Welcome to South Seeds!

South Seeds is a community led organisation based in the south of Glasgow. We work in partnership with residents and local organisations to help improve the look and feel of the Southside of Glasgow. We provide gardening opportunities, help residents to reduce energy bills and tackle waste issues. For more information contact South Seeds here.
South Seeds
168 Butterbiggins Road Govanhill Glasgow G42 7AL Call: 0141 636 3959
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What we've been up to

Offering energy advice at Govanhill Welfare Hub

From the 1st of August South Seeds will be offering energy advice at Govanhill Housing Welfare Hub.

Paid opportunity for a bookkeeper

South Seeds is looking to recruit a bookkeeper to spend 2 hours in the office each week to assist us with maintaining financial records.

Best Close in Govanhill

The Richmond Fellowship close on Butterbiggins Road wins ‘Best Close in Govanhill’. They have created a fruit and vegetable growing area in the back court and shared information to reduce energy bills.

Regular summer gardening sessions

South Seeds are running regular sessions throughout the week in the Southside of Glasgow. You don’t have to have any gardening or food growing experience to take part.

GREAT Gardens recruiting a Manager

GREAT Gardens, a Govanhill Housing Association initiative, is looking for a Manager. Deadline to apply July 11th.

About us

South Seeds was formed in 2011 by a group of people who all wanted to make a difference to the local community and the wider environment in the Southside of Glasgow. Here is a little information about some of the people who are currently involved. If you would like to take part as well, then just get in touch..
South Seeds Board member

Lucy Gillie

Project Manager

Lucy managed the Community Voices Network for the Scottish Government. Lucy has 15 years’ experience working with communities to tackle health, regeneration and environmental issues. Pervious roles include local food officer at the Soil Association.

Reuben Chesters

Chair

Reuben runs Locavore, a shop in the Southside of Glasgow which sells local produce and runs workshops. Reuben started up South Seeds and is Chair of the South Seeds board.
Uillie

Uillie MacKinnon

Handyman

Uillie is an experienced joiner. He grew up on Harris where he served his carpentry apprenticeship. Uillie installs energy efficiency measures such as draught proofing, radiator panels and chimney balloons with a smile for South Seeds.

Robin Ashton

Community Development and Growing Officer

Robin is qualified in horticulture and has worked as a freelance gardener, tree planter, and handyman. He also has a good knowledge of organic food growing. Having worked with volunteers and residents in Govanhill, he knows the area and its challenges well.

Lisa Peebles

Administrative Officer

Lisa has lived in the Southside for over 20 years. Lisa experience of community run organisations includes a community centre, community council and developing a community asset, all in the Southside. She is on the board of the Scottish Housing Regulator.

Amanda Kean

Energy Officer

Amanda has over two and a half years’ experience at the Energy Agency advising on energy efficiency and micro-renewables. She has experience of working closely with Private Sector Landlords. Amanda has a degree in Architecture and a Masters in Planning.
South Seeds Board member

Maf Smith

Management Committee Member

Maf is Deputy Chief Executive of Renewable UK, which supports the development of UK wind and marine energy. He is a big fan of local food and looks after a back-tenement growing space in Govanhill.
Caroline Gausden

Caroline Gausden

Management Committee Member

Caroline has over 8 years experience as a community education worker for artistic and environmentally themed projects. She has a postgraduate qualification in Art, Design and Architecture in Education and is currently a manager at the Centre for Contemporary Arts.
Simon

Simon Morris

Management Committee Member

Simon specialises in energy efficiency and carbon management at an environmental consultancy. He is passionate about supporting communities, households and businesses to reduce their impact on the environment and a keen gardener and beekeeper.

Stefanie Keir

Management Committee Member

Steffi is a programme officer at Save the Children, she has 10 years’ experience of working in the voluntary sector, in particular working on refugee and asylum issues and tackling child poverty. She has a keen interest in food growing, outdoor and nature play.
South Seeds Board member

Martin Sanden

Management Committee Member

Martin is graduated from the University of Glasgow in archaeology. He lives in Govanhill and is committed to environmental causes and has experience in landscaping, gardening and voluntary fund raising.

What we do

South Seeds is involved in a wide variety of different activities all centred around the goals of tackling climate change, promoting energy efficiency and making the local south side community and beyond a better place.

Energy Efficiency measures for the Southside of Glasgow

Amanda and Yasmin with checklist

At South Seeds we have tried and tested a number of measures and installs which will help you save energy in properties in the Southside of Glasgow.

After an energy audit from South Seeds, we will give you a checklist of actions you can take to reduce energy in your home and we will support you to work through each item.

Along with recommending chimney balloons, radiator panels, LED light blubs we can show you how to tackle more complicated tasks such as:

1. Cheap temporary secondary glazing

Read our Glazing Film ‘How to’ guide

2. Affordable Secondary glazing

Read our DIY Secondary Glazing ‘How to’

3. Underfloor insulation for Victorian tenements

Have a look at this film showing you how http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTxRg3BQzMg and dowload our Under Floor PDF

You can apply for up to cash back for the energy efficiency measures you install in your home, check which measures are eligible here: www.greenerscotland.org/warm-homes/advice-grants/green-homes-cashback-scheme.

Finally, you can always modify the way you behave in your home to save on your energy bills, below are top tips from Southsiders who borrowed an electricity monitor for a week and discovered which appliances cost the most in their homes.

The Govanhill Sculpture Project

Govanhill Sculpture ProjectLocal residents were given the opportunity to carve shapes from stone. 6 local residents with no previous stone carving experience, chipped away for a number of weeks to produce sculptures.

Funded by the Big Lottery, this project has resulted in sculptures which are now dotted around Govanhill. Here’s what some of the residents have been saying about it:

“I would never have had the confidence to try something like this – I wouldn’t have known where to start – but Lucinda was generous in sharing her skills and knowledge (and goggles), I realise now how just how much I learned in only a few weeks. After about 8 weeks it all seemed to come together, and I remember suddenly having the thought, I made that!!”

“I love that fact that the pieces we worked on are going to be displayed locally to enhance a public space in the south side – I’m secretly proud about that! Just working on something that’s going to make a difference to how the neighbourhood looks is a whole new experience for me. And working with other like-minded people and feeling welcomed as part of a team has inspired me to get more involved.”

Climate Challenge Fund

The South Seeds board secured funding from the Climate Challenge Fund for a year’s project in May 2011. This project started carbon reduction activities in the area by enabling residents to grow food and reduce their energy bills. The project created a community garden at Agnew Lane, worked in tenement backcourts to create composting and raised beds and provided up to the minute energy advice so that residents could access loft insulation, borrow energy monitors or tackle problems with their energy provider.

From engaging directly with residents and working with community groups and agencies across the area, South Seeds devised a plan to deliver further carbon reduction activities to the area. Funding from the Climate Challenge Fund was awarded in June 2012 for two years see here.

South Seeds is putting together the team who will deliver this project.

Our Energy Snapshot report

Our Energy Snapshot report is our review of the area, providing for the first time a detailed analysis of what measures and actions, on a street-by-street basis, are best suited to helping people manage their energy use. This research is backed up by thermal images of properties throughout the local areas, which will help us to identify the main sources of heat loss in different types of local building. We’ve also looked at tenure and building condition as well as mapped out areas where we can work with people to improve local greenspaces and support local food growing. Read here Energy Snapshot Report

What's going on?

At South Seeds we have a lot