For community gardens, city farms and other

community growing spaces

CommunityGrowing

Resource PackScotland

A dozen steps tosuccess…This pack is a comprehensive introductionto setting up, developing and sustaining acommunity-managed farm, garden orrelated community growing space. Itprovides:

Easy to read advice and information onthe issues you are likely to face.

General information on the key areas ofstarting and developing your project.

Routes to more specific and specialistadvice.

This pack does not provide technical orhorticultural advice on gardening queries(or animal care). It also cannot provide ablueprint for your project – eachcommunity-led group is unique and will be shaped by the community it is based in.

This resource pack converts into a CityFarm Resource Pack with the addition ofthe extra insert: ‘Keeping animals - whatdo we need to know?’

This and a range of other inserts (coveringtopics such as setting up communityorchards or forming a social enterprise) areavailable from the Federation of CityFarms and Community Gardens (FCFCG).

FCFCG can also provide further casestudies and inspiration from groups whoare already established.

If you wish to distribute or publishelements of the pack, then please let usknow and remember to credit FCFCG asappropriate.

Please note: The generic phrase‘community growing space’ will be usedthroughout this document as a shorthandto encompass a broad range ofcommunity gardens and growing projects.

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For community gardens, city farms and other communitygrowing spaces

CommunityGrowing

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Introduction

• Different models of community growing

• The community farming and gardening movement

• The Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens (FCFCG)

Step Beginnings - Starting your group

Covers bringing people together and getting the word out about your ideas.

Step Finding & securing your site

Advice on where and how to find the right site. Also covers what on-site checks you needto make to ensure your potential site is suitable for community growing.

Step Involving the community & profile raising

Sharing and refining your vision by getting the local community involved in shaping yourproject.

Step Organising your group

Once the ball is rolling it’s a good idea to get properly organised. This step covers actionand business planning as well as formalising your group by creating a managementcommittee.

Step Planning & designing your site

Site analysis and design allows forward planning and enhances ownership and involvementby the group itself.

Step Money & budgets

Getting your finances in shape, understanding financial processes and working up accuratebudgets are all essential elements for your developing growing group.

Step Raising funds & generating income

Getting income into your group doesn’t just mean fundraising. There are other ways togenerate income – and save expenditure.

Step Safety first: Looking after volunteers, workers & visitors

Insurance, risk assessment and Health & Safety.

Step Recruitment & training

Taking on staff and volunteers and understanding what’s involved in this process is animportant step in a group’s development.

Step Governance & paperwork

If your group is well organised and follows good practice it is more likely to function better,deal with administration quicker and be more robust for the future.

Step Becoming a membership organisation

Covers the basics of becoming a membership organisation, including membership fees,renewals and keeping records.

Step Maintaining and developing your project

After the initial stages of setting up your group comes the task of making it thrive. This finalstep explores retaining volunteers and community interest, working with advisors, carryingout an organisational health check and sustaining momentum.

In recent years Scotland hasseen an explosion of interest incommunity growing which has

produced a wide diversity ofcommunity growing initiatives.

From community orchards to streetplanting schemes, from guerrilla gardeningto forest gardens, the choice for what typeof project to set up is broad and verymuch depends on the needs of the localcommunity, the resources available andthe type of land you plan to work on.

Different models forcommunity growingCommunity farmsCan involve both growing plants andkeeping animals. Often larger and moreextensive than community gardens orother community growing spaces.

Community gardensCan be used for a number of purposes,including food growing, wildlife gardeningand horticultural therapy.

AllotmentsPlots rented by an individual for growingfood. Traditionally owned by the local

authority, new allotment sites areincreasingly being set up by otherlandowners, e.g. private individuals,businesses, charitable trusts and farmers.

Community orchardsAs well as providing fruit and a greenhaven for the local community, manycommunity orchards are excellent wildlifehabitats and carbon sinks.

Abundance/fruit harvestingschemesA growing movement that aims to makebetter use of neglected local fruit and nuttrees by organising volunteers to harvestthe fruit.

Community SupportedAgriculture (CSA)A social enterprise idea, based on a direct,active partnership between farmers (or agrowing project) and the local community.

Forest gardeningA low-maintenance sustainable plant-basedfood production and agroforestry systembased on woodland ecosystems,incorporating fruit and nut trees, shrubs,herbs, vines and perennial vegetableswhich have yields directly useful tohumans. Making use of companionplanting, these can be intermixed to growin a succession of layers, to build awoodland habitat. Woodland itself can also

Introduction

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be managed to grow food plants within it forlow maintenance, sustainable foodproduction.

Garden-share schemesMatch and introduce committed,enthusiastic growers with local gardenowners who want to see their gardensbeing used more productively.

Public plantings in streets andcommunal areasTraditionally flowers and shrubs have beenused, but a growing number of schemes areturning to vegetable and fruit growing.

Guerrilla gardeningA type of direct action where gardenersidentify a disused, neglected or abandonedpiece of land - which they do not own - anduse it to grow either crops, flowering plantsor to create wildlife areas.

Meanwhile gardeningRoughly defined as the temporary use ofland for gardening and food growing.

Your project doesn’t have to be just one ofthese models - you could have an orchardwith a garden, or a CSA with allotments.You might also want a café, play area,educational facilities and trainingprogramme. You can find out more aboutdifferent models for community growinggroups by visiting the Growing Trends pagesof the FCFCG website at:www.farmgarden.org.uk/farms-gardens/trends-in-community-growing

The community farmingand gardeningmovementBy starting a community garden or farm,you will become part of a growingmovement across the UK.

Collectively this movement:

Employs around 1,500 staff on more than2,500 sites across the UK (including 250staff on around 350 sites acrossScotland)

Actively supports and empowersthousands of volunteers (with more than6,000 per year in Scotland)

Attracts an estimated three millionvisitors a year (estimates for visitors inScotland stand at several hundredthousand)

Has a turnover of around £40 million ayear in the UK (£4 million of that total inScotland).

The Federation of CityFarms and CommunityGardens (FCFCG)A membership organisation for community-managed gardens and farms and othergrowing spaces, providing support, advice,guidance and information - such as thispack. FCFCG also advocates on behalf of itsmembers to funders and policy-makers.

FCFCG strives to improve the quality ofcommunity farming and gardening bypromoting good practice. FCFCG supportslocal groups to find solutions to problemsthey encounter, by providing information,training and networking opportunities.

We would recommend that any community-managed growing space becomes amember of FCFCG. You can find out moreabout FCFCG, its work and how it helps andsupports its members by visiting the FCFCGwebsite at: www.farmgarden.org.uk

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There are no rigid rules about how to start up acommunity growing

group, as each one is createdby a unique community withunique needs.

Timescales vary - some groups breezethrough the process of getting a site andfinding funding while for others the initialstages may take a long time to workthrough. The truth is there’s no simple,straightforward model to replicate.However, the majority of groups do gothrough the same basic process, which can act as a guide for peoplelooking to get their own group off theground.

Initial idea You might have a very clear picture or youmight have a general idea such as “I wantto start a community growing project”. Forinspiration and practical ideas, see theIntroduction above for popular models ofcommunity growing groups. Then talk to

friends, family, work colleagues andneighbours to find others who areinterested in your idea.

Establishing a core group

At some point you will have a smallnumber of people who share yourenthusiasm and are prepared to put insome time and effort to generate furtherinterest. At this stage you will need tohave a broad idea of what you want to do,what the benefits will be and the need forthe type of project you are planning in yourarea. Your group needs to be clear aboutthe proposed idea, so that you can explainit to others.

You should also carry out some research inyour local area to ensure someone elseisn’t planning to do the same thing.

Public consultation

Reach out and find others to join in.Having some key ideas that you can useto inspire and enthuse other people willmake this initial stage easier and avoid

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wasted time further down the line. Don’tforget that there will already be establishedgroups based in your community, composedof people who may be willing to becomepart of your group, or perhaps give advice orput you in touch with others who may beinterested in joining you. You can reach outin several ways:

Advertising locally - libraries, village/townhalls, community centres, post officesetc

Setting up an online presence, such as aFacebook page (if you are happy usingsocial media)

Distributing leaflets in the community

Contacting your local newspaper to writea story about your plans

Door to door enquiries

Speaking with local councillors and othercommunity leaders

Giving talks about your proposal to localgroups in your community.

Developing your idea Once a group has formed that is keen togive time and energy to the project you cantake the process further. At this stage,consider arranging a visit to anothercommunity garden and ask for help andadvice. You can also talk to FCFCGdevelopment team in Scotland (see Furtherinformation below for contact details).

Formal committeeYou may want/need to establish a moreformal management committee. This iscovered in Step 4 - Organising your group.

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www.farmgarden.co.uk

Voluntary Action Scotland (VAS)

VAS can help you find your local ThirdSector Interface. Third Sector Interfacessupport, promote, develop and representcommunity groups, voluntaryorganisations, social enterprises, andvolunteering. They will know about otherlocal community groups in your area, andpeople wanting to volunteer.

www.voluntaryactionscotland.org.uk

Your local authority

Your local authority should have an officerresponsible for community capacity,community engagement, regeneration orgreenspace, who may be able to helpdeveloping community groups. CoSLA willhave details of your local council.

www.cosla.gov.uk/scottish-local-government

Federation of City Farms and

Community Gardens

We can help you develop your ideas andfind other similar groups to visit.

Tel: 0131 623 7058 email: scotland@farmgarden.org.uk

To find out about other types ofcommunity growing groups,contact: Greenspace Scotland

Publish ‘Our Growing Communityresource pack’ with poster and associatednotes about a range of differentapproaches to community growing.

www.greenspacescotland.org.uk

Scottish Allotments and Gardens

Society

www.sags.org.uk

Trellis (Scottish Therapeutic Gardening

Network)

www.trellisscotland.org.uk

Scottish Orchards

www.scottishorchards.com

Community Woodlands Association

www.communitywoods.org

Further information

Many communitygrowing spaces arecreated because there

is an area of land locally that isderelict or underused andpeople want to improve it.Others begin with a group ofpeople who share an interest increating something, e.g. awildlife garden or food growinggroup, and need to find a sitesuitable for their project.Existing community growingspaces vary greatly in size froma few square metres to a park-sized area of several hectares,so many areas of land could beconsidered.

The use of land for gardening or growingfood can enrich the environment andprovide a home or visiting spot for a widevariety of wildlife. But upheavals can also

displace other creatures from living thereor using it as a local food source, maybeincluding endangered species, so it isimportant to bear this in mind whenconsidering a site. Some sites may alsohave a designation associated with theirwildlife/heritage value (such as a Site ofSpecial Scientific Interest). If so, contactScottish Natural Heritage before settingyour heart on seeking its re-use:www.snh.gov.uk

Looking for a siteWalk around your community to findpotential sites, then identify who ownsthat site and contact them directly. Oftenyou can find out who owns a piece of landby asking around, speaking to your localauthority or by doing a search in theproperty ownership records held byRegisters of Scotland.

Local authorities

Contact your local council for details ofland holdings they may have available, orto discuss whether you can use part of anexisting public space, such as the cornerof a park. All councils have a LocalDevelopment Plan which you can find

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online and in libraries and council offices.The Local Development Plan may also tellyou if your local authority has policies inplace for the use of derelict space. Youcould also approach the planning officerresponsible for your area, who may be ableto provide additional information.

Private landownersThere may be some brownfield, underused,waste ground or derelict sites available inurban areas. These landowners maywelcome an income and participation ontheir land by the community if they do nothave any immediate plans for the site orwhile the site is awaiting redevelopment(see Development Land below). However,bear in mind that derelict land - especiallybrownfield sites - could be contaminatedand therefore the land may not beappropriate for food growing or it may costa considerable amount to clear thecontaminants.

FarmersFarmers may be willing to turn over a field or parts of their land for communityuse, especially if they can generate anincome from renting the land to a group.They may also be willing to discuss aCommunity Supported Agriculture (CSA)scheme (see Options for accessing landbelow). Agricultural land usually needs noplanning permission for change of use whenit is to be used to continue growing plantsbut if you are looking to include anybuildings, check with your local planningauthority.

Large organisationsThese include corporations (e.g. NetworkRail), large local businesses or institutions(NHS, MoD, Universities). If you seeneglected or derelict land belonging to alarge organisation, contact them directly.They may be willing to allow communityaccess as part of their Corporate SocialResponsibility policy.

Common land on a housing estateOn private housing estates commonamenity land is often managed by amanagement committee or professionalproperty factors, and these will be first pointof contact to discuss a communitygardening project.

Social housingYou may want to cultivate a piece of land ona social housing estate where members ofyour group live. Neighbourhoods Green hastoolkits available to help get a project off theground in these circumstances:www.neighbourhoodsgreen.org.uk

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) alsohas useful information at:www.rhs.org.uk/communities/campaigns/it-s-your-neighbourhood

Disused allotment plotsIn most cases these will belong to the localcouncil, who may have an allotments officerresponsible for the land. A useful add-intopic sheet is available from FCFCG: ‘Projectallotment: a guide to growing together onallotments’.

Land owned by a charity for publicbenefitSometimes landowners donate an area ofland to a local charity or a charity may bespecifically set up to manage land left forpublic benefit.

Old churchyards and cemeteriesThere are obviously challenges and issuesinvolved with this type of land but using thesite for grazing could be an option.Churchyards are usually owned by therelevant denomination of the church, whilecemeteries are often owned by the localauthority.

School groundsAn increasing number of schools andcolleges are turning over part of theirgrounds for farming or growing and oftenthis is done successfully in partnership withcommunity organisations.

Urban fringe agricultural landA Making Local Food Work report which hasuseful information about this option is availableto download at: www.localfood.org.uk/Food-from-the-Urban-Fringe.pdf

Options for accessing landMeanwhile useAreas of land awaiting development areespecially apt for meanwhile use - the

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temporary letting of vacant buildings or landfor a socially beneficial purpose until such atime that they can be brought back intocommercial use again. This makes practicaluse of the ‘pauses’ in property processes,giving the space over to uses that cancontribute to quality of life and better placeswhilst the search for a commercial use isongoing. Find out more about meanwhileleases via:http://en.communitylandadvice.org.uk/en/resource/leases-meanwhile-leases

Community Supported Agriculture(CSA)This is a slightly different way for acommunity to find land for growing and maybe particularly relevant for ruralcommunities. CSA is a social enterpriseidea, based on a direct, active partnershipbetween farmers/growers (or a growingproject) and the local community. Thispartnership creates benefits for both, aswell as helping reconnect people with theland where their food is grown. One option,for example, would be renting a field from afarmer for community growing activities.

Buying landIn some cases groups may consider buyingland to develop as a community growingspace. A community group that owns land isnot restricted by a lease and can protect theland for community benefit forever.However, this is a move to considercarefully as it creates a new series ofchallenges to consider including:

Is the current landowner willing to sellthe land?

Does your organisation have thenecessary power to buy land?

How much is a fair price for the site?

Can you raise the funds quickly enough?

Are you prepared to buy the land beforeestablishing planning permission?

Do you have enough money to coveradditional costs such as conveyancingfees, land registration charges,searches, insurance, fencing, surveysetc?

Normally a landowner will look for a pricethat represents the full market value of asite. However since 2010, local authoritieshave been permitted to dispose of landundervalue where satisfied that the disposalwill promote the economic development orregeneration, health, social well-being orenvironmental well-being of the area and itsresidents.

Further information on the option of buyingland is available on the Community LandAdvisory Service website at:www.communitylandadvice.org.uk

Making sure yourpotential site is suitable If possible, gather a team of 3-5 people tovisit your site(s) and then report back to thesteering group. Avoid trespassing and getthe owner’s permission if necessary for asite visit.

There is a fully comprehensive site checklistavailable to download free from theCommunity Land Advisory Service websiteat:www.communitylandadvice.org.uk/en/resource/finding-land-site-features-checklist

It will be useful to print this checklist out tofill in while you are visiting your proposedsite. You should also consider the followingquestions as priorities:

Is it a suitable size for the activities youare planning?

Is it - or could it be made - accessible toeveryone from your community?

Is it - or could it be made - safe?

Are there others interested in the site(e.g. other community groups,businesses)?

Are there planning restrictions in place(e.g. listed buildings, road access,parking requirements etc)?

