Providing free garden restoration and ongoing maintenance for vulnerable residents across Inverness, improving wellbeing, safety, independence and access to outdoor space.
Estimated Cost
£30,000
Ar Gàradh is seeking funding to deliver a free gardening support programme for vulnerable residents across Inverness and the surrounding area.
What do you want to do?
We will provide free garden restoration, clearance and ongoing maintenance for vulnerable residents who are unable to manage their outdoor spaces due to age, disability, illness, bereavement or other significant life circumstances.
Funding will support the purchase of a suitable used vehicle, battery-powered gardening equipment, tools, materials, transport costs and project delivery expenses required to undertake this work safely and effectively.
Activities will include:
• Initial garden assessments
• Garden clearance and restoration
• Grass cutting and hedge maintenance
• Weed control and planting
• Removal of overgrown vegetation
• Creation of safe and accessible outdoor spaces
• Ongoing maintenance visits where required
The vehicle and equipment will enable Ar Gàradh to reach beneficiaries across a wider geographical area, transport tools and materials safely, and deliver support more efficiently and sustainably.
Beneficiaries will be identified through referrals from partner organisations including Highland Hospice and other local support services.
Why is your project important for your community?
Many vulnerable residents are unable to maintain their gardens due to declining health, disability, limited mobility, financial hardship or the impact of bereavement. As gardens become overgrown they can create safety risks, reduce accessibility and negatively affect both physical and mental wellbeing.
Outdoor spaces are often an important extension of a person's home. When these spaces become inaccessible, individuals can lose opportunities for exercise, relaxation, social connection and time outdoors.
This project supports community wellbeing by helping vulnerable residents remain connected to their homes and communities while improving the appearance and condition of local areas.
The project aligns with local priorities around health and wellbeing, reducing social isolation, supporting vulnerable residents, promoting independent living and creating healthier, more resilient communities. It also contributes to improving local environments and ensuring that vulnerable members of the community can continue to enjoy safe and accessible outdoor spaces.
What positive impact will your project have?
The project will:
• Improve the physical and mental wellbeing of vulnerable residents
• Increase access to safe and usable outdoor spaces
• Support people to remain independent within their own homes
• Reduce feelings of isolation and exclusion
• Improve neighbourhood appearance and community pride
• Strengthen links between community organisations and local residents
The funding will create a long-term community asset through the purchase of a vehicle and equipment that will continue supporting vulnerable residents beyond the initial funding period.
Over the life of the project we anticipate supporting at least 20 vulnerable households through garden restoration and maintenance services, with the capacity to increase this number as additional funding and commercial income are secured.
We will gather feedback from beneficiaries and referral partners to demonstrate the impact of the project.
What key milestones have you achieved so far and what will your next steps be?
Ar Gàradh is a newly established Community Interest Company operating across the Highlands.
Since launching we have:
• Established the organisation and governance structure
• Successfully began delivering our vulnerable garden support project
• Developed referral relationships with Highland Hospice and other community organisations
• Secured grant funding to support project delivery and organisational development
• Demonstrated community need through referrals and enquiries
• Obtained insurance, policies and operational procedures required to deliver projects safely
• Developed a sustainable social enterprise model where commercial gardening work helps fund community support activities
Community need has already been evidenced through direct referrals and engagement with organisations supporting vulnerable residents throughout Inverness.
We have begun delivering support and have demonstrated our ability to complete projects safely and effectively.
Our next steps are to secure funding for a dedicated vehicle and equipment, expand referral pathways, increase delivery capacity and support a greater number of vulnerable residents across the area.
Anticipated start and end date
Proposed Start Date: August 2026
Proposed End Date: July 2027
This will provide a 12-month delivery period, allowing referrals to be accepted throughout the year while creating long-term organisational capacity through the purchase of essential project assets.
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