of raised beds and flower beds, extended a footpath and planted a number of new trees, shrubs and bulbs.

 

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We are always on the look-out for new community-led projects where we can be of help. If you are involved in a project which brings environmental and/or community benefit please get in contact with us to see if we can support your project.

  • Andy Ross, New Caledonian Woodlands, managed the days on our behalf. He turned some of our, at times, vague ideas, into realities. We were able to describe our concerns / problems and he would suggest potential solutions. His energy, expertise and commitment were greatly appreciated. On behalf of Pilton Retreat Board of Directors, and more importantly the children and families whose visits will be enhanced by these changes, we express a big enough thank you to all involved.