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Are there rights of way or servitudesacross the property?

Are there services on the site or nearbywhich are easy to access (e.g. water,power, sewers, drains,telephone/cable)?

What was the site previously used for?

Is the land contaminated by a previoususe?

Are there plants or habitats that needconserving?

Who are the neighbours and are theylikely to be supportive of your group?

You will probably need help checking someof these issues. For example, a local wildlifetrust may undertake a habitat or biodiversitysurvey, or a nearby university or college maybe willing to provide students to undertakesoil contamination tests.

If the site is suitable as a result of theseconsiderations, you should invest time inmore detailed checks.

Getting a leaseThe information below is a summary tointroduce the subject of leases andnegotiating a satisfactory contract. There ismuch more comprehensive informationavailable and free hands-on advice fromexpert advisors available from theCommunity Land Advisory Service. Visit thewebsite for contact details.www.communitylandadvice.org.uk

Lease requirements (Heads ofTerms)Once a site has been identified, an initialmeeting held on site with both parties(landlord and community group) and all arekeen for the project to go ahead, you canstart to create your leaserequirements/Heads of Terms. Thisdocument is a record of decisions that havebeen agreed between the parties and canbe used to draw up a lease or other suchdocument that reflects the decisions made.It is also a useful tool to focus your ideas onhow the project will function.

Basic information/non-contentious issuesshould be completed first, such as locationand description of site (it is useful to includea plan), names and any other points youhave already agreed.

After this, crucial points to discuss andagree include:

Term: How long will the lease run for?Will there be any options for the tenantto end the lease early, or to renew thelease for an additional term?

Rent: How much is payable and at whatfrequency (e.g. monthly or quarterly)? Isthe rent to be reviewable at any pointduring the term of the lease? If thelandlord is VAT registered, will VAT bepayable on the rent?

Use: What are the agreed permitted usesof the land?

Tenant’s obligations: Apart from payingthe rent, will the tenant have otherobligations, e.g. to insure, to maintainboundary features or to meet thelandlord’s legal costs?

Lease requirements/Heads of Terms shouldhave ‘Negotiation document - not intendedto be contractual’ written on them. This isbecause the document could otherwise beviewed as a legally-binding tenancy, eventhough there might be something that isunacceptable to you which you would notwant to include in the final lease.

In the process of negotiating the final termsof your agreement you might want to changesome of the terms, e.g. if the landlord paysthe water bill then a higher rent is paid.

Negotiating This is potentially one of the most time-consuming and difficult parts of the process.Planning and preparation are essentialbefore entering into any negotiations. Doyour homework before any formal meetingswith the owner or the owner’srepresentatives.

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The steering group should be clear aboutwhat it wants and what it can offer beforeyou arrange to meet any outside person ororganisation. At the meetings avoidconfrontation and conflict. Make aconsidered presentation of your ideas forthe community garden.

Decide clearly what you want from thenegotiations. This may be:

A licence to allow short term (up to ayear) improvements on the site whichwill inspire the community; licences canbe renewed

A long term agreement giving the groupsecurity of tenure

A lease with a low rent

As few restrictions as possible.

Most existing community growing spacesdo not own the land they use; some are onlicence but most are leased. The majoritypay a peppercorn rent, i.e. a nominal sum.

What are you offering? By putting the land back into use forcommunity benefit, the owner will receivefavourable publicity. For some owners, suchas the local council, you can demonstratethat you will be helping them meet theirservice targets, e.g. education, facilities forchildren’s play, leisure and recreation,composting, environmental improvements.

If the owner is the local council, it isimportant that your group understands howthe council works, what its priorities are andwhat help it has provided to othercommunity and voluntary organisations. Thismay give you an idea of what you couldreasonably expect or request. You are likelyto want the council, not only to release theland to you under a lease agreement, but togive planning permission (if needed) for acommunity garden, provide advice, help andsupport and, hopefully, some funding.

To gather this information there are twoimportant groups with whom you need todevelop a friendly working relationship.

The elected councillors: All councillors willbe interested in their areas and will be ableto see the benefit of community growingspaces. The councillors most important toyou are the ones who represent the area inwhich the proposed garden will be andthose who serve on the committees relevantto your garden, e.g. ‘parks and open spaces’,‘leisure services’ or ‘communitydevelopment’ (check your council’s websiteto find out which committees areresponsible for what in your area).

The council officers: The council’s paidstaff. They advise elected councillors andcarry out council decisions. Find out fromthem where power and influence lies andhow decisions are made.

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The ground rules of negotiations Remember that whatever happens duringnegotiation, both parties hope to reach amutually acceptable agreement.

Each side is expected to be willing tomove from its original position and findacceptable compromises.

Negotiation is likely to include a series ofoffers that give something of value toboth sides.

Firm offers must be distinguished fromprovisional offers. Firm offers, unlikeprovisional offers, must not bewithdrawn once they have been made.

A third party should only be brought intothe discussion by mutual agreement.

The terms of the final agreement shouldbe clearly understood by both parties andput in writing.

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Community Land Advisory Service

Resources and advice on issues such asfinding land, leases and negotiating,including template leases and informationon Heads of Terms. Publications includethe ‘Guide for landowners’.

www.communitylandadvice.org.uk

Growing Trends

An online resource created by FCFCGwhich gives information on innovativeways people are finding and utilising landfor community growing.

www.farmgarden.org.uk/farms-gardens/trends-in-community-growing

Meanwhile use

www.meanwhilespace.com

Community Supported Agriculture

www.soilassociation.org/csa.aspx

Making Local Food Work

Has several CSA guides and toolkits.

www.makinglocalfoodwork.co.uk/practical_guides_toolkits.cfm

General information aboutcouncils and community use oflandwww.direct.gov.uk/en/homeandcommunity/yourlocalcouncilandcounciltax/yourcommunity/dg_4001648

Community Ownership Support

Service

Provides expert advice, guidance andsupport to local people and organisationswho want to take ownership and/ormanagement of under-used land andbuildings guide for community groupswishing to take on the management oftheir local public space.

www.dtascommunityownership.org.uk

Further information

www.farmgarden.co.uk

One of the most important elements ofsetting up a community

group is to create a shared visionfor what the project should beby consulting with - andinvolving - the local community.

You need to establish whatgroups there are within thatcommunity (e.g. hard-to-reachminority ethnic groups) andwhat kind of need there is(priority needs could be healthyeating, regeneration, educationor work training).

It is important to remember that localcommunities are made up of lots ofdifferent groups with different opinionsand needs - being flexible about yourideas, responsive to different needs andensuring that the engagement process isalways given plenty of thought and priorityare all key points to remember.

Developing and sustaining a positiverelationship with the local community is anongoing process. It requires time, energyand patience. But it is a worthwhile,particularly when setting up, as consultingwill help to:

Recruit other interested individuals -volunteers and members

Raise awareness of what your group isaiming to achieve

Encourage people from all sections ofyour local community to get involved

Attract support from a wider range ofindividuals and organisations

Attract funding and other forms of help.

Community consultation Why consult?

It is essential that you carry out someform of community consultation becauseyou want to create something that has thesupport of the community, which they canfeel ownership of and which inspires themto take part.

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You should also do it for a more pragmaticreason - funding bodies such as The BigLottery Fund will always look for communitysupport before they will consider taking theapplication further.

Community consultation is key to the longterm future of a project. It gives you amandate for your ideas. However, it is notabout your group unveiling a well-developedplan and expecting the community to give itthe thumbs up. Genuine consultation meansgiving community members a chance tovoice opinions, to suggest alternatives andto help shape the plans. Simply givingpeople an option of accepting or rejecting aplan is not consultation. This simplisticapproach can create conflict, with peopleinstantly falling into opposing camps of 'for'and 'against'.

As a core group, you must be flexibleenough to change your plans and ideas as aresult of community consultation and notstick to your original intentions in the face of

considerable opposition - you could bemissing the opportunity to develop a moreappropriate project.

There are many different methods ofconsultation or engagement ranging frombasic information sharing and consultation todeciding and acting together. In 2005, TheScottish Government produced The NationalStandards for Community Engagementwhich is a practical tool to help improve theexperience of all participants involved incommunity engagement to achieve thehighest quality of process and results. Theprinciples of the standards can be appliedanywhere.

Holding a public meeting One of the simplest and most commonways to get community involvement andfeedback is to hold a public meeting (seeProfile Raising overleaf for tips on publicising meetings and your group ingeneral).

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Points to remember whenplanning your public meetingOffer an incentiveIt takes time and effort for people to attend ameeting and many may be reluctant or simplydisinterested. You need to pick a convenient andaccessible venue (with wheelchair access), providefree refreshments (if possible) and ensure peopleknow where to go once they arrive by providingclear signage (this particularly applies if the meetingis being held within a large or complex building).

Draw up a simple agendaTypically this might include:

Welcome and introductions

Broad outline of vision for the site

What’s been done so far

What you are looking for from the community

Open floor discussion

Summary

Thank you and encourage people to leavecontact details

Involve everyone in the discussionIt is important to strike a balance between beingorganised and letting people know that their

thoughts and opinions are necessary and valued.Having someone with experience of chairingmeetings is useful to make sure you keep thingsticking over but ensure that you don’t close offdiscussion too quickly. This may be an opportunity for a group activity using flipchart paper, post-its and coloured pens to encouragepeople to creatively discuss what they want to seein a community garden and what they would like itto do.

Assign someone to take notes and gathercontact details

The notes of your meeting should include a clearidea of what has been said and, in particular, whatactions have been agreed and who has agreed tocarry them out. You should also ensure you takecontact details from everyone who wants to bekept in touch with the project’s progress - preparea sheet in advance which you can pass round themeeting or have on a table at the door.

Remember

The people who have come along to the meetingare the future members of the group, and you needto make sure the atmosphere of this meeting is aswelcoming and open as possible. At the sametime, be prepared for opposing views or differentideas to be put forward.

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The public meeting can be used in conjunctionwith the other consultation methodsoutlined below. Make sure representativesfrom local stakeholder groups and localcouncillors are all invited. This meetingcould then be followed up by subsequentmeetings as your group comes together orif there are important issues to discuss.

A topic sheet on holding a public meeting isavailable from FCFCG.

Other ways of consulting thecommunity

Letterboxing: Posting a simple fill-in andreturn form, asking for views on yourideas, through letter boxes in yourneighbourhood.

Piggybacking on an existing event: Youcould set up a stand to distribute flyersfor your public meeting or get people tofill in a form with views on your ideas.

Carrying out a survey: This is a little moreinvolved than other forms of consultation,as you need to ensure the people whorespond to the survey represent a cross-section of the community rather than justone group, e.g. retired people in an areawith a large number of young families.The results of the survey then need to beevaluated.

Profile raisingHaving established your group it is time toconsider how you can promote what youplan to achieve to a wider audience, e.g.local residents, schools, libraries,community centres, shops, other localorganisations, businesses, local authorityofficers, councillors and other localpoliticians.

Appoint someone from your group to takeresponsibility for publicity - to build contactswith the media, in particular localnewspapers, local broadcasters (radio andTV), local magazines and communitynewsletters, and online blogs. Good mediacoverage will raise your profile with the local community, council and potentialfunders.

Remember that the best way to increaseyour chances of getting publicity is tocontact people, not just organisations. Inother words make direct contact with yourlocal reporter, rather than simply sending ina press release to the local newspaperoffice. Try to think like a reader, listener orviewer when deciding what information youmight be interested in hearing about.

Social media is also a good way of raisingprofiles. You can create a Facebook page for

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your group for free and use it to advertiseevents and post images of your site(remember to get permissions first).

Ask yourself the following questions:

What publications – printed or online –exist locally?

What notice boards are there in yourarea? This could include outdoor boards,boards in shops and post offices, boardsin libraries and other communitybuildings.

Where do existing groups andorganisations get together?

What schools are in the area?

Which local groups and organisationsregularly get positive coverage in localnewspapers and magazines, or onlocal/regional radio/TV, plus local BBCinternet channels? Then ask why theyget this coverage.

Does anyone in your group or anyoneelse you know have contacts with anyof the above? Is there anyone whowould be willing to create and run awebsite or manage a Facebook page?

Is there an organisation in your area,e.g. a Third Sector Interface that canhelp you with training and/or support inpromotion and publicity?

If you have previously carried out thisresearch, check that your information is upto date.

Make sure that press releases are checkedwith the group and that all members agreetheir content. Alternatively, agree withinyour group that you are happy to trust oneperson, or a sub-group, to be responsible forpress and publicity and to act withoutchecking each time.

If you already have access to the gardensite, or temporary facilities, review yourpublicity and promotional materials. Look atall your signs, notices, notice boards,leaflets and publications. Remove any oldmaterial or out of date information and ask:

Are they easy to read and simple tounderstand?

Do they explain how your garden ismanaged, how people can enjoy it orbecome involved, and, if appropriate,become members?

Do notices give positive or negativemessages?

Can your notices and signs beunderstood? Where possible useillustrations in addition to text.

Is information available in languagesother than English to suit your localcommunity?

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Some ways you canpromote your group

A simple event such as a familypicnic which is open to the widercommunity (this could be in a localpark if you have not yet securedyour site)

Regular press releases for localnewspapers

An information leaflet with a tear-offslip with contact details for yourgroup so that people can requestfurther information or offer support

Posters

Articles in community and voluntarysector publications

A website which is regularly updated

A simple newsletter

Having a stall at local events

Presentations to local organisations

Public meetings and other forms oflocal consultation.

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Halton Partnership

Engagement toolkit

www.haltonpartnership.com/index.php/community-engagement/community-engagement-toolkit

The Directory of Social Change

A number of useful publications availableincluding the Complete Charity MediaSkills Training and DIY guides to publicityand public relations.

www.dsc.org.uk/Publications

Federation of City Farms and

Community Gardens (FCFCG)

Useful information about signs andnotices can be found in the Clean HandsZone toolkit. Topic sheets ‘Promote yourproject’ detailing promotional ideas forcommunity growing groups and ‘Holdinga public meeting’ topic sheet alsoavailable.

www.farmgarden.org.uk/publications

Friends of the Earth

Factsheets including ‘How to use themedia’, with advice on writing a pressrelease and being interviewed, and ‘Howto design effectively’.

www.foe.co.uk/get_involved/community

The Media Trust

Works in partnership with the mediaindustry to support the voluntary sector’scommunication needs. They have aprogramme of workshops and seminars.

www.mediatrust.org

Development Trusts Association

Scotland

Publications include ‘Involving yourcommunity’ which aims to be a practicalguide to the benefits and techniques forinvolving and consulting local communitiesin community asset based projects.

www.dtascot.org.uk/content/publications0

Further information

There are generally twostages to organising yourgroup. The setting up

phase includes starting yourgroup, getting organised, andcreating a business/action plan. Then, once established, your group needsto formalise procedures andthink about what status yourgroup is likely to have, e.g.charitable.

Setting upFind out what skills members of the grouphave. Everyone will have something tooffer and the most well organised groupsensure that everyone has a role to playand utilises all the skills in theorganisation. In order to get thingsmoving, elect a chairperson, secretary andtreasurer and delegate responsibilities andtasks to these roles.

Training and advice

Make sure you have the necessaryorganisational skills to operate - if neededseek out training. You can find out aboutcourses from your local Third SectorInterface. There may also be otherorganisations in your area offeringcommunity sector training.

You should also draw up a list of usefuladvisors, particularly for skills the groupmay not have or where professional helpmay be required, e.g. solicitor, accountant,architect, horticulturalist.

Business (Action) planning

Business or action planning is necessaryto find out where you are going and howmuch it will cost. Drawing up a planshould help you to focus your ideas anddecide what steps you need to take toachieve your goals. It can also help to:

Clarify your aims and objectives andcommunicate them to users,staff/volunteers and funders

Address upcoming problems beforethey threaten the group

Set realistic targets and objectives andenable you to monitor your performance.

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Your plan should include a statement aboutwhere you are now and where you aim tobe in two or three years’ time. The planshould be clear, concise, honest andaccurate (e.g. ensure all your figures tally upacross the document – if they don’t it willlose credibility). Remember, the plan shouldbe a working document that you can use ona regular basis, not something you puttogether then file away.

