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Greener Kirkcaldy

Going Greener Together

Volunteers Stories: Lesley M

Volunteers Stories: Lesley M

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Volunteers Stories: Lesley M

Posted on 1 June 2020 by Steven

It’s Volunteers Week and we’re posting some of our volunteer stories every day.

Lesley is a Community Food volunteers. Having retired she wanted to use her free time to do something to benefit the community. Lesley says “I believe that the cooking and sharing of food is very important.  When I learned that Greener Kirkcaldy were looking for people to help with this I jumped at the chance. I enjoy doing practical things and have met so many interesting people that as well as hopefully helping others I have gained a lot of pleasure from being involved.”

Use the hashtag #VolunteersWeekScot on social media to share your stories!

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Bird watching in my garden this spring

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Bird watching in my garden this spring

birds
Posted on 1 June 2020 by kitty

I’ve always enjoyed listening and watching birds, and before volunteering with Greener Kirkcaldy, I volunteered with the RSPB, which is when I learnt more about identifying birds by sight, sound and habitat. Sitting in the garden this spring during lockdown, I am even more aware of the birds than usual. Background noises – the usual constant roar of traffic, the clatter of people passing – has been reduced, making birdsong more audible, the hedging around the garden acting as a natural theatre, amplifying the sound, until it is all I hear.

blackbird

I can hear a blue tit, and, locating it by sound, notice little blue bodies zipping in and out of one of the nesting boxes in the garden. Now alert to them, I listen more closely and hear the return clamour of chicks chirping for food. The longer I sit still in the garden, the more I become aware of. I see a blackbird zipping in and out of the clematis, the chatter of confusion of chaffinches in the hedging at the bottom of the garden, and hear other tits (coal tits and the see-saw song of a great tit and the higher-pitched call of a coal tit) from bushes just beyond the garden boundary.

With one eye still tracking the bluebird returning to the nesting box, beak full of insects, I glimpse house sparrows diving in and out of the leylandii, so quick there is barely more than flash of bronze from the sun glittering off their tiny brown feathered bodies. Last month I found a new wren‘s nest in the tangle of honeysuckle that scrambles over the pergola in the middle of the garden, so I keep my eye open for that/tiny drab dumpy bird, with a surprisingly loud song.

wild sparrow

We’re lucky to have a mature garden – many of the trees and shrubs are over thirty years old – which creates mini habitats for all manner of small creatures. But mature gardens also require maintenance. Earlier in the spring, with some time on our hands, we were going to replace some old, rotten fence panels, but a careful inspection of the clematis that clung to it revealed the blackbird had got there before us and built a nest in the climber. Since the fence is unsightly, rather than unsafe, we’ve postponed our replacement plans until the chicks are fully-fledged and the nest abandoned. When we do tackle it, we will be careful not to disturb the clematis too much so it can be used as a nesting site next year, too.

It might feel as if the world as we know it has slowed down at the moment, but, spending time watching the birds go about their business, listening to the variety of songs that now carry clearly across the sky to where I am sitting, is very soothing in these strange times. In a spring of uncertainties, the activity of these little feathered companions has been a comfort. Something I might have missed out on if I hadn’t taken the time to stop, watch and listen.

By Joan, Welcome Area volunteer

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Volunteer Stories: Bryan, Media Volunteer

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Volunteer Stories: Bryan, Media Volunteer

Posted on 2 June 2020 by geraldine

Welcome to the second instalment of our Volunteers Stories series. Today Media Volunteer Bryan talks about why he volunteers with Greener Kirkcaldy and what he enjoys about the role.

Why do I volunteer?

Volunteering to me means making a valuable contribution to the community in some way. The idea of making a difference to someone’s life, no matter how small or big, means a lot to me. It also provides future career opportunities which can be an added bonus.

Why did I volunteer for Greener Kirkcaldy?

As someone with previous experience in media, I thought this would be an excellent opportunity to demonstrate my skills. I also like the ethos of Greener Kirkcaldy and what they stand for, and all the staff at GK embody a strong community spirit in what they do.

What do I like about my role and what benefits?

I like the opportunity to write about interesting subjects and I feel I’m more conscientious about being greener. I’ve become more knowledgeable about certain issues and events happening in the world, and since working with the GK staff, I’ve met new people and got to appreciate the work they do for the community.

