The Executive gave Silver Birch (Scotland) Ltd grant of £6,750 (less than the £9,950 offered) in 2002-03 to look at the viability of a community composting scheme for Glasgow and surrounding areas. The project provided supported employment to adults with learning disabilities within a horticultural context.
The organisation's principal activity is in the East Dunbartonshire area, recycling spent mushroom compost and then making the final product available to the wider community as a nutrient rich soil conditioner/ improver.
One of the chief aims is to use sustainable development as a means of enhancing the lives not only of the client workforce, but of the surrounding neighbourhood and area as a whole.
In April 2000 Silver Birch successfully purchased an 11.5 acre semi-rural site (a former mushroom farm) in Milton of Campsie, Glasgow. With the Sustainable Action Grant they planned ultimately to build a large compost recycling facility, and to make the whole site available to benefit the local community both as a resource and creating employment. The project aimed to increase community awareness and take-up of recycling in general, and composts specifically.
The grant funding allowed re-commissioning of two poly tunnels which provided a growing facility and interim composting facility. Key to supporting this development was the recruitment of a qualified horticulturist and support with marketing.
Three growing poly tunnels became operational on the Lochmill site, fully utilised 12 months of the year and operating a growing commercial retail market for both horticultural produce and compost for four months of the year. The appointment of the horticulturist enabled the company to provide pre-vocational training and work experience opportunities for employees with a learning disability. Silver Birch increased its capacity for client placements and increased the variety of training and experience opportunities.
The customer base later grew to 2500 - surveys indicated the main reasons for purchase from Silver Birch were the quality of the compost and supporting the charitable status of the organisation. The sale of compost and bark increased.
Silver Birch was later granted planning permission for a purpose-built composting development in Milton of Campsie, to allow an improved service and training opportunity to clients with a learning disability, in an excellent environment offering an additional range of placements designed to meet individual skills and market demands.
The company used their knowledge and environmental awareness to develop innovative products. In 2005-06 they piloted a green waste recycling project and were working in partnership with Scottish Water and East Dunbartonshire Council to develop this further.
Silver Birch raised their profile - primarily with representation at a range of local events and horticultural shows, leafleting campaigns and the production of a quarterly newsletter providing an update for customers, funders and supporters of the organisation. Silver Birch received further local recognition at the Business Excellence Awards run by Scottish Enterprise Dunbartonshire where they were a finalist in two categories, Business in the Community and Excellence in Skills and Learning.
Contact
Silver Birch (Scotland) Ltd
10 Donaldson Street
Kirkintilloch
Glasgow
G66 1XB
Telephone: 0141 777 5050
E-mail: admin.silverbirch@virgin.net