Our Project of the Month for September is the newly launched community garden at Barnton Bunker in Edinburgh which is being managed by the Barnton Bunker Preservation Society.

Background

Tucked away beneath Corstorphine Hill lies a former World War II radar station, which later became a nuclear bunker during the Cold War. Following the decommissioning of the bunker in the early 1990s, the historic site fell into disrepair and suffered from vandalism, fires, and fly-tipping. However, since being bought over in 2011, the site has now developed into a thriving community space and visitor attraction. A dedicated team of volunteers are working hard to restore the site and provide opportunities for people and nature.

Collaborative Working

Thanks to a grant from the City of Edinburgh Council’s ‘Grow Your Own’ fund, the charity have developed a new community garden space which was officially launched as part of ‘Doors Open Day’. The event was attended by a wide range of local organisations and included site tours, workshops, and live music. Some other organisations the bunker has links with include Lauriston Farm, Some Funguys, and Tummies Not Trash. The Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network (ECCAN) have also assisted in promoting the project and connecting the bunker up with local groups.

Connecting People, Nature, and History

A key aim of the community garden is to involve the local community and address issues like food poverty and social isolation, as well as providing opportunities for people to spend time in nature and contribute to part of the wider restoration project. As a way of opening the site up more, the charity are keen to have local residents involved in the development of the space, contribute ideas, learn new skills, and to grow their own fruit and vegetables.

As well as space for volunteers and local residents to grow fruit and vegetables, the bunker also has a dedicated mushroom farm. This is thanks to work delivered by Some Funguys, a low-tech and low-waste farm who specialise in cultivating gourmet mushrooms with sustainable methods. To add to the range of unique elements at the bunker, the site is also home to emus, goats and chickens.

The bunker does face challenges, particularly with it being such a large site requiring extensive repairs and restoration work. However, weekly meetings allow the resident volunteers to plan out tasks and bring their own individual skills to the table. Combining this with connections to the wider community means that there are a lot of exciting things happening at the bunker, with people, nature, and community being at the heart of the restoration of this historic site.

You can read more about the bunker, volunteering opportunities, and upcoming events on the Barnton Bunker website.

“Barnton Bunker community garden is an opportunity for us to connect with our neighbours in Clermiston, Drum Brae and the wider North West Edinburgh area. There are so many benefits to being outdoors, spending time with people and growing your own food - we're very excited to get started!” - Natalie Arnold, Grants and Community Outreach Manager