Further analysis tools for businessplanning

When you are more established as a groupand looking to develop further there areseveral tools available to help with yourbusiness and action planning. Someexamples are given below.

SWOT analysis: This method is used toevaluate the strengths (S), weaknesses (W),

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Structuring yourbusiness planEvery organisation’s business plan ishighly individual but using the headingsbelow will ensure that you cover themost important points.

Summary: A summary of the plan itself(sometimes called an executivesummary), which is usually easier towrite once the details of the plan havebeen agreed.

Background information: A summary ofyour organisation including name, legalstatus, details about your site and itsamenities, plus a potted history of thegroup.

Aims and objectives: This is one of themost important sections and requirescareful consideration. Show why yourgroup has been set up, what you want todo, who your users are and any evidenceof the need for your group (e.g. statisticalevidence, anecdotal, surveys etc). Youcould include a mission statement andvision for your organisation, followed bymore detailed information about what youwant to achieve (your aims/outcomes). Ifyou plan to expand, have you gotevidence that there are future users and,if so, is the service you plan to offer whatfuture users want? Again, evidencewould be useful. Try to ensure that noother organisation is offering, or planningto offer, this service.

Work plan: Make a plan that shows whatyou want to do and how long it will takeyou. Include specific, achievable, timedtargets and ensure that they can be easilymeasured. Cover details of who will carryout specific tasks.

Budgets and finances: This covers yourcurrent financial position and what youwill need to carry out your objectives inthe future. There is more information onbudgets and finance in Step 6 - Money &budgets.

Profile-raising: It is extremely useful toplan out how you will raise the profile ofyour group to local people, the media andspecific audiences such as funders. SeeStep 3 for further information on profile-raising.

Management: Once your group is moreformalised (see below), it may be usefulto include a diagram of your staffingstructure and information on roles andresponsibilities in the business plan.Remember to outline the skills andexperience of your managementcommittee/trustees (potential fundersneed to be sure there are the skills andexperience to manage both the funds andthe organisation).

Monitoring and evaluation: You willneed to include some details of how youwill measure the success of theorganisation (e.g. numbers of schoolgroups visiting, workshops run etc) andhow you will ensure you meet the targetsyou have set for the group. Includedetails of how will you monitor yourprogress and what information you willneed to collect.

Conclusion: You can use this section toinclude information on how often you willmonitor and review your plan and who isresponsible for it. Remember, the bestbusiness plans are a collaborationinvolving staff, volunteers, managementand other interested parties!

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opportunities (O), and threats (T) involved ina group’s work or a project it wants todevelop. It involves specifying the objectiveof the business venture or project andidentifying the internal and external factorsthat are favourable and unfavourable toachieving that objective.

PESTLE analysis: Also known as PESTanalysis, this tool looks at Political,Economic, Social, Technological, Legal andEnvironmental influences on anorganisation’s activities. It gives a bird’s eyeview of the whole environment from manydifferent angles, enabling much betterplanning and assessment to take place.

Risk analysis: It is important to find outearly in your development what the risks arein taking the group forward. Maintaining anup to date risk analysis will be an ongoingtask to update as your circumstanceschange. Before you can do anything aboutthe risks that face your organisation - andyou should now have a long list of them -they must be analysed to determine theirpotential to cause harm. This will give abasis for determining which risks are themost serious, which are treatable and whichcan be accepted. Consider:

The nature of the risk including how, when,why and where the risk is likely to occur

The source of the risk and what aspectsof the source put the elements at risk

The elements at risk

Who or what is at risk and why they arevulnerable.

You can find out more about risk analysis inFCFCG’s social enterprise pack. It talksspecifically about risk in terms of setting upa new social enterprise, but the majority ofthe principles involved are the same. TheHealth and Safety Executive also produce auseful document ‘Five steps to riskassessment’ available at:www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg163.pdf

Once the risks have been identified, youshould decide which will have the greatestimpact and what resources are appropriateto commit to treating or controlling the risk.

You may want to include a section on risk inyour business or action plan.

Formalising your groupWhen a group decides to lease or own land,raise funds, involve volunteers or paid staffit takes on legal and managementresponsibilities. It is therefore important toadopt a set of rules that say who isresponsible for carrying out these duties,how you will manage your activities, and toform a management committee.

Your constitution A constitution is a legal document that setsout the rules for governing an organisation.

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Laying out your governingdocumentThere are a number of different legalstructures and alternatives to a constitution.However, most governing documents willinclude the following headings or clauses:

Name of group

Your aims/objectives (both now and in thefuture)

Powers (deals with the specific functionsrelated to the group such as providing

services or activities to further the aims andobjectives)

Membership (who can join)

Management (how it will be run)

Finance (for accountability and financialprocedures)

Meetings (e.g. Annual/Special/ExtraordinaryGeneral Meetings etc)

Rules of procedure at all meetings

Alterations to the constitution

Dissolution (what would happen if thegroup disbanded).

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It is necessary for your group to have onefor the following reasons:

To ensure the community garden’sobjectives are clear and agreed by itsmembers

To establish a management committeeand define who can be on it

To provide mechanisms for makingdecisions and resolving disputes

To gain credibility with otherorganisations, potential supporters andfunders

To clarify liability, lines of responsibilityand accountability

A constitution is required in order tobecome a registered charity.

The steering group should decide on aconstitution, setting out the aims of yourgroup and the rules for running it. You willappear more credible if you have a properstructure and are clearly representative oflocal people. FCFCG can provide a draftmodel constitution that you can adapt toyour specific requirements.

Legal structuresThe ‘Simply Legal’ checklist available at:www.uk.coop/simpylocal may be a usefulstarting point when considering the differentoptions available to your group. Though thisdescribes the situation in England,information regarding the various types ofcompany, including community interestcompanies and industrial and providentsocieties is equally applicable to Scotland.However, the law in Scotland is different asregards clubs, partnerships, trusts, charitystatus and regulation and Scottish CharitableIncorporated Organisations.

Further useful information specific toScotland is available from the ScottishCouncil of Voluntary Organisations(www.SCVO.org.uk) and Office of theScottish Charity Regulator(www.OSCR.org.uk). You may need expertadvice and support before making a finaldecision.

There is no single ‘correct’ legal structurefor a proposed community growing group.Each structure has pros and cons in termsof matters such as personal liability of groupmembers, flexibility against certainty,regulatory and accounting requirements, set

up and annual running costs and ability toraise money through share issues. The mainchoices to consider are described below.

Unincorporated voluntaryorganisationThis long title simply means a club. Theadvantages are flexibility and minimalpaperwork, regulation and running costs.The biggest downside is that every memberof a club is personally liable for any debtsand other legal liabilities of the club (e.g.damages claims, or tenant’s obligations in alease). A club can receive charity status.

Scottish Charitable IncorporatedOrganisation (SCIO)This is a relatively new structure, introducedby the Charity and Trustee Investments(Scotland) Act 2005. A SCIO can only be acharity, and so must pass the charity test(discussed below). As an incorporatedstructure an SCIO is in law a separateperson or entity from its members.Accordingly members are not normallypersonally liable for a SCIOs debts andliabilities.

SCIO’s are regulated by the Office of theScottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) and mustprepare and submit annual accounts (whichrequire independent examination) and anannual report. OSCR does not charge anyincorporation or annual return fees.

Company Limited by SharesThis is the normal type of company used forcommercial businesses. Members’ (i.e.shareholders’) liabilities for the company’sdebts and liabilities are limited to the valueof their shares. The company can raisemoney by selling shares; the purchasers willnormally expect a return on their investmentin the form of an annual dividend.

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Companies are incorporated and regulatedby Companies House, who charge fees bothfor incorporation and for submitting eachyear’s annual return. An annual return andaudited accounts need to be prepared andsubmitted each year. There are complexrules about ‘general meetings’ of themembership of the company and about themeetings and proceedings of the Board ofDirectors (i.e. the managing committee ofthe company).

Company Limited by GuaranteeUntil the new SCIO structure becameavailable, this was often the preferredstructure for voluntary sector not for profitbusinesses. Unlike a SCIO, a companylimited by guarantee does not also need tobe a charity.

On joining, members undertake to be liablefor the company’s debts and liabilities for atoken amount (e.g. £1), and members haveno liability beyond this amount. Theregulation, reporting requirements, costsand rules concerning meetings etc. arebroadly the same as for a company limitedby shares.

Community Interest Company(CIC)Community interest companies are aspecial variant upon normal limitedcompanies intended for social enterpriseswhich are more focused on socialbenefits than maximising shareholderprofits. A CIC’s purposes must pass thecommunity interest test - which is lessrestrictive than the charity test - and itsassets are subject to an ‘asset lock’ toensure that they can only be used forcommunity benefit.

A CIC can be set up either as a companylimited by shares or a company limited byguarantee. If limited by shares, despite theasset lock, investors may be paid dividendsup to a capped amount. Directors of CICscan receive salaries (whereas charitytrustees of SCIOs usually cannot beremunerated.)

CICs do not enjoy the tax benefits affordedto charities. There is a special regulator forCICs - the CIC Regulator - who works inconjunction with Companies House. Theaccounting and reporting requirements andrunning costs are similar to those for normalcompanies.

Industrial and Provident Society(IP&S)This is the legal name for the type ofenterprise usually known as a co-operative.There are strictly two types; true co-operatives which function solely for thebenefit of their members and communitybenefit societies which aim to deliver widercommunity benefits.

IP&S are democratic organisations whichoperate on a one member, one voteprinciple. IP&S also have a separate legalpersonality from their members, somembers are not liable for theorganisation’s debts and other liabilities.They can issue shares and provide investorswith a return on their capital.

The regulatory regime is not dissimilar tothat for companies, but it is under differentlegislation and IP&S report to a differentregulator, the Financial Conduct Authority.For more information see:www.fca.org.uk/firms/firm-types/mutual-societies/industrial

Management committeesManagement committees (which can alsobe called a board of directors or trustees)are responsible for ensuring that theorganisation is managed properly, that itslegal duties are met, and for promoting goodpractice in all of its activities.

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Your group’s constitution will set out howthe first management committee will beappointed (usually through election at yourfirst AGM), as well as how new membersare to be appointed in subsequent years. Ifyou identify areas that you need specifichelp with (e.g. finance, employment issues,IT), you can recruit new managementcommittee members with these skills.

The management committee is responsiblefor and accountable to the members of yourgroup. Management committee membershave specific legal duties andresponsibilities and it is important that allwho put themselves forward for electionunderstand them.

More information is given in Step 10 -Governance & paperwork.

Charitable statusYour steering group should think aboutwhether it wants to apply for charitablestatus. In Scotland, the Office of the ScottishCharity Regulator (OSCR) is responsible foroverseeing and registering charities,including awarding charitable status.

To become a charity, a group must satisfyOSCR that it passes the ‘Charity Test’: thatit provides a public benefit and that itspurposes are - and are only - charitablepurposes.

Those most relevant to communitygardening and farming activities are:

The prevention or relief of poverty

The advancement of education

The advancement of health (include reliefof sickness, disease or human suffering)

The advancement of citizenship orcommunity development (including ruralor urban regeneration and the promotionof volunteering)

The provision of recreational facilities ororganisation of recreational facilities withthe object of improving the conditions oflife of users

The advancement of environmentalprotection or improvement

The advancement of animal welfare.

The full list of charitable purposes is given insection 7 of the Charities and Trustee

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Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 (asp 10),which can be viewed at:www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2005/10/section/7

A charity may not distribute or apply any ofits funds or other property to a non-charitable purpose. Nor may it have thepurpose of advancing a political party.

There are various advantages to becoming acharity. Some grant giving and fundingorganisations will only donate to charitiesand others may be more willing to donate tocharities than to other types of organisation.Landowners may be more willing to makeland available to a registered charity. Thereare also some tax advantages including the

ability to reclaim tax on donations made byUK taxpayers under the Gift Aid scheme.Reductions to non-domestic property ratesof between 80-100% are given to charities.

When constituting a new charity, thepreferred forms of constitution are likely tobe a Scottish Charitable IncorporatedOrganisation (SCIO), a company limited byguarantee (which may but need not be acommunity interest company), or anindustrial and provident society.

Note that whilst a company or industrial andprovident society need not have charitablestatus and solely charitable purposes, aSCIO can only exist if it is a charity.

www.farmgarden.co.uk

Governance & structures

Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisation- Guide to Good Governance

http://scvoshop.org.uk/product/guide-to-good-governance-hard-copy

Business planning

Voluntary Works has a sample toolkit.

www.voluntaryworks.org.uk/cvsmidandnorthbeds/documents/BusinessPlanningToolKit.pdf

Gov.uk may have useful general advice.

www.gov.uk/browse/business

Pestle anaylsis

www.cipd.co.uk/hr-resources/factsheets/pestle-analysis.aspx

SWOT anaylsis

www.useful-community-development.org/SWOT-analysis.html

www.cipd.co.uk/hr-resources/factsheets/swot-analysis.aspx

Charity status

More information is available from theOffice of the Scottish Charity Regulator.

www.oscr.org.uk

Constitutions

www.grantnet.com/HelpfulReports/writingaconstitution.pdf

Further information

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Putting together a site designfor your garden not onlyenables you to plan ahead

and overcome any challengesyour site presents, but alsoenhances ownership andinvolvement by the group itself.

Making decisions about garden design can beexciting, empowering and potentially savesproblems down the line. Everyone in yourgroup should have an input, if they wish,into the process. However, you also need toensure that whatever design you come upwith is affordable, practical and achievable.

It might be worth developing your site inphases – better to work on a small areaand be successful, adding to it in lateryears, than attempt to develop the wholesite in one go, and fail, which woulddemotivate group members.

Please note: A more detailed site designtopic sheet is available as an added insertto this pack, which covers initial planning,site surveys, site plans and timescales.

First stepsThere are some key initial questions to askyour group before any plans are made.These relate back to the reasons youdecided to set up a community growinggroup in the first place and what you havediscovered following engagement with thewider community.

What is the prime motive for settingup your community growing group?Has it changed since you started outdue to different people joining thegroup or as a result of the communityconsultation process?

Who are your most likely users andhow will they use the site?

What resources have you got to dothe work (both in terms of the numberof volunteers and equipment andmaterials available)?

What are the most important thingsyou want on the site? Plots forgrowing food, a shelter, flowerbeds,animals, a building for educationclasses, play area, café, paths etc?

How will you develop and maintain thesite in the future? There's no pointhaving the expertise and ambition to

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your site

5create a complex site if you cannotmaintain it.

Are there any site specific issues youneed to bear in mind? For example,contaminated land, potential vandalism,access issues, planning permission etc.

Remember to consider the basics: water,toilets, parking, security, disabled access.

Site surveyIf you have not done so already, it's worthcarrying out a more detailed survey of thesite in order to find out its pros and cons.Areas to look at include:

Aspect: What amount of sunlight is thesite likely to get?

Slope: This may affect drainage anddistribution of top soil.

Water: Some areas might be boggy.Alternatively the site may need extrawater, in which case facilities for storingwater may be a priority.

Surroundings: This could include issueslike open access and risk of vandalism,shading from external trees etc.

State of the ground: Will you need toclear the site of rubble, weeds,brambles? What sort of soil are youdealing with?

Habitat and biodiversity: What wildlife doyou have already? Do you have anyinvasive weeds?

Site planA basic map of your site will prove to havenumerous valuable uses. Make sure youmark permanent objects already existing onthe site. If your site is on a slope you mightwant to add in contours. It is also a goodidea to indicate anything outside your sitewhich may be of significance, e.g. buildings,trees, pylons, busy roads etc. You may beable to use the internet to help withmapping - try Bing Maps’ OS map option:www.bing.com/maps

The scale of your drawing depends on thesize of your paper! It’s simplest to use ascale like 1:100, 1:50 or 1:25, but if this isn’tpractical you can get an architect’s scalerule which has several sides with differentscales to make life easier.

Clearing the site - a goodstartDesigning a site and thinking clearly aboutwhat you want to do is often made moredifficult because the site has beenneglected, resulting in an area that isovergrown, full of rubbish or simply difficultto get around.

One of the first phases of work that can beundertaken before or during the site designstage, is to clear your site up. It’s always agood idea to do this while there is plenty ofenthusiasm for the project. It will provide avery visual sign that progress is being made.

