Dobbies Garden Centres is welcoming applications for Dobbies Community Gardens, offering local schools, charities and community groups across the country the opportunity to receive support for their green spaces.

The garden centre is inviting groups to get in touch with information about the indoor or outdoor green space they are looking to transform, restore or start, and what they would be looking to do with Dobbies’ support. 

Dobbies is passionate about giving back to the community, and in the last year has supported more than 350 local groups through its local initiatives.

Successful groups will get the garden centre’s help through product, tools and plant donations to help bring this community space to life and keep it blooming throughout the year. Dobbies’ Green Team will also offer volunteer hours to support each project.

Dobbies’ Operations Director, Nick Anderson, is encouraging groups across the country to apply. He said: “There are so many fantastic local groups near our stores and Dobbies Community Gardens gives us the opportunity to give something back. 

“We want to hear from all types of groups, whether it’s a school looking to build a sensory garden, a charity group trying to expand their fruit and vegetable growing project or a community group looking to rejuvenate an unused space.

“Our store colleagues are looking forward to hearing from local groups who would benefit from their support this year. We’re always looking to inspire the next generation of gardeners or offer a helping hand to those groups looking to freshen up their communal garden areas.”

Laura Joyce from Newtongrange Community Garden, which aims to help local community members who might be suffering from food poverty and give those experiencing social isolation a place to come together, received support last year and strongly encourages anyone who has a green project to get involved.

She said: “The support from Dobbies last year was invaluable to our community garden. With the product donations and gardening expertise we’ve managed to expand the garden with accessible beds, making it an inclusive space for anyone looking to grow fresh fruits and vegetables. The application process couldn’t have been easier, and it’s given us the boost we needed.”

Applications are now open. Those entering must be within 20 miles of a Dobbies’ store.

All nominated projects will be invited along to their local store for the free-to-attend Grow How session on Saturday 3 May, 10:30am, where one winning project per store will be announced.

To find out more information about Dobbies Community Gardens and to fill out an application form, visit Dobbies Community Gardens | Dobbies Garden Centres