What special message would you like to pass on during Volunteers Week?

Don’t be afraid of just contacting someone to volunteer. If you like their ethos and would like to help spread that message, and you feel you’d benefit from it in some way, a quick email could be all it takes.

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How to make Coleslaw

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How to make Coleslaw

Coleslaw
Posted on 2 June 2020 by Steven

The latest in our “How To Make” series from our Community Chef Iain is Coleslaw. Iain will take you through step by step how to make it with a few basic ingredients and how to tailor it to your tastes.

Coleslaw is a must-have for BBQs as an accompaniment and is very versatile and can be tailored to your own tastes. There are only a few base ingredients.

Ingredients

  • Cabbage – White cabbage or savoy cabbage work best…I prefer Savoy.
  • Sliced Onion
  • Grated Carrot
  • Lemon and seasoning

Sliced Onions Grated Carrot Lemon and seasoning

Method

This is a good dish to practice your knife skills because you are aiming for the vegetables to be shredded and sliced uniformly so that the texture of the coleslaw is nice.

To make the coleslaw have all the vegetables prepared as shown above then add 2 teaspoons of salt and the juice of 1 lemon and give a good mix.

Leave to stand for 1 or 2 hours if you have the time. This helps to soften the vegetables as the salt and lemon begins to work, you will notice some juices in the bowl after you let it stand.

Now you can just add mayonnaise and mix well and season. You won’t need as much mayonnaise as you think because you have the juices released from the vegetables. Add a little at a time (100g approx. to begin) and mix well, keep adding till you are happy with the consistency. Taste for seasoning adding more lemon juice if you like a tangier taste.

Coleslaw

Suggestions for additions

  • Mustard – I love mustard in my coleslaw you can use any type you like I like Dijon and wholegrain mustard.
  • Chilli – Finely chopped fresh chillies are good or even a chilli paste works well
  • Fruit – Grated apple is really good and also sultanas and if you use both a little curry powder/paste all comes together nicely

Experiment with different flavours and enjoy with a BBQ, on a sandwich or baked potato.

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Nicky and Anne – Community Fridge Volunteers

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Nicky and Anne – Community Fridge Volunteers

Posted on 3 June 2020 by geraldine

In the third instalment of our Volunteers Stories for Volunteers Week, Nicky and Anne our Community Fridge Volunteers talk about why they volunteer.

Nicky and Anne collect donations from local businesses for our Community Fridge. Although the Community Fridge is not open at the moment, Nicky has been collecting donations from Asda when they are available and bringing them to the Kirkcaldy Foodbank.

Nicky says “I volunteer because I’ve got time to give back to the community and Greener Kirkcaldy is a local community charity. I enjoy my role within Greener Kirkcaldy as I’m helping to stop food waste and also helping people who use the community fridge. Well done to everyone supporting our community! I think we are doing a great job helping to support people during COVID-19. “

Anne has been having a break while the Community Fridge is shut. Anne says “I’d really like to continue doing the food pick up for the community fridge. Keep me posted please!” Anne has been busy though – “I have been making face masks for anyone who wants them, about 200  given away so far just to friends and family, and their friends. I watched your video on mask making after I’d been doing it for a while. It’s a really clear video, excellent instruction.”

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Volunteers Stories: Alice – Gardening and Growing Volunteer

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Volunteers Stories: Alice – Gardening and Growing Volunteer

Alice
Posted on 4 June 2020 by Steven

The fourth instalment of our Volunteers Stories is from our Gardening and Growing Volunteer Alice. Alice talks about what she enjoys about volunteering with Greener Kirkcaldy.

I enjoy creating and maintaining a botanical environment for people and nature to enjoy. To spend a few hours of my time weeding, tending and watering to help nature do its thing, is a joy. Seeing a bee using a bug hotel that you have helped to make or a goldfinch eating seed from a teasel you leftover winter, is what makes volunteering for GK great for me!

I have been amazed at how GK value and care for their volunteers and treat them with huge generosity and respect. I would encourage anyone thinking of volunteering to give it a go, there is so much to be gained. If you choose to garden you will be rewarded with good company, fresh outdoor exercise and you don’t even need to know anything about gardening, as enthusiasm is all that’s required.

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