Growing at Green Shoots: Become a Member 🌿

22 hours ago

3 min read

If you’ve been following Green Shoots for a while, you’ll know that quite a lot has happened at Aberdalgie already.

We’ve had people coming together for outdoor and united services, early years groups making themselves at home, and learners getting stuck into everything from stonemasonry and green woodworking to gardening and wildlife activities.

There’s been bulb planting on an industrial scale, plenty of volunteering, exploring the Ancient Burial Ground, heritage events, wellbeing sessions, picnics, barbecues and all the usual Green Shoots mixture of learning something, doing something and occasionally getting muddy.

Between the church, garden and grounds, Aberdalgie is already being used in all sorts of different ways for worship, learning, community and time outdoors.

And there’s plenty more we’d like to do.

So we’ve introduced a simple Green Shoots membership for local people who want to get involved, take part in activities and make more use of the site.

Individual membership is £10 a year, and family membership is £15 a year.

So what do you actually get?

For starters, Green Shoots members can take part in free or discounted activities and events.

Our current Dry Stone Walling days are a good example. They’re professionally led, completely hands-on and free for members. No previous experience needed. You just turn up, learn something new and have a go.

And if our previous traditional skills courses are anything to go by, you may also go home slightly muddy and disproportionately pleased with a section of wall.

As Green Shoots develops, we’ll keep adding different things to the mix: practical skills, gardening, heritage, outdoor learning, workshops, volunteering opportunities and community events.

Some will be free to members. Some may be discounted. Some may simply be things you fancy trying because they sound interesting.

That’s really the point.

You can also book Green Shoots for yourself

Membership also gives individuals and families the option of making private bookings at Green Shoots at a discounted hire rate.

So if you’re looking for somewhere for a family gathering, picnic, barbecue or small get-together, you can enquire about using the building, Walled Garden and grounds.

You don’t need to become a member just to ask about a date. If the booking goes ahead, membership simply needs to be in place before it’s confirmed.

Schools, charities, learning and support organisations, statutory services, church activities and our established partners don’t need to become members for their bookings.

And where does your membership money go?

Back into Green Shoots.

Over the past few years, the site has been used by school pupils, adult learners, volunteers, community groups and organisations supporting people who benefit from outdoor, practical and alternative ways of learning.

Membership helps us with the everyday costs of making those opportunities possible, whether that’s materials, equipment, facilities or simply keeping things moving.

It also helps us keep Green Shoots as open and accessible as we can. If the cost of membership would make it difficult for someone to take part, just get in touch with us.

So membership gives local people a straightforward way to support Green Shoots while getting something back themselves.

Which seems fair enough for a tenner.