Douglas Park in Largs wins Keep Scotland Beautiful award

Green-fingered enthusiast Caroline Le Good Morgan, who has been one of the key organisers in revitalising the popular green space on the south side of town, is thrilled that the earnest endeavours of volunteers have resulted in the special accolade.

She said: "We are delighted to announce that thanks to the huge efforts of all the volunteers , bed adopters and supporters of The Douglas Park Project, we have not only won an award from Keep Scotland Beautiful for our sustainable gardening philosophy, but we have been nominated to represent Scotland in the UK RHS Community Gardening Awards."

Caroline Le Good Morgan has hailed all the hard work of volunteers (Image: Newsquest)

They are one of 14 community groups from across nine local authority areas which have been recognised and Douglas Park is among five of them that have been nominated to represent Scotland in the inaugural UK RHS Community Awards.

All members of the Climate and Nature Friendly Communities Network, the recognised community groups have excelled in specific areas, from gardening for wildlife, with young people or for health and wellbeing.

Volunteer judges and assessors visited over 230 communities over the summer evaluating their efforts across three pillars: horticultural achievement, environmental responsibility and community participation.

The five Scottish winners will now be up against groups from across the UK, with the results announced at the Britain in Bloom UK Awards Ceremony in Manchester on October 21.

The Douglas Park Project was launched only a month into the pandemic in April 2020, with the voluntary effort capturing the imagination of the local community.

Volunteers took matters into their own hands and picked up their equipment to spruce up the popular beauty spot. 

Local people, community groups and businesses turned up with donations and rolled up their sleeves to pitch in with the hard graft.