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Some things to bear in mind:

If there is a lot of work to do then it maybe worth seeing if any local companieshave corporate volunteers who can comealong to help with the clearance work.

Before any volunteers start work on sitemake sure you have the necessary publicliability insurance in place and that healthand safety measures are adhered to.

You may be able to persuade localcontractors to loan or donate heavyequipment for use at no charge or adiscount price. See Step 8 - Safety first.

Contaminated land If your site is situated on land that in thepast was used for industrial activities, or isin the immediate vicinity of past or currentindustrial activities, it could becontaminated. This will directly be ofconcern if you plan to keep livestock or toconsume, donate or sell your produce.

FCFCG has a separate publication availableto download from its website, which looksin detail at the issue of contaminated land.

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FCFCG

Site design guide and contaminated landguidelines available from InfoZone on thewebsite (membership required).

www.farmgarden.org.uk

Biodiversity

SNH can help you find out aboutprotected species that might be on yoursite.

www.snh.gov.uk/protecting-scotlands-nature/protected-species

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Now you have decidedwhat to do, who will beinvolved and what kind of

project you want, the next stepto find out is how much it willcost and then to ensure youhave financial skills andknowledge in place to managethis development. It’s a simpleequation - remaining solventhelps ensure your group will besustainable.

Good financial management is essentialbecause it allows your group to:

Plan, monitor and assess thedevelopment and sustainability of yourproject

Ensure that money is being spentwisely and as agreed

Demonstrate to potential funders andsupporters that your project is wellorganised and an attractive proposition

Meet legal responsibilities

Compile accurate reports to funders,supporters and other members of yourgroup

Enable you to make more accurateassessments of your prospects if youwant to undertake social enterprises ordiversify your income.

Good planning means you won’t be‘funding led’ – you can avoid thetemptation to change the focus of yourgroup simply to find funding.

First of all find out what financial skills andexperience you have in your group. If youneed additional support and advice, findout what organisations in your area offerfinancial services to community andvoluntary groups. For example, communityaccountancy projects can offer directservices, training and advice.

Check with your local Council for VoluntaryService (CVS), local council or library. Askother established community groups howthey organise their finances, whoindependently examines (or audits forlarger organisations) their books and whogives them financial guidance andinformation.

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&Moneybudgets

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Community bankaccounts It is important to open a bank account for thegroup at an early stage so that its money cannot be confused with any individual's money.

Several banking organisations offer free orreduced rate banking for community groups.When choosing a bank, you may wish toconsider whether you think the bank has anethical stance which fits in with yourgroup’s ethical and environmental concerns.It could also be important to think aboutwhere the bank has branches, if you willneed to be paying money in regularly. It isnormally a requirement to have twosignatures on the account to prevent anypotential for misuse of funds.

Handling moneyIt is important to establish basic groundrules about handling money right from thestart. This will help the smooth running ofthe organisation and lead to faster resolutionof any disputes.

The bottom line is that the group mustaccount for all money received and spent.This is essential whether you are spending£50 or £50,000 each year. The generalunderlying principle is always to maintain afully accountable paper trail for alltransactions. Some basic rules are:

Always issue a receipt when money isreceived.

Always obtain a receipt for any moneypaid out and get people to sign for anymoney they have received, e.g. parkingexpenses while on garden business.

Always ensure that receipts are writtenin ink, not pencil. Include the date and asignature.

Never keep more money than isnecessary in the treasurer’s home or onthe project premises. Make sure yourinsurance covers you for holding smallamounts of cash. Investigate a safe?

Always pay income into the bank as soonas possible. If there's no local branch,many banks have arrangements withpost offices.

Never pay for anything from cash justreceived. Draw cash from the bank forexpenditure (otherwise you'll get intobookkeeping difficulties which lead tomistakes in accounting for what youreceive and spend).

Keep as many records and notes oftransactions as you can, in one secureplace, ideally off site.

Budgets – Costing yourprojectA budget sets out what your group plans todo with its money over a financial year(usually April to March). Budgets help youmanage and control the finances of yourcommunity garden. For example, yourbudget will enable you to predict difficulties,such as a shortfall in money to pay bills in agiven month (a temporary cash flow crisis).A challenge many gardens experience.

Setting a budget will also help you makesound financial decisions. To do this youneed a thorough understanding of thegarden’s finances.

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Examples of bank accountssuitable for communitygroups

Co-operative Bank’s Community Directplus givescharities, community groups, voluntaryorganisations and social enterprises an ethicalway to bank for free.

Tel. 0800 764 764www.co-operativebank.co.uk

Triodos Bank are known for their ethical stance.They have Charity Cheque and Reserve

Accounts, and a Social Venture Current Account.

Tel. 0800 328 2181, email: mail@triodos.co.uk www.triodosbank.co.uk

Unity Trust is a specialist bank for voluntary,membership and credit union organisations, aswell as the trade unions involved in setting it up,with the help of Co-op Bank.

Tel. 0845 140 1000 www.unity.co.uk

Other banks and building societies may alsooffer special deals for charitable groups.

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Writing your budgetMake an ‘Opening Balance’This is a snapshot of the finances ofyour garden on a specific date. Set outand add up all money you hold in cashand in the bank, plus any money youare owed (e.g. outstandingmembership fees). Then deduct fromthat total anything which you owe (e.g.outstanding electricity bill or rent whichhas fallen due but not yet been paid.)This will create your ‘OpeningBalance’.

Decide what developmentsyour group has planned for atleast the coming yearBetter still have a 3-5 year plan listingthe practical things you want to do,with estimates of what they will cost.When trying to find an estimate ofcosts, don’t forget about overheads orhidden costs, e.g. if you want toexpand an area of your garden, youmay need to hire special equipmentand factor in volunteers’ expenses. Inthe first year, it can be difficult to workout costs but try to avoid too muchguesswork. Talk to people in othergroups or get an idea of costs fromsuppliers’ catalogues/websites. Thinkthrough each item carefully - what willyou have to pay for when you hold ameeting or organise an event?

Prepare an ‘Income andExpenditure Budget’ Set out what money you expect tocome in during the year and what youexpect to spend, using appropriateheadings. Outgoings would includerent and rates, insurance, volunteerexpenses etc. Income might includegrants, membership fees, proceedsfrom sale of plants and fundraisingevents. Use the same headings foryour financial record keeping.

When looking at expenditure, it may behelpful to show capital items andrunning cost items separately. Capitalitems are expected to have someresale value for at least two years.They include equipment, buildings or

work to improve buildings, and land.Small pieces of equipment are notcounted as capital items. Groups oftenset a threshold, such as £500, abovewhich equipment counts as capital.Running cost items could includethings like water charges, rent,postage etc.

When looking at income make sureyou note the date when grants (andother large sums of money) areexpected - unless you plan well, youmay not have enough money at aparticular moment if the grant has notyet come, even though your budgetshows enough income for the year.

If you are waiting to hear the result ofa grant application, you can show thegrant in the budget, but you shouldmark it 'unconfirmed'. If you have littlehope of getting the grant, do not showit in the budget. Make a note of anygrant application which is not included.

Prepare a ‘Cash flow budget’ This is your Income and ExpenditureBudget broken down into a plan of theflow of money in and out each month.Without a cash flow budget you maythink you are better off than you reallyare, e.g. having £400 in the bank inSeptember, but forgetting you have theinsurance bill of £400 to pay in October.

At the end of your financialyear, prepare a ‘Balance Sheet’summing up all your incomeand expenditureThis then gives you the openingbalance for the next year. You maydecide to have an accountant orauditor check your figures at the endof the year. If you are charity, you needto prepare annual accounts tostandards published by the Office ofthe Scottish Charity Regulator (seeFurther information). Have thesechecked and signed-off by anindependent examiner and then submitthem to OSCR. Limited companies andindustrial and provident societies alsohave additional legal obligations toprepare accounts and report to theirregulators.

6

Bear in mind that a budget created for afundraising application may not be the sameas your group's annual budget. If you areapplying for a specific project (rather than agrant towards your overall work), the fundermay ask for a project budget only.

A budget is always an internal document foryour own group's use. You will not be heldto it by a funder or other outside body.

Writing a budgetIn order to write a budget, you must have arealistic, clear idea of your group's activitiesfor the year ahead – you may want to hold ameeting to discuss this. The best time to dothis is before the start of your group'sfinancial year, so you have time to planahead and then prepare the budget.

The process of writing a budget is similar towriting a shopping list with the cost of eachitem listed. You must then work out whereyou will get the money to pay for the items.Don’t forget that there may be people withbudgeting skills in your organisation and youcan also seek outside help if you findbudgeting particularly tricky.

There is a set of logical steps to preparing abudget; each step provides information forthe next (see box on previous page).

Budgets: salaries and employmentSee Step 9 - Recruitment & training.

Balancing your budgetOnce you have written out your budget, getthe details checked by others in your groupto make sure they are accurate, the sumsadd up and there is nothing missing.

Where possible, your first aim should be atleast a balanced budget, i.e. estimatedincome is the same as your plannedexpenditure. You may even have a surplus,where income exceeds expenditure. If thisis the case, you can include an expenditureitem 'surplus transferred to reserves' inorder to balance the budget.

However, you may find that you don’t haveenough money to cover all the things youwant to do and that expenditure tops income,producing a deficit. If this happens you shouldmake the deficit clear in the budget.

Budget approvalYou need to get the budget approved at ameeting of your management committee.

Make sure you highlight any potentialissues, e.g. by drawing attention tounconfirmed grants and the likelihood ofgetting those grants.

For deficit budgets, the group will need todecide whether more income generation isfeasible to close the gap or whether youneed to scale back on activities/costs. Don’tbe tempted to balance the budget simply byadding in a vague notion about ‘otherincome generation’ unless you have genuinebelief that the money can be raised – anddon’t forget that raising money can incurcosts in itself.

Remember, it’s far better to start thefinancial year with a realistic, achievablebudget. If you do manage to generate moreincome, that can be incorporated into yourbudget during the year.

The budget must be formally approved bythe group by the end of the meeting unlessa number of minor changes, or a few majorones, are suggested. If that’s the case thenit’s better to go away and rewrite the budgetand get it approved at a later meeting.

Use your budget!Your budget is a useful tool to keep track ofwhere things are going. At least everyquarter, the person responsible for thebudget should present a finance report tothe group. The statement should showactual income and expenditure, includingany unpaid bills etc., and a comparison withthe actual budget. Then you will be able tosee if you are on track or need a rethink.

If there is a big difference between thefinance statement and the budget, that’s anindication you will need to adjust your plans.For example, if income is much lower thanexpected, think about potential savings youcould make. If you have a surplus, you coulddecide to spend the money on other activities.

Remember – only adjust the budget to takeinto account major differences and alwaysdo this at a meeting of your managementcommittee. Also, if you are grant funded,don’t carry out any major shifts in youractivities until you have contacted thefunders and negotiated any changes.

Budgets and fundraisingThe budget is also a useful tool to send tofunding bodies if you are applying for grants.

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In the case of funding for a specific project,the costs of the project will be included inyour annual budget expenditure but thefunder may ask for a project budget only.Most project funders will ask for yourgroup's overall budget so they know you arefinancially stable enough to run the budget.It’s also evidence that you are organised,have an understanding of your financialcommitments and a clear plan of activities.

It is very important to show clearly in youroverall budget which costs will be met by agrant for a project and which by generalincome. Remember that if you receivefunding for a specific project, you will beable to use the grant to pay only for thecosts of the project itself. You will not beable to use the money for the general costsof your group or for another project. This isalso true of a grant for capital equipment.

As with a general budget, don’t forget toinclude ‘hidden expenses’, such as expenses,travel, stationery, phone costs etc.

If you are running a project from your ownpremises, you should include some of therent and costs such as cleaning and heating.These can be worked out as a proportion ofthe overall costs.

If you do not include all the costs involved ina project in that specific project budget, you

could end up trying to subsidise the projectfrom your general budget – not a good idea!

Checking that the grant matchesyour budget

The grant award letter or 'conditions ofgrant' form from the funder will outlinewhat the money is to be used for.

If you have been awarded the fullamount, the grant is most likely to payfor the project as described in yourapplication - but always check thedetails.

If the grant is less than you applied for,check what the grant covers. Amendyour overall budget at the next meeting,if necessary.

If your group is a Scottish Charity,grants for projects or capital equipmentwill be classed as restricted funds.These need to be set out separately inyour accounts. See paragraph 6 ofschedule 3 to the Charities Accounts(Scotland) Regulations 2006 SSINO.218, accessible at:www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2006/218/schedule/3/made

Many grants will be conditional on yourgroup finding match funding. In otherwords, you need to cover the full costof the project from other sources.

29

www.farmgarden.co.uk

Directory of Social Change

‘Voluntary but not amateur’ and ‘Justabout managing’ are probably the bestgeneral publications for voluntaryorganisations, detailing procedures andraising issues that need to be addressed.

www.dsc.org.uk

Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator

Information on Scottish Charity accountingrequirements.

www.oscr.org.uk/managing-your-charity/charity-accounting

Community Accounting

A network of people experienced inadvising small community groups mightbe worth approaching if you need trainingor advice.

www.communityaccounting.org

SCVO

Lots of resources on budgeting, financialmanagement, tax, VAT.

www.scvo.org.uk/running-your-organisation

Further information

It is vital for the future healthof your group that you ensureyou create varied and diverse

ways to generate revenue.Relying solely on grant fundingis not viable.

There are three distinct elements toensuring the financial sustainability of yourgroup:

1 Reducing your need for money in thefirst place

2 Generating your own income

3 Securing funding from external sources(e.g. charitable trusts, Government,your local council, the lottery, externalcompanies etc.).

Reducing your need formoneyFinding enough money tends to preoccupymany community projects but securingand spending money is only one of theways in which your group can meet its

aims and make an impact on your localcommunity.

Obviously money is essential for somethings, but in-kind support (such as freetechnical advice, committed, skilledvolunteers and donations of materials andservices) can meet many of your group’sneeds. In addition, salvaging, re-using,repairing and recycling are all ways to helpreduce your need for cash. Simply beingmore resourceful can often save you moneyover both the short and longer term.

However, reducing your need for moneyrequires planning, organisation andnegotiation skills. Consider the followingquestions:

Could you pay less for services orproducts you regularly use?

Do you practice the 5 Rs - Reduce,Re-use, Repair, Recycle and regularlyReview?

Could you be more resourceful insalvaging or borrowing equipment etc?

Do you pay bank charges and if so doyou need to?

Do you have clear financial controls thathelp prevent wasteful expenditure?

step

7

Raising funds&

income generating

7

Insurance – can you get a cheaperquote?

Do you attract voluntary help and havegood support systems for volunteers?

Do you get preferential discounts fromyour suppliers?

Do you encourage and make use ofdonations of services and resources(donations in-kind)?

Are there any co-ops or buyingconsortiums that you can belong to?

Can you barter for goods/services or joina Local Exchange Trading Scheme(LETS)?

Are your financial systems andmaintenance procedures effective?

Do you get Business Rates Relief as acharity?

Are you involved with local Time Banks?

Are there other groups in your area youcould join forces with to negotiatereductions for goods and services(seeds, equipment etc.)?

It may take time and energy to assess all ofthese elements, but could result in yourgroup making significant savings andreductions in your income needs.

Generating your ownincomeThere are three main elements to this:

1 Donations-in-kind

2 Sales of goods and services

3 Taking part in fundraising activities andevents.

Donations-in-kindThese can be roughly separated into threecategories:

Goods: e.g. non-monetary items suchoffice equipment, appliances, buildingsupplies, plants etc.

Resources: e.g. storage space off-site;use of equipment such as printing,photocopying, horticultural machinery.

Services: e.g. pro bono professionalservices (such as planning or legal work),building services and technical services,such as website design or admin.

You will need to put in some organisedplanning and effort in order to attractdonations-in-kind. Ideas include:

Setting up a volunteering vacancy

notice board (similar to a job centrevacancy board). Give clear instructions onhow people can get involved. Advertisefor specific skills you need, when youwant them and who potential volunteersshould contact if they are interested.

Producing and distributing a ‘wish list’,asking for donations in-kind, e.g. plantcuttings, trees, flower pots, tools, timber,printing a newsletter, volunteers, skills,help with specific events or activities etc.Make it as easy as possible for people togive – be clear about what you want andinclude contact details, dates, times andlocation.

Creating as many opportunities aspossible for people and organisations todonate to your group. If you don’t askand help people to give, you don’t get!

Mentioning the things your group needsin a press release and as part of otherpublicity opportunities. Most local radiostations have a community slot or actionline where you could ask for the thingsyou need.

Contacting your local volunteer bureaufor specialist services.

Sales of goods & services This requires planning and organisation (e.g.risk assessments) in order to work.Remember that sales could all incur costsas well as producing money (e.g. staff time,event fees), so be sure that the activity is anet generator! Ideas include:

Social events: Most community growingspaces are great locations for a wholevariety of social events like open gardendays, barbecues, harvest suppers, eventstied in to calendar dates such as Bonfire

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Night or Apple Day, picnics and games, barndances, treasure hunts etc. These can becommunity celebrations, valuable publicityopportunities, and by having an entrancecharge - or other fundraising element - cangenerate income for your garden. Events

can be related to the seasons and can alsoinvolve an activity of benefit to the garden,such as planting, digging a pond, harvestingetc. Other ways to raise money at eventsinclude selling refreshments or surplusproduce, raffles and competitions.

Selling surplus produce: You can sellsurplus plants, cuttings and produce directto the public from the site. Alternatively, ifyou have enough, you could sell surplus ona stall at an external event, such as afarmers market. Remember that this mayincur costs. FCFCG has an ‘Introduction toselling produce’ topic sheet available whichcovers the things you need to be aware ofand have in place in order to sell produce.

Making items to sell: These could be itemsmade on your garden (e.g. bird tables,window boxes) or processed products (e.g.liquid feed made from comfrey plants orjams made from soft fruits).

Providing practical training: You couldcharge a fee for people to attend a trainingworkshop e.g. ‘come and build a compostunit’ or ‘make and plant a hanging basketusing herbs’. If you have the necessaryskills within your group you could also runcraft workshops, such as spinning andweaving.

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Taking part infundraising activities -could you…?

Run fundraising and publicityactivities or stalls at external localevents such as school fetes etc.

Set up a donation box at yourgarden in a prominent place withan enticing notice, perhapsexplaining how much it costs torun your project per day orsuggesting an amount to donateper visit? Make sure it is secureand emptied daily.

Set up a group of volunteers andsupporters who are willing to givetime to run or organise yourfundraising activities? You couldask them, for example, to planfour seasonal open days over ayear to raise money, publicise yourproject and attract new membersand volunteers.

Think through a range offundraising activities and criticallyconsider which are likely to besuccessful for your group.Organising, running and clearingup after events takes time andeffort. Is the event likely to raiseenough money to make itworthwhile? Examples offundraising events include: jumblesales, car boot sales/stalls, raffles,fêtes, carnivals, tombolas, duckraces, sunflower growingcompetitions, vegetable andflower shows.

Find out if other local organisationsor groups might be willing to co-operate with you in organising andrunning joint fundraising events?

Collect things that you can cash in- stamps, mobile phones etc.? Butremember you will needsomewhere to store them.

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Education activities: Local schools or othergroups may be interested in visiting yourgarden as an educational activity.

Delivering specialist services: Forexample, landscaping, building gardens inschools, clearing older people’s gardens etc.

Securing funding fromexternal sourcesThe boom in community growing over thelast few years has many positives, but itdoes mean there are increasing numbers ofcommunity growing groups seeking supportfrom a rapidly shrinking pool of funding (e.g. local authority funding has reducedsignificantly due to austerity measures).

To increase your chances of getting funding it’s vital you can demonstrate thatyou are well-managed, organised, ofgenuine benefit to the local community andoffer value for money. Ask yourself why,with so many other worthy causes, anyoneshould give money to your group? Are you using the money you already havewisely and effectively? How can youdemonstrate this to potential funders andsupporters? Evidence you provide couldinclude surveys with local people, links with local and national policy or researchabout the benefits of projects similar toyours.

Fundraising can be hard work, timeconsuming and will have costs. It’simportant that you set aside the necessarytime and resources to do it properly -rushed, inappropriate, inaccurate or poorlythought through applications are rarelysuccessful and could ruin your relationshipwith a potential long term or regular funder.Remember, more than 90 percent offundraising is down to careful preparation,planning, relationship building and recordkeeping. Contacting the funder before youapply to have a chat about your project andapplication can be extremely valuable andsave you a lot of time.

Only apply for funds to do the things thatare included in your group’s overalldevelopment plan. It can be tempting toapply for money simply because it is there,or because it appears easy to obtain. Thereis, however, a danger that your group mightend up having to do all sorts of things thatdo not relate to the real reasons the groupwas formed in the first place.

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The five stages offundraising fromexternal sources1 Reach agreement about what your

group wants to do and how you aregoing to do it. Draw up a clearoverall three or five-year plan. Makesure everyone is aware of the planand agrees with it. Questions tothink about include: Who is going tobe involved in the fundingapplication and are there any skillswithin the group you can exploit?What exactly is the fundraising forand how much money do youneed? When do you need themoney – what is your timescale?

2 Research potential fundersthoroughly. What do they require?Is there an application form? Whoand what will they fund? When dothey accept applications? Is there adeadline? Are there any conditionsattached to funding you cannot meet?

3 Ensure each funding application istailored to the individual funder. Tryto avoid just sending the samething to everyone. It might take lesstime but will also mean you arepotentially less successful. Usetheir jargon – people who use yourproject could be ‘volunteers’,‘clients’, ‘service users’ or ‘trainees’depending on the funder’s interests.

4 Submit your application inaccordance with the specificrequirements of the funder beingapproached, e.g. application form,time of submission, additionalmaterials. If the funder does notprovide a specific application formsend a short personal letter, nomore than one page, including aninvitation to visit or meetrepresentatives from your groupand a summary of what you wantfunding for.

5 Follow up your application with ashort phone call or note after anydeadline has passed - unless thefunder specifically requests nocontact.

7

It’s usually much harder to raise regularrevenue funding (running costs) than capitalfunding (e.g. land and buildings). Yourbusiness/action plan should take this intoaccount.

Seek to develop a relationship with existingand potential funding bodies. Keep goodrecords of all aspects of your group’sactivities, remember to collect evidence ofhow well your project is progressing anddon’t be afraid to question and changethose things that might not be going sowell.

Send newsletters or progress reports.Always complete any forms or monitoringthat a funder asks you to, within thedeadlines they require.

Ensure the information you have on fundingorganisations is up to date and accurate -funders’ themes or focus may change fromyear to year, or they may close a particular fund.

Preparing your applicationAll applications should follow the 5 Ws Rule:

1 Who? Describe your group.

2 What? Detail exactly what you want tospend the money on.

3 When do you need it? Allow severalmonths for processing your application.

4 Where? Describe your local community.

5 Why? Explain who will benefit as a resultof receiving the grant.

And applications should include the 3 HowSteps:

1 How are you going to achieve what youwant to do?

2 How much will it cost in total?

3 How much funding are you requesting?

Fundraising – points to rememberEnclose some relevant support material (butnot too much) including good visuals, e.g.photos or drawings, a detailed budget for theproject and your last annual report andaccounts (if your group is more than a yearold).

Always retain copies of yourletters/application forms in case the funderrequests further information or clarification,and to enable another member of yourgroup to answer queries if the originalwriter(s) are unavailable.

Be prepared for rejection; an application maybe turned down for a variety of reasons. Itmay be too weak, or miss the funder’sspecific priorities, or there may simply be nomoney left in that financial year or round ofapplications. Try to find out why it wasrejected and consider applying for a differentproject after a year has lapsed.

If you’re successful, in addition to sending athank you letter, keep funders informed asthe project progresses; this will help tostrengthen and further develop yourrelationship with them to potentially securemore funds. Send progress reports andother communications, if appropriate, e.g.annual report, invitations to events,photographs, children’s work, publicitymaterial and press releases that mentionthe funder. Two or three contacts per year isenough; too often and the funder may feelbombarded by you.

Be honest. Spend money as agreed andconsult the funder if it’s necessary to makesignificant changes to the project they havefunded – it can happen! Sometimes agarden may receive money from twosources, each for the same work. Get backin touch with one of the funders, explainand ask if you can spend the money onanother specific piece of work; they areunlikely to say no.

Make sure you draw up a detailed businessplan (see Step 4 for more detail onbusiness/action plans). Increasingly fundersare looking for depth to business plans sothey can be sure the project is viable andthe money will be well spent. It’s worthputting the extra effort into this as it couldmake the difference between getting agrant and not.

Sources of fundingExternal sources of funding fall into thefollowing categories:

Charitable trustsThere are around 4,000 grant making trustsin the United Kingdom (out of 185,000registered charities). Together they givemillions of pounds each year, but relativelyfew donate amounts over £5,000. Sourcesof further information about charitable trustsinclude:

The ‘Directory of grant making trusts’,published by the Charities Aid Foundation

34

7

and the Directory of Social Change,provides more detailed information. Yourlocal library or Council for VoluntaryServcie (CVS) may have copies or askother local organisations.

Local libraries and other funding adviceorganisations provide information onappropriate local and national trusts, andwill have information on fundraisingtraining/seminars.

Community workers and similar localdevelopment workers, such as yourFCFCG development team, are often agood source of help and advice.

Other local community and voluntaryorganisations could also provide help.Look at their annual reports to see whohas provided them with money andassistance.

FCFCG provides regularly updatedinformation on funding sources throughits newsletters, e-bulletins and website.

Lottery Fundingwww.lotteryfunding.org.uk is a joint websiterun by all Lottery funders in the UK,including the Big Lottery Fund and Awardsfor All. The site allows you to searchinformation on current funding programmesacross the UK. It is likely that there areother groups in your area who havesuccessfully made an application; ask themfor advice and guidance. Lottery seminars

are regularly held and are a good source ofadvice and support.

Public fundsThis includes receiving money in the form ofgrants, service agreements and other formsof contract from a variety of public sourcessuch as Government departments, yourlocal council, health authority or health trustetc. There may be other government fundedorganisations operating in your area, whichmay, in turn, be able to fund or support yourgroup, e.g. Groundwork Trusts.

CompaniesLocal companies and local branches ofnational or international companies may bewilling to support you. Many largercompanies have a Corporate SocialResponsibility programme. These aregenerally seen as a way for companies todo something beyond its normal remit forthe good of society.

There are a number of ways in whichcompanies can help, such as:

Sponsoring an event

Donations in-kind (such as a second-handcomputer, furniture and tools)

Giving preferential discounts on goodsyou buy from them

Cash grants

Major companies often have a grant-making arm themselves, often supportinggroups local to their branches

Free use of their facilities or access toservices and equipment

Loaning a member of staff on short-termsecondment to help with a particularproject or problem

Paying for advertising in your newsletteror brochure.

Other sources - Gift aid, loans,contracts, sponsorship, legacies,payroll giving, street collectionsetc. The Growing Together partnership, led byFCFCG, has created some valuableresources on Digital Income Generation(DIG) and other innovative sources offunding and income creation.

www.growing2gether.org.uk

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www.farmgarden.co.uk

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There is also more information via SCVO:www.scvo.org.uk/running-your-organisation/funding

Researching sources offunding onlineSome larger trusts and foundations havewebsites with useful information about thefunding they provide, along with advice andguidance about making an application. It isimportant to read the guidance notes, andcarefully complete all sections of anyapplication form, if they have provided one.

You can also visit specialised fundingwebsites such as:

www.fundingcentral.org.uk

www.governmentfunding.org.uk

www.companygiving.org.uk

www.trustfunding.org.uk

www.j4bcommunity.co.uk

www.grants4.info

www.grantsonline.org.uk

www.fit4funding.org.uk

www.acf.org.uk

www.fundraising.co.uk

www.fundinginformation.org

www.greenspacescotland.org.uk/funding-sources.aspx

www.trellisscotland.org.uk/funding

36

SCVO

‘How to Raise Funds – a Guide forScottish Voluntary Organisations’ – a stepby step guide to raising funds.

http://scvoshop.org.uk/product/how-to-raise-funds-2

Scottish Directory of Funding for Third

Sector Organisations

SCVO’s essential directory of potentialfunding sources for third sectororganisations in Scotland.

http://scvoshop.org.uk

SCVO also has information on differenttypes and sources of funding, as well asadvice on writing funding applications.

www.scvo.org.uk/information/funding

Voluntary But Not Amateur

Published by Directory of Social Change.

www.dsc.org.uk/Publications/Law/@155141

Direct Gov

Has a useful section on funding.

www.direct.gov.uk

Allotments Regeneration Initiative

Produced an information pack onfundraising for allotment associationswhich will also be relevant for communitygrowing spaces.

www.ari.farmgarden.org.uk/ari

LETS - Local Exchange Trading Systems

or Schemes

Local community-based mutual aidnetworks in which people exchange allkinds of goods and services with oneanother, without the need for money.

www.letslinkuk.net

TimeBank

A national campaign inspiring andconnecting people to share and give theirtime for good causes.

Tel. 0845 456 1668 or 020 3111 0700www.timebank.org.uk

The Big Lottery Fund

Tel. 0845 4 10 20 30www.biglotteryfund.org.uk

Further information

Getting the right sorts ofinsurance is vital for anycommunity growing

group. Without insurance youcould expose yourself and themembers of your group and thepublic to liability for accidents,injuries, employment issues etc.And community growing groupshave a responsibility to ensurethat health and safety issues area genuine priority and that thesafety and security of itsvolunteers, staff and visitors aretaken extremely seriously. (See Step 10 - Governance &paperwork for more on legal obligations.)

InsuranceThe two main insurance types are publicliability and employers’ liability.

Public liability: Not a legal requirement inScotland, but extremely useful to

indemnify you against being heldresponsible for injury, disability or death ofpeople visiting or taking part in youractivities. £3 million cover should beobtained as a minimum; most groups arenow insured for £5 million.

Employers’ liability: This is a legalrequirement to indemnify you againstbeing held responsible for accidentscausing injury, disability or death ofemployees and volunteers. You shouldcheck to ensure liability will covervolunteers. You must display youremployer’s liability certificate in your mainbuilding if you have one or on your publicnotice board. It’s a good idea to put yourpublic liability certificate up too, though notlegally necessary.

It is also advisable to have the followingadditional policies in place.

All risks policy: To cover the communitygarden property, such as equipment andperhaps money, against fire, flood, theftand any other specified risk. Many policieshave a minimum claim level and/or anamount you have to cover on a claim (anexcess) such as the first £100.

Specific insurance policies: To cover youagainst any other risks considered

step

8

Looking after Safety first -

volunteers, workers & visitors

8

important, depending on the activities thegarden plans to undertake, e.g. a vehicle tocarry materials or people for the garden, orfor community garden work or activities thattake place away from the garden site, or agroup personal accident policy for all staffand volunteers.

You are legally responsible from the day youtake over the site, but it is best to take outpublic liability insurance before any sitework is undertaken, even if it’s onlytemporary clearance work prior to signing anagreement, to protect your group againstany mishaps on site.

Check all your legal agreements to seewhether they require specific insurancecover, e.g. your lease (which may require aminimum public liability cover), any fundingagreements and any temporary contractsthat you have entered into, for instancehiring equipment or training people onplacement.

Getting the right insurance dealBe clear about what you need insurancefor, and of any factors you might adoptto reduce risk. For example, if you neveruse power tools you will not needinsurance for that, and if your projecthas limited access to the general publicthat will probably reduce the premiums.

Produce your own list of what youmight consider insuring before speakingwith a broker or when contactinginsurance companies direct.

Go to an insurance broker (seeConsider using a broker below) to getquotations and get them to explain toyou in everyday language what iscovered and in what circumstances, toensure you have what you want.

Obtain several quotes for what you needand compare them; some will not coverparticular items/activities, and others willhave higher excesses (the first amountof any claim you pay yourself); insuring afew hundred pounds of power tools maynot be worth it if the excess is similar totheir value.

Ask other local groups what type ofinsurance and level of cover they have,and what it costs them. Did they use aninsurance broker and was the companyhelpful? Are they happy with theirinsurers?

Look at off-the-shelf commercialpackages and combined insurancepackages. Combined insurance policiescover a number of risks in one policy.This can be useful unless you end uppaying for insurance that is not required.

Some price comparison websites, asexamples moneysupermarket.com andgocompare.com, provide quotes forinsurances such as employers’ liabilityand public liability – these are usuallylisted in the ‘business insurances’category.

You could ask the FCFCG Scotland team or another voluntary sectorsupport organisations for help andadvice.

Reviewing your insurance: keyissuesIt’s important to review your insuranceevery year and whenever you make majorchanges. It’s also important to ensure thatyou have enough cover; being under insuredcould make your policy practically useless.On the other hand, being over insured forrisks that are no longer relevant is a wasteof valuable resources.

Review what type of insurances thatyou need. Has anything changed? Forexample, have you employed your firstmember of staff, bought equipment orinvested in buildings?

What is the best balance of risk andcost of premium? It may be better forthe organisation to carry a manageablerisk rather than pay very high premiums.This is similar to private car drivers, whocan cut their premiums significantly bycarrying a larger excess. Check with theCharity Commission that you can dothis.

What is your budget? Remember thatthe cheapest option is not always thebest.

What is your timetable? If you needinsurance immediately you may not getthe best deal.

What payment options are there? Canyou pay quarterly rather than yearly inadvance? Can you get a better deal witha long-term agreement (e.g. threeyears)?

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How efficient is the provider's claimshandling?

What is the small print? Check it!

Consider using a broker

Rather than contacting several insurancecompanies direct you can use anintermediary. The role of an insurancebroker is to:

Give specialist advice of the market

Advise on the type, scope and suitabilityof the cover

Seek best possible terms for you

Provide an ongoing service

Monitor market changes.

Selecting a broker should be done by askinga number to tender for the work. At the veryleast, discuss your needs with a number ofbrokers. Always seek references beforeappointing. Lists of brokers can be obtainedfrom charity publications and general guides.You could also try speaking to your localcommunity accountancy project or ThirdSector Interface.

Health and safetyThe general duties of employers under the 1974 Health and Safety at WorkAct in ensuring the health, safety andwelfare of their employees are outlined inthe box overleaf. We strongly recommendthat your garden - regardless of whether youhave paid employees or not - apply theseduties to everybody: volunteers,management committee members, gardenmembers, other users and visitors.

Risk assessment

It is essential that you carry out a generalrisk assessment for your site. Volunteerscan assist with this task which will helpraise the general level of awareness of - andreduce - risks to health and safety of peopleon your site. Assessments should then bereviewed regularly and carried outseparately for any events or training youhold.

FCFCG has a number of model riskassessment documents available from theInfoZone of the website (membershiprequired).

Common dangers in acommunity gardenPoisonous plants, fruits and fungiIf you don’t have the expertise in your groupto identify poisonous plants seek localadvice from your local authority, anestablished gardening club, a localhorticulturalist or landscape gardener. Thereare a number of books and officialpublications that can help and posters areavailable that display the most commonpoisonous plants.

These plants may form an important part ofyour garden, but you need to manage themto prevent accidents particularly if childrenare involved or visit your garden. Make sureif you're growing poisonous plants that you,or whoever else is on site, knows what todo if an incident occurs.

Pathways and walkwaysKeep these clear of obstacles and hiddendangers like trailing hoses or electric cables.If temporary obstacles cannot be avoidedhave a mobile sign pointing out the danger.

Use of wheel barrowsMake sure the wheelbarrow is in a decentstate of repair and do not overload - onlymove what you can easily manage. Load

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Risk assessmentsmade easy

Look for hazards

Decide who might be harmed, andhow

Assess the risks arising from thehazards and decide whetherexisting precautions you are takingare adequate or if more should bedone

Record your findings and takeaction where necessary

Review your assessment at leastonce a year and when any majorchanges take place on your garden,e.g. building works.

(Adapted from the Health & SafetyExecutive (HSE)’s ‘A Safer andHealthier Workplace’)

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Health and Safety atWork Act 1974 - generalduties of employersDraw up a health and safetypolicyPull together a working group that writes,implements, checks and regularly revisesyour policy. If you employ staff make surethey, or a staff representative, are part ofthe working group. FCFCG can provideexample models of policies.

Minimise risks to healthAre you regularly inspecting and checkingthe garden and its facilities for riskfactors? What problems have thesechecks identified and what have youdone about it? Have there been anychanges since your last check thatrequire immediate assessment.

Provide good information,instruction, training andsupervisionIs there safety information provided onthe garden site? Can all users (includingchildren, people with learning difficultiesand those whose first language is notEnglish) understand this information? Isthere safety signage on show for visitors?What health and safety training do youprovide, e.g. how many of yourvolunteers (and staff) know how to dig orlift safely, or fill and push a loadedwheelbarrow? FCFCG has produced a‘Clean Hands Zone’ toolkit, particularly forcity farms and groups which keeplivestock, but which is applicable to allgroups. This is available to download freefrom:www.farmgarden.org.uk/publications

Provide preventative advice andappropriate First AidDo you have a fully-stocked and easilyaccessible First Aid kit? How many ofyour volunteers, staff and members arequalified First Aiders (or 'AppointedPersons')? When are they on site? Whatinformation do you provide to users, e.g.tetanus information? Does the gardendisplay a clear notice stating where First

Aid is available? For the smallercommunity garden without facilities youshould at the very least provide cleardetails of where to find the nearest publictelephone and a list of other contacts,e.g. local GP, local council environmentalhealth department.

Provide appropriate welfarefacilitiesAre your toilets and washing facilitiesclean and accessible? If there are notoilets on site can you negotiate for useof nearby facilities? Is there a reasonablycomfortable, sheltered place wherevolunteers and staff can relax, avoid badweather and make a cup of tea? Whatprovision have you made for smokers?

Investigate accidents, industrialdiseases and dangerousoccurrencesDo you have an accident book and is itkept in an easy-to-find place? Are thereclear instructions about what to do, whatneeds to be recorded and who tocontact?

Procedures for the safe use,handling, storage andtransportation of articles andsubstancesThe best policy is to minimize the use ofdangerous substances on the garden (oreven better not use any at all), particularlywhere children are involved, otherwiseyou need to state a clear policy and set ofprocedures for storing and using thesesubstances.

Provide insuranceSee Insurance earlier in this chapter.

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the barrow at the front over the wheel, notat the handles end. Avoid pushing theloaded barrow over soft ground. Trainstaff/volunteers in their use.

Use of garden toolsAssociated risks include, for example, rakesand forks left lying face up on the ground.Proper storage and maintenance helpsreduce accidents, as does training.

Power and electrical toolsWhere appropriate keep power andelectrical tools locked and have a bookingin/out system to monitor use; only allowthose who have received appropriatetraining to use them. Some power toolsrequire the user to be qualified to use them(e.g. a chainsaw or motorised strimmer) andthat the appropriate health and safetyequipment be worn. A qualified electricianmust check all electrical appliances - evenyour kettle - annually.

If you are using petrol driven equipment(e.g. strimmers) ensure that fire safetyprecautions are taking when handling thefuel and that any petrol is stored safely orremoved from the site.

Compost heapsA compost heap that is not managed wellcan attract vermin. Signpost clearly whatcan/cannot be put on your heap andtimetable regular maintenance intostaff/volunteer duties.

ManureManure can pose a health risk and shouldbe well rotted, for at least six months,

before handling. Always handle using glovesor appropriate tools.

DogsMany community growing spaces are dogfree zones (with the exception of guide dogs).Dog faeces can have an impact on the landfor up to 15 years and pose health problems for young children and pregnantwomen. Remove dog faeces hygienically ifit appears in your garden, or have adedicated bin for this purpose if you doallow dogs.

Bees An increasing number of communitygrowing groups are keeping bees and thereare obvious health and safety implicationsaround being stung as well as less obviousissues about moving hives, use ofequipment etc. There is more informationfrom the British Beekeeping association at:www.bbka.org.uk and some useful information from theEdinburgh & Midlothian BeekeepersAssociation at:www.edinburghbeekeepers.org.uk

Fire hazards Contact the Fire Safety Officer at your localfire station for advice and assessment of firehazards on your site.

Working at heightFor example, pruning trees or repairing shedroofs. There are obvious dangers involvedhere in falling off ladders or structures orbeing injured by falling equipment or debriswhile passing underneath.

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Food preparation andhygieneCommunity gardens are increasingly beingused as a space to cook and share foodtogether, using produce grown on site (seethe FCFCG topic sheet ‘Cooking andfeasting on the plot’. From soups forvolunteers’ lunches, to making jam with glutfruit, it is really important that you makesure your food is safe to eat and that youare meeting food safety legislationrequirements.

If you are preparing food for sale or forconsumption in a community building, thevenue’s management committee isresponsible for ensuring that the premisesare clean and well maintained and thisincludes the kitchen area. Whoever doesthe catering is responsible for ensuring thesafety of the food prepared and served onthose premises.

Food safety legislationFood hygiene legislation sets out regulationsgoverning the handling, storage andpreparation of food (and drinks). The mainrequirements are set out under The FoodSafety Act 1990 (as amended), whichapplies to England, Scotland and Wales. Ifyour community group is preparing,handling, cooking and/or providing food forpublic consumption your committee/boardmembers are responsible for ensuring that:

You do not include anything in food,remove anything from food or treat foodin any way that will mean that it wouldbe damaging to the health of peopleeating it. This means that any food youprepare, store and sell should be fit forhuman consumption and not going tomake anyone eating (or drinking) it ill.

The food you serve or sell is of thenature, substance or quality whichconsumers would expect.

That the food is labelled, advertised andpresented in a way that is not false ormisleading.

Day to day enforcement of Food Safetylegislation is in the main the responsibility ofEnvironmental Health practitioners and LocalAuthority Trading Standards officers. TheFood Standards Agency, overseeing thework of local authorities in relation to foodsafety, also enforces some of theregulations.

Please note at the time of writing, theScottish Government had announced that itwould create a new Scottish body for foodsafety, food standards, nutrition, foodlabelling and meat inspection.

Ensuring compliance and bestpractice food safety procedures

All food and drink - including water -should be prepared safely andhygienically in premises that are cleanand properly equipped.

Anyone preparing or supervising thepreparation of food, should be properlytrained or instructed in food hygiene.

Your food hygiene procedures shoulddemonstrate that you have effectivefood safety management in place.Anyone responsible for developing andmaintaining food hygiene proceduresshould also have received adequatefood hygiene training.

If your community group has a premiseswith a kitchen used for the storage andpreparation of food for publicconsumption (perhaps a village hall orcommunity centre), display food hygieneposters prominently in the kitchen areaas well as on other notice-boards. Youmay also wish to send a food hygieneleaflet to user groups when they make abooking and will be using your kitchen.

If your community group is responsible for akitchen as part of your premises yourcommittee or board members should carryout a risk assessment in relation to foodhygiene. This will:

Identify any hazards to food safety.Consider things like cross contaminationof foods, temperatures for storage etc.

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Enable you to put controls in place todeal with these hazards.

Agree a procedure for checking thatthose controls are carried out andworking.

Your Food Safety Risk Assessment willenable you to adopt a Food Safety Policy,stating:

What you will do if something goeswrong

How you will keep your procedures up todate

That you will record inspections andreviews.

Contact your Local Authority for specificguidance. They should be able to offeradvice and guidance on matters relating toFood Hygiene including good practice,procedures, safety checks, supervision andtraining. They should also be able to supplyposters for display in your venue andleaflets to disseminate to user groups, lookover and advise on plans for any newcommunity hall and arrange or providetraining courses in food preparation andhandling, and sometimes assist with thecosts.

The ProtectingVulnerable GroupsScheme (PVG Scheme)If your group works with children under theage of 18, or 'vulnerable' adults, you willwant to make sure that any members, paid

employees or volunteers are suitable for thetasks they undertake. Part of this processcan involve checking whether an individual:

Has any relevant convictions

Has had any relevant cautions, warningsor reprimands from the police

Is named on lists of those unsuitable forwork with children or vulnerable adults

Has been disqualified or banned fromworking with children or vulnerable adultsby a judge following conviction for arelevant offence.

In February 2011, the Scottish Governmentintroduced a new membership scheme toreplace and improve upon the previousdisclosure arrangements for people whowork with vulnerable groups. The aim of thePVG scheme is to ensure the safety ofchildren and vulnerable adults who mayvolunteer at or visit your garden. There arenow three levels of checks available (Basic,Standard and Enhanced) depending on whatinformation needs to be retrieved.

Getting a PVG disclosure is a legal obligationin some circumstances, or a requirement forinsurance cover in others, but very often itwill be a matter of judgement for yourgroup. They can be a useful tool but onlyprovide information about a person's pastrather than future actions. If you have paidemployees or volunteers you will needpolicies and procedures coveringrecruitment, training and support, health andsafety and equal opportunities.

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FCFCG

Model risk assessments and topic sheets‘Health & Safety for community growingprojects’ and ‘Cooking and feasting on theplot’, and ‘Clean Hands Zone toolkit’.

www.farmgarden.org.uk/publications

Health and Safety Executive

www.hse.gov.uk

PVG Scheme

www.disclosurescotland.co.uk

Further information

Taking on staff andvolunteers andunderstanding what’s

involved in this process is animportant step in a group’sdevelopment. Your mostvaluable resources are thepeople involved in your group.Whether paid or unpaid, thepeople involved in your projectneed to feel valued, supportedand well managed – and yourproject needs to fulfill its legalresponsibilities towards them.

VolunteersWhatever people do for the garden, andno matter how much time they spend, ifthey aren't getting paid they arevolunteers. That probably includes youreading this now!

Community growing spaces can offer awide variety of opportunities for

volunteering, for both the skilled andexperienced and the - as yet - unskilled orless experienced. Volunteering can coverany activity and responsibility, from thevolunteer chairperson with legalaccountability and requiring a number ofspecialist skills, to the casual volunteerwho agrees to deliver some leaflets threetimes a year.

Volunteers can be recruited from:

Your own members and supporters

Site visitors

Local residents

Members of other localorganisations/groups

Local school children or conservationwork parties

Volunteer workers from localbusinesses.

Remember: Most people becomevolunteers because someone asks them.Don’t be passive about getting volunteers,get out there and find them.

Mutual benefitVolunteering should be a mutuallybeneficial, enjoyable and rewarding

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experience. Your group should benefit fromthe time, enthusiasm, skills and energygiven to it by the volunteer, but equally, thevolunteer should be able to take advantageof the opportunities offered by you to learnnew skills, meet new people and make apositive contribution to the local community.

To ensure that volunteering on your gardenbenefits all concerned it’s important to keepa balance between your group’s capacity -ability, time and skills - to support andmanage volunteers, and the amount of workthat needs doing.

Saying ‘yes’ to everyone who wants tovolunteer can lead to problems. Somevolunteers might have needs that cannot bemet by your group. You need to offerfriendly and informal volunteeringopportunities whilst remembering yourresponsibilities to protect the public and thevolunteers working with you.

Setting up volunteer recruitmentsystemsConsider setting up systems (see box) tohelp you recruit regular and key volunteerswhen your group is established and youhave projects to work on. Recruit and treatthem the same way as you would a paidmember of staff. More casual volunteersmay require less formality than those in keyroles but should still benefit from many ofthese systems.

Advice and support on volunteermanagementThis is a massive area and while theinformation above may seem daunting,there is a huge amount of advice andsupport out there to help you recruit, inductand support work with volunteers (see boxoverleaf). Developing a volunteer policy andinvesting time and energy setting up

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Recruiting volunteers - a systematic approach

Volunteer job descriptions: These shouldclearly define the work that needs doing. Youmay need more than one of these if some of thework of volunteers is specialized or you arelooking for particular skills for a particular project.

Advertising: Volunteer notice board, localcommunity papers, volunteer agencies.

Application process: Including an applicationform and an informal but structured interview.

References

Equal opportunities monitoring form

Volunteer agreement: A written documentexpressing your commitment to the volunteerand what you expect from them.

How problems will be dealt with: Simpleguidelines relating to your group and thevolunteer.

Volunteer handbook: A user-friendly leafletcontaining information about your project andhow you work.

Induction: Draw up a simple checklist of thethings a new volunteer will need to know.

Regular supervision and support: A one toone discussion with the volunteer to find outhow they are, thank them for the work they arecarrying out, identify any problems and agree

how they are to be overcome, assess anytraining needs and plan what they will be doinguntil the next supervision session.

Training: This can take place at your garden oranother venue and can be both formal andinformal, however it should always be tailored tomeet the needs of your volunteers. There aremany organisations that can help you set upyour own training, or provide training for you.

Records: Keep information on how to contactyour volunteers, when they are available, whatskills, experience and interests they have, whatthey want to do and what they want to get outof it. Where someone is a regular volunteerconsider keeping additional useful information,e.g. a contact in case of an emergency and anyspecial medications. All records should be keptin a safe and secure place with restricted accessto protect confidentiality; remember thatindividuals have a right to see their records ifrequested.

Expenses: Volunteering should be free, so ifpossible your group should provide travelexpenses, refreshments, protective clothing andideally a place to relax with a cuppa.

Child and vulnerable adult protection: PVGchecks (see previous chapter) for volunteers andstaff will be required if your garden works withchildren or vulnerable adults. We stronglyrecommend that volunteers and staff alwayshave another adult present when working withchildren and vulnerable adults.

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systems to recruit and support volunteerswill help to ensure that both your group andall your volunteers have positive andrewarding experiences. Make volunteering enjoyable. Providerefreshments, organise social events andoutings to other community growingspaces, and treat your volunteers both aspart of your team and as the generoushuman beings they are!

Paid workersFew groups employ staff in the early stagesof their development but when/if you reachthe stage of considering employing staff youneed to be aware that there is much tolearn regarding employment law, budgetingand associated factors. You can get directadvice from FCFCG development staff, aswell as other local groups who may haveemployed staff themselves.

Employing staff: Budgets andsalariesThere are a number of factors to considerwhen employing staff which will have animpact on budgets, not least what salariesto pay and any added costs, such aspension schemes and National Insurance:

You could link pay to local governmentpay rates – your local council may havea Voluntary Sector Unit or you couldcontact your local Unison branch. Youcould also look at the SCVO pay scales:www.scvo.org.uk/information/staff/pay

Scan job adverts in your local paper oronline at www.goodmoves.org.uk orwww.environmentjob.co.uk to see whatwages are paid by comparable jobs. It’salso worth looking at the FCFCGwebsite as member groups often havevacancies advertised on the Jobs page.

Remember to budget for annual payrises - if pay is linked to localgovernment rates, pay awards areagreed nationally.

Decide if you plan to pay your staffannual increments (increments are foreach year of service up to a maximumnumber of years, and are separate frompay rises).

Also decide if you plan to makecontributions to a staff pension scheme.

Remember to include Employers'National Insurance.

Employment law – Yourresponsibilities See details under Step 10: Governance &paperwork

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Support for volunteermanagersThird Sector Interface: Each localauthority has a TSI now, replacing theCouncil for Voluntary Service andVolunteer Centre.

Local councils: Some local authoritiesprovide help and support or fund otherbodies to do the job of providingvolunteering advice and support.

Other community growing groups:Ask other local groups where they'vegot help or support in recruitingvolunteers.

Libraries: Should have information tohelp you find volunteering groups orgeneral information on volunteering

Online Advice: There is a wealth ofinformation and support online. Someof the best sources of information are:

www.volunteerscotland.org.uk -Scotland’s gateway to volunteering

www.csv.org.uk - The UK volunteeringand learning charity

www.tcv.org.uk - The ConservationVolunteers (formerly BTCV)

www.do-it.org.uk - Matches potentialvolunteers with opportunities

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Training forvolunteers/staffMany groups make the mistake of viewingtraining as a cost rather than as aninvestment. Both your community garden asa whole and individual volunteers and staffwill benefit from an investment in trainingand each other’s growth and development.

Benefits to individuals and thecommunity garden

Your volunteers and staff are your keyresource. Their ability to use their skills,knowledge, experience, enthusiasm andcommitment to help your group meet itsaims will determine how successful yourgarden will be.

A group that cares about its volunteersand staff is one that recognizes theimportance of providing them withtraining opportunities that help themdevelop and contribute - if it doesn’t,people may leave.

Training provides the opportunity forpeople to upgrade and diversify theirskills, and to move into more challengingroles on the project.

Training enables your group to put intopractice the policies and workingpractices that have been developed andagreed. For example, policies covering

child protection, equal opportunities, orhealth and safety are worth very littleunless practical training is provided sothat all volunteers and staff canunderstand and implement them.

When the group reviews its progress itshould consider how training might helpto maximise any anticipated opportunitiesand reduce any threats facing the garden.For example, training might be necessarybefore the introduction of new servicesor when founder members leave.

As part of your general plan for thedevelopment of the garden it’s a goodidea to include a simple training plan,providing a framework for supportingyour volunteers and staff.

Developing a training plan –What’s needed?For a training plan to make sense it shouldfit into the way your group and site is likelyto develop. Ask yourselves the followingquestions:

What are your aims?

What tasks and skills are needed toachieve those aims?

Who is going to do what?

Do they need training in order to do it?

If yes, have you got the budget to payfor training?

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Who is going to provide the training?You need to research training providerscarefully to see what their track recordis like, qualifications of trainers, whethertheir prices are competitive etc.

Is training actually needed orappropriate?

Sometimes it can be easier for an outsideperson to see what you cannot in terms oftraining needs. FCFCG can provide adviceand support to member groups in identifyingtraining needs.

Evaluating trainingIt’s important to assess whether training iseffective or not. Evaluate the training yourstaff or volunteers receive by asking twoquestions. Are those who did the trainingstill applying what they learned? Has anyoneelse benefited from the training they had?

Training can cause changes in practices bothimmediately and over time, so remember tocarry out a follow-up evaluation (e.g. after 6months), as well as during and immediatelyafter the training.

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The Conservation Volunteers (TCV)

A wide range of short courses for thoseinvolved in community and environmentalwork.

www.tcv.org

Employers In Voluntary Housing –

Supporting social employers

Provide paid-for employment services.

www.evh.org.uk

Federation of Small Businesses

Human Resources support for itsmembers.

www.fsb.org.uk

SCVO

Information resources to help withrecruiting, managing and payingvolunteers.

www.scvo.org.uk/information/running-a-voluntary-organisation/people/volunteers

Volunteer Scotland

www.volunteerscotland.org.uk

FCFCG

Job description template for volunteersavailable from InfoZone on website(membership required).

Further information

If your group is well organisedand follows good practice it ismore likely to function better,

deal with administration quickerand be more robust for thefuture.

Trustees and managementcommittee members (orDirectors if your organisation isa company) carry an importantresponsibility to manage theirorganisations and deliver ontheir objectives in a way thatenhances public trust andsupport.

Good governance -follow the codeThe Charity Commission, document,‘Good Governance – A code for thevoluntary sector’, outlines standards forboards seeking to become more effective

in leading their organisations. These aresummarised below. The full document isavailable to download from:www.charitycommission.gov.uk

Please note: Although the CharityCommission’s remit does not extend toScotland, this guidance is equally relevantto Scottish organisations.

Understanding the board’s role

Members of the board will understandtheir role and responsibilities collectivelyand individually in relation to:

Legal duties

Stewardship of assets

Provisions of the governing document

External environment

Total structure of the organisation

And in terms of:

Setting and safeguarding the vision,values and reputation of the organisation

Overseeing the work of the organisation

Managing and supporting staff andvolunteers, where applicable.

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Ensuring delivery of organisationalpurpose The board will ensure that the organisationdelivers its stated purposes or aims by:

Ensuring organisational purposes remainrelevant and valid

Developing and agreeing a long termstrategy

agreeing operational plans and budgets

Monitoring progress and spendingagainst plan and budget

Evaluating results, assessing outcomesand impact

Reviewing and/or amending the plan andbudget as appropriate.

Working effectively both asindividuals and as a team The board will have a range of appropriatepolicies and procedures, knowledge,attitudes and behaviours to enable bothindividuals and the board to work effectively.These will include:

Finding and recruiting new boardmembers to meet the organisation'schanging needs in relation to skills,experience and diversity

Providing suitable induction for newboard members

Providing all board members withopportunities for training anddevelopment according to their needs

Periodically reviewing their performanceboth as individuals and as a team.

Exercising effective control As the accountable body, the board willensure that:

The organisation understands andcomplies with all legal and regulatoryrequirements that apply to it

The organisation continues to have goodinternal financial and management controls

It regularly identifies and reviews themajor risks to which the organisation isexposed and has systems to managethose risks

Delegation to committees, staff andvolunteers (as applicable) workseffectively and the use of delegatedauthority is properly supervised.

Behaving with integrity The board will:

Safeguard and promote theorganisation's reputation

Act according to high ethical standards

Identify, understand and manage conflictsof interest and loyalty

Maintain independence of decisionmaking

Deliver impact that best meets the needsof beneficiaries.

Being open and accountable The board will lead the organisation in beingopen and accountable, both internally andexternally. This will include:

Open communications, informing peopleabout the organisation and its work

Appropriate consultation on significantchanges to the organisation's services orpolicies

Listening and responding to the views ofsupporters, funders, beneficiaries,service users and others with an interestin the organisation's work

Handling complaints constructively,impartially and effectively

Considering the organisation'sresponsibilities to the wider community, e.g. its environmentalimpact.

Legal responsibilitiesEmployment rightsThere’s no getting round the fact thatemploying people can be complex, adds tothe administration of an organisation andrequires a lot of good practice. However, by

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treating your workers well you can reapmany rewards from a committed andenthusiastic staff member. Remember thatall employees will have employment rights,such as entitlement to contracts, periods ofnotice, redundancy payments, claims forunfair dismissal, holidays, maternity andpaternity leave etc.

Rules and regulations around employmentare being constantly updated. Keep up todate via the Government’s own website.www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment

Further information is available from thewebsite of the Department for BusinessInnovation and Skills.

The tax office is also an important port ofcall. As an employer, you need to get theseries of leaflets for employers from HerMajesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC),and bear in mind that trade unions activelyinvolved in the voluntary sector (e.g.UNISON, TGWU, GMB and MSF) can offerhelpful advice and often have a local officeand advisers.

You cannot refuse to employ someone witha criminal record (The Rehabilitation ofOffenders Act 1974) but if you intendengaging with children or vulnerable adultsyou have the responsibility to protect themby making checks through the Protection ofVulnerable Groups scheme (see Step 8 -Safety first for details).

FireIf you have - or plan to have - a building theninvite the local Fire Safety Officer to assessyour proposals, and the project site, to giveadvice and say whether or not you will need afire certificate. It is good practice to seekgeneral fire safety advice for the whole of thegarden site whether you have buildings or not.

FoodIf you intend preparing and/or selling food,either regularly or at one off events, theninvite the local Environmental Health Officerfor your area, employed by your localcouncil, to give you help and advice (seealso risk advice in Step 8 - Safety first).

FinanceAll groups should keep accounts and inmost cases are legally obliged to do so.

Scottish charities, co-operatives andcompanies must, by law, keep proper

books of account that have to include astatement of income and expenditure.This normally covers a 12-month period.

Account books and statements must bekept for a minimum of seven years.

Accounts must be independentlyexamined by a suitably experiencedperson. Whether a professional audit isrequired depends on the type oforganisation and the level of its annualturnover.

A Scottish charity must spend its fundsin accordance with what is stated in itsConstitution. If not, its trustees (usuallythe management committee) becomepersonally liable and OSCR could forcethem to repay any mis-spent money.Companies must stick to the purposesspecified in their Memorandum ofAssociation.

Organisations employing staff are legallyresponsible for maintaining records ofincome tax (PAYE) deductions, nationalinsurance (NI) contributions and anystatutory sick pay payments, and anymaternity or paternity pay and pensions.

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Any community garden that trades, i.e.sells goods or services that are notdirectly furthering their constitutionobjectives, and has a taxable annualturnover of more than £77,000 (at April2012) a year, must register for ValueAdded Tax (VAT) and keep detailedrecords. This figure is usually changedannually.

Legal agreements Who is authorised to sign legal documentson behalf of your group will depend on thetype of organisation you are.

Your bank accounts should have a minimumof two signatories on any cheque issued.Normally one is your Treasurer and the othershould be someone else on themanagement committee, or a key memberof staff. The bank will expect to receive anextract of management committee minutesat which signatories are decided. It is goodpractice to appoint three or four people assignatories of whom any two can sign; extrasecurity and accountability exists wherethree people need to sign of which one isusually the Treasurer.

If you are a Scottish charity it is essentialthat documents refer to this fact. Itemssuch as notices, websites, leaflets, flyers,posters, letterheads, advertisements, emailsand any kind of member information shouldall have the Scottish charity number onthem. Even if you're sending outinformation looking for supporters and tryingto solicit membership subscriptions, you are

still required to state your charity number.Likewise, financial paperwork such asreceipts and invoices (but not cheques)should have the statement that you are acharity on them and your charity number.The correct way of doing this is to add astatement such as “Anytown CommunityGarden is a Scottish Charity numberSC000000.” For details see:www.oscr.org.uk/media/1859/References inDocuments Amended.pdf

Other legal documents, such as a license orlease, should only be signed by peopleauthorised by the organisation. If you are aregistered company then documents willusually specify Company Secretary or Chairetc. If you are a Scottish CharitableIncorporated Organisation (SCIO) a memberof the management committee should sign.If you are an unincorporated charity ororganisation, your management committee(or steering group if you haven't yet formeda committee) should decide who will signlegal documents. Everyone needs tounderstand the legal responsibilitiescontained within each document, but it isthe individual who will be legally responsible (an unincorporated associationcannot itself enter into legal agreements;individuals act on behalf of the organisation).

Other legal requirements If you store information about people,e.g. on a computer database, you needto ensure that information is safe and notmade public without the individual’spermission. If you keep a lot of contactrecords, you may need to register withthe Registrar of Data Protection underthe Data Protection Act 1984 (see alsosection on Contacts and membersbelow).

You should not sell donated goods unlessyou either have them tested byrecognised professionals, or display clearsigns to the effect that the goods aredonated and you cannot guarantee theirquality and reliability.

You should maintain an accident bookand record all injuries that occur on thesite. These can be purchased in moststationers or office supply stores.

Leases, licences, insurance and healthand safety requirements have beencovered in other steps.

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PaperworkKeeping accurate, accessible records is veryimportant for a number of reasons:

As evidence of decisions made and aguide to what you want to achieve

As an archive to help learning for the future

To provide the committee, users of thegarden and supporters with evidence ofwhat has been achieved

To provide information by which activitiescan be reviewed and as the raw materialfor producing reports, fundingapplications etc

To fulfill legal obligations, e.g.employment records or annual accounts.

Visual recordsKeeping visual records, includingphotographs, videos, design graphics andartwork can help build up a fantasticresource which demonstrates the history ofyour project. Visual records are valuable fora variety of reasons:

It will lift your spirits when the going getstough - you can look back and see whathas been achieved.

It will provide useful visual informationfor publicity and funding applications.

It will help new members to understandthe project’s development.

Slides and videos can be used forpresentations and talks to promote yourgarden, to help others trying to start theirown community growing spaces and fortraining your management committeemembers, volunteers and staff.

Video records can be useful, but don’toverdo it. Video needs to be edited into 5-20minute presentations that have a purpose,e.g. the first five years of the garden, thegarden over four seasons, a successfultraining event, or a training video like healthand safety in the garden.

Keep sets of drawings, architects’ plans,designs etc. as a visual record of all servicelayouts including water, electricity, gas,drains, sewers, telephone/cable and have allimportant elements, such as stop cocks,meters, drain covers and inspection points,marked. This will help with yourmaintenance programme and be useful inan emergency.

Keep planting plans, exercises and modelsmade in designing the garden, studentprojects or anything else that provideshistorical records of development and maystimulate ideas in the future.

Written recordsMany people may be involved in yourgarden in lots of different ways. It’simportant that your record-keeping systemsare comprehensive but simple, so that theyhelp rather than hinder communication.

Keep a 'day book' in any office orbuilding you might have on-site, so thatmembers, staff or volunteers coming towork or using the facilities know whathas happened since their last visit. Forexample: “Lock on tool shed has beenchanged; see Joe for your key”. Recordnumbers and types of visitors to thegarden to show who it is helping andhelp identify any groups you might wishto encourage.

Display or keep a horticultural calendar,marking off what has been done andwhen, what has flowered and when,etc.

Funders will require you to report onhow you have spent the money theyhave donated and the positive benefitsto the local community that haveresulted from their support. The task ofreporting to funders will be made mucheasier if you keep appropriate records ofthe work, events and activities theyhave funded.

Contacts and membersInformation can be kept on cards showingdetails for each contact or member: whothey are, how they can be contacted, whatthey can do, when they are available,whether their membership fees have beenpaid etc.

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Remember that the Data Protection Actallows an individual to see personalinformation about them that is being stored.The main principles to follow are to keepinformation secure, only record theinformation you need and that you know tobe accurate (not rumour or personalopinion), and only make it available to thosewho need it.

Don't give anyone access to records, unlessthey have a legitimate need to see theinformation. You may also wish to considerseeking signed permission from individualsif you want to store the informationelectronically, e.g. on a computer database.

Further information about data protectionrules and obligations is available on theInformation Commissioner’s website.www.ico.org.uk

Not for profit organisations are exempt frombeing required to register with theCommissioner. You can check your group’sregistration obligations using thecommission’s self-assessment tool.www.ico.org.uk/for_organisations/data_protection/registration/self-assessment/1

Events and activitiesIf you hold events, keep a file of relevantinformation, e.g. who designed the posters,where the bouncy castle came from, andwho was willing to help. Make notes ofwhat went well, what didn’t work and why,as well as numbers of participants, fundsraised, etc. This will save a lot of time in the

future and make it easier for new people toget involved in organising events. Keeprecords of activities in the same way.

If your event or activity was made possibleby funders, make sure you keep note of theinformation they require, and report backwithin deadlines.

Comments book and suggestionsboxHave a suggestions box in a secure,prominent place on site and encouragevisitors and supporters to use it. Publiciseyour complaints procedure so visitors andsupporters know how they can raise anyconcerns they might have and make sureyou respond to any concerns raised withinagreed time limits. Have one group memberwho regularly monitors these commentsand brings a report to your managementcommittee meetings.

Posters and noticesKeep up-to-date copies of all policiesand legal documents, e.g. whether it ispermitted to use fertilisers, who canbecome members of the garden, whothey should contact if they would like tovolunteer etc. Make sure all staff andvolunteers know where to find thisinformation.

Display key information in everydaylanguage, e.g. whether dogs areallowed in the garden. Consider usingdrawings as well as text tocommunicate information wheneverpossible and translating information intolanguages appropriate to your localcommunity.

Try to avoid too many ‘don’t do…’notices, as they can create anunwelcoming atmosphere. Too muchinformation (notice overload) can be ascounterproductive as too little. Try tokeep notices to designated areas.Remove tired looking/out of datenotices.

Policy documentsPolicy documents allow you to set out indetail what good practice policies you havein place for a variety of issues andcircumstances. They give a set of easilydefinable rules, which everyone within yourorganisation needs to follow.

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Of course, a balance needs to be struckbetween wanting to ensure good practice inas many areas as possible, and having thecapacity to create and implement policies.So what are the essential policies you needto have in place? This in part depends onwhat kind of site you have, whether youallow visitors, who carries out activities onyour site and what kind of activities takeplace. The following five policies would beuseful in most cases.

Child and Vulnerable Persons PolicyDesigned to actively promote awareness,good practice and sound procedures. Thispolicy aims to ensure that children, youngpeople and vulnerable adults have theopportunity to develop their physical,emotional and social skills and are respectedregardless of their age, ability or sexualorientation.

Volunteer PolicyAll community growing groups rely onvolunteer help, so having a policy whichsets out how the group works in theinterests of its volunteers and what isexpected of volunteers in return, is a usefuldocument.

Environmental PolicyYour work will generally focus oncommunity and environmentalimprovement, but some activities involved(e.g. travel, energy use, procurement ofgoods and waste generation) have anegative environmental impact. This policywould set out how you would aim to reducethat impact.

Health & Safety PolicyUseful to make people aware of health andsafety issues, their responsibilities and whatthe group is doing to ensure good healthand safety on the site.

Equal Opportunities PolicyHelps pull together good practice in termsof how your group aims to implement equalopportunities

There are a number of template andexample policies available to download fromthe InfoZone on the FCFCG website(membership required).

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Scottish Council for Voluntary

Organisations

Legal requirements for a communitygroup in Scotland.

www.scvo.org.uk/running-your-organisation/legislation-regulation

Advice on governance and structures.

www.scvo.org.uk/setting-up-a-charity

Guide to Good Governance.

http://scvoshop.org.uk/product/guide-to-good-governance-hard-copy

Evaluation Support Scotland

Help with monitoring and evaluation.

www.evaluationsupportscotland.org.uk

Further information

If your community garden isgoing to be a membershiporganisation, it’s important

that you can demonstrate thatlocal people can support thegarden by choosing to becomemembers and have a say in thegarden’s running anddevelopment.

Who are our members?This should be one of your first questions -and the answer is not always obvious. Asupporter can be defined as anyone whowishes to be associated with yourorganisation and its aims and goals.Supporters are often people who areprepared to give time and talent as well asmoney, but are these people also your'members’?

Some groups call anyone who givesmoney a member. Some call anyone whohappens to live in a specific area amember. Some call their visitorsmembers, or have a membership scheme

that people pay to join. You need to decidehow to define your members, and includea definition in your constitution.

Representatives from your membershipmay later become the managementcommittee.

Membership feesGroups are often resistant to raisingmoney from members – especially wherelocal people (or many of them) are on lowincomes, but there can be advantages.

Money from members is dependable,which helps your cashflow, as long asyou do what the membership wants.

Paying members tend to feel a senseof ownership and responsibility towardsthe garden. They are less likely to driftin and out of involvement; more likelyto be committed to supporting you.

Membership demonstrates localsupport, especially to organisations thatcan provide help, funds, or donations in-kind so that they will, in turn, be morelikely to support you.

Garden members may give you accessto useful contacts through theiremployers or other organisations to

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which they belong. This could lead tofurther offers of help, like donations in-kind; it’s often who you know, and whoknows them, that can help you in thefuture.

Think about your own area; do othervoluntary and community organisationscharge membership fees?

If you decide to charge fees your next taskwill be to decide how much to charge. Evenif you have fees now, when did you lastraise them? Are they realistic? Whatproportion of your garden’s running costs dothey meet?

Membership fees can help cover some ofthe running costs of your garden. Don’t setfees too low - set them at a level where youget some income from those who are ableto pay, and can offer concessions to thosewho can't. And don’t forget you will need tocover the costs of administering yourmembership.

When publicising membership point outequivalents, e.g. 10p a week makes over £5a year, 50 members would generate £250 ayear, or for the price of a pint of beer youcan be a member of the garden for fourmonths.

There are alternatives to fixed fees. Youcould:

Offer a range of ways to pay, e.g.weekly, monthly or yearly rate (but non-annual ways to pay require moreadministration)

Offer discounts if members providevolunteering services, such as deliveringnewsletters

Offer different rates for individuals,families, OAPs, those on low incomes,etc.

Charge affiliation fees to other localcommunity and voluntary organisations

Get someone else, say an employer, topay the fee.

In all instances make it clear what themembership fees are paying for, e.g. “Yourmoney will go to buy plants and materials,not admin costs.”

Make any membership benefits clear –providing a regular newsletter will keeppeople engaged. Maybe offer a discount tomembers if you sell any products.

Getting new membersThis could partially be the responsibility ofexisting members. Ask each member to findand recruit 3-5 new members a year. Talkingto potential members is an important andeffective way to promote your garden. You

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should mention your membership schemeon any other publicity you produce, alongwith contact details for anyone interested.

Membership records andrenewalsAs a minimum you need to know the nameand address of your members and their dateof joining. To report to funders and makesure you are attracting all members of thecommunity you may also want to recorddetails such as age, gender, ethnicity orincome. It’s also a good idea to ask for andkeep records of skills members can sharewith your group.

Keep clear and accurate records; you aredealing with people’s money and even smallmistakes tend to upset people. Andremember to keep your members personal

details safe – you will have a responsibilityunder the Data Protection Act to ensure this(see Step 10 - Governance & paperwork).

Try asking your members to collect renewalfees from other members; this can help toform relationships and encourages thespread of information about your garden.

Larger community growing spaces, offeringa wide range of services, may combinemembership with additional voluntary givingschemes such as covenants and give as youearn (GAYE), which give your supporters ameans to further contribute to your group.

Remember: active members are yourgarden’s most valuable resource. You willknow from your records how to contactthem and ask for help. Some of them willbe future management committeemembers.

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Give as you earn (GAYE)

www.cafonline.org/giving-as-a-company.aspx

Further information

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After the initial burst ofenthusiasm thataccompanies setting up a

site when there is a clear planand objective (e.g. clearing thesite) and obvious rewards, youmay find the ‘honeymoon’period ends and you face achallenge in keeping the localcommunity (and your source ofvolunteers) interested in theproject.

Retaining communityinterestThere are a number of options available tohelp tackle this challenge.

Keep your stakeholders up-to-date:Produce a newsletter or leaflet on aregular basis (monthly or quarterly,depending on capacity) or organiseseasonal events for people to take part in -Easter, Harvest, Christmas.

Promote yourself: During your initialsetting up phase you may have onlyreached the tip of the iceberg in terms oflocal interest. Make sure that you regularlypromote your group (see Step 3 - Involvingthe community & profile-raising) throughlocal networks and the media.

Make sure you have activities of

interest: Continue to monitor and assesswhat you are doing to ensure it is workingand attracting interest. For example, areyou running workshops in subjects thatpeople have requested?

Keep things interesting during non-

growing periods: Obviously there is alimited amount you can do on-site duringthe winter, but that doesn’t mean youcan’t use the time for planning,consultation, or other indoor activities, likearts and crafts. There’s alwaysmaintenance to do - fixing fences,sharpening tools etc.

Use and adapt your business plan: Yourbusiness or action plan should havetargets and objectives arounddevelopment and promotion that you canuse to help retain community interest.

Ask other groups: Though all communitygrowing groups are very different, the

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experiences and stories of groups whichhave been around some time are extremelyvaluable and inspiring. Contact long-standinggroups in your area to talk about ideas fordevelopment and sustainability. You can alsoswap ideas and gain insight at FCFCGregional networking events.

Consider planning a new phase of work orfresh developments: Especially on a largersite, there’s often an area that needsrevamping. Continue to consult with thecommunity.

Retaining volunteersThis can be the key to sustaining yourproject. The experience they will haveaccrued during the early stages of yourdevelopment is crucial and recruiting newvolunteers on a regular basis can be time-consuming and costly. You are looking for ablend of long-term volunteers and newfaces, so that there is both a sense ofcontinuity and inclusion for new peoplewanting to take part.

Variety: Give people many different ways toparticipate, so that anyone can findsomething that is interesting, comfortable,and convenient to do. Community growingprojects need people to help with finances,IT, fundraising, PR and HR as well ashorticultural skills!

Keep it clear: Clarity is very important aspoor communication easily leads to a loss of

interest. Volunteers want to know when anactivity will start, what it will entail, when itwill end, and how much will be expected ofthem.

Don’t expect too much: People are morelikely to volunteer for tasks of limitedduration than for those that require an open-ended commitment. Ask for a little time, atleast at first. Keep it short.

Create a friendly atmosphere: People aremore likely to spend time in a relaxedfriendly environment with familiar faces.They need to be welcomed when they walkthrough the door. They must feel like theybelong.

Make sure activities are useful: Peoplewant to be of use. They want the time theycontribute to be productive, to add value, tomake a difference.

Respect and cherish your volunteers:People want to be appreciated for theprecious gifts of personal time they havedonated. Give lots of recognition. Say thankyou.

Working with advisorsAdvisers with specialist knowledge, skillsand experience can be invaluable to thedevelopment of your community growingspace. For example, a landscape architectcould help prevent future problems byhelping you turn your ideas into asustainable, welcoming garden that can

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cope with future changes. A solicitor cancheck and advise on a proposed lease orcontract and identify potential problems. Acommunity worker could provideinformation about resources and services, oradvice and support on local consultation. Byobtaining relevant advice, it’s likely that yourgroup will save money, resources, time andeffort.

Your supporters can also be youradvisersYour best advisors are often those peoplewho are actively involved in supporting yourgrowing space, many of whom will haveskills, knowledge and experience youhaven’t yet discovered! It’s important,therefore to remember to ask the membersof your group if any of them are able toprovide the advice you need before seekingexternal advisers - you need to tap the greatvariety of local knowledge, skills andexpertise that exist in every area, includingyours!

Advisors on tap not on topDo seek advice, particularly in regard totechnical or legal issues, but remember thatall major decisions and policies must bemade by the community gardenorganisation, usually in the form of amanagement committee meeting. If anissue is contentious, publish the pros andcons beforehand, and hold a members’meeting to discuss the issue openly.Remember that important decisions need tobe owned by your members/users.

Some sources of help and advice Local councils often provide generalsupport through staff such as communitydevelopment workers, and specialistadvice through staff such as landscapearchitects, parks officers and treeofficers, all of whom may be able to help.

Local offices and local groups of nationalbodies can often help with advice andsometimes practically, e.g. with design

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Making the most ofadvisers andconsultants

It’s good practice to speak with morethan one specialist adviser beforedeciding who to use. You wantsomeone who is good at theirparticular skill, but who will also listento your group’s ideas and not try tocontrol you.

There are a number of national,regional, and local organisations thatcan provide you with help, advice andsupport, or at least put you in touch

with those who can. The FCFCG teamin Scotland is a good place to start.www.farmgarden.org.uk/scotland

Start your enquiries by asking othergroups in your area who they haveused, how good they were and whatthe charges were.

If you're asking advisers to do a lot ofwork for you, your group will need toagree a written brief, and later acontract which should include termsand conditions of payment. Even if anadviser agrees to carry out a lot ofwork free of charge, it’s best for bothof you to agree a brief, and for theadviser to clearly state what theyare/are not willing to do.

Whether you follow the advice you aregiven is up to your group – advisorsare there to help and advise you, notto tell you what to do!

Feel free to ask as many questions asyou wish about the advice you havebeen given. If the advice you receive isvery technical and difficult tounderstand, ensure that the adviserpresents it in an easily understoodform. The adviser is there to help, notconfuse you!

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and by providing volunteers to help withsome of the heavy work.

Local colleges or universities often havetutors and/or students keen to use theirskills to support their local communities(e.g. with marketing projects)

Some professions have organised pro-bono schemes, such as:

Planning Aid for Scotland:www.planningaidscotland.org.uk

LawWorks: http://lawworks.org.uk

Give your group a healthcheckCommunity growing groups can assess theirdevelopment, growth and sustainability byundertaking a simple health check.

A Health Check self-assessment toolavailable from FCFCG examines eight keyelements which make up an organisationand which, if working well, assist anorganisation in its future growth andsustainability: governance, marketing,resources, monitoring and evaluation,finance, planning, networks andpartnerships, and funding. You could alsouse the DTAS Early Warning Guide. SeeFurther information below.

Sustainability:Maintaining themomentumThere may be times, when you’rewondering what on earth you’re doing,energy may be flagging and the weather isnot helping. There are some key things youcan do to keep the momentum going onyour project, whether you’re established oremerging:

Go and see other projects forinspiration, learning and sharing,

Get re-inspired by attending networkingand training events to meet othercommunity growers, find out whatothers are doing, share problems andlearn new skills.

Become a member of the Federationand receive regular newsletters andupdates on what’s happening in thecommunity farming and gardeningmovement

Hold regular meetings with your group,but try to keep them light and fresh, setand agenda and don’t let them goovertime,

Don’t forget to organise some social gettogether as a group, so you can relax andenjoy yourselves.

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Trellis worksheet

All Year Round activities

www.trellisscotland.org.uk/factsheets

DTAS Early Warning Guide

www.dtascot.org.uk/sites/default/files/publications/Early-Warning-Guide_0.pdf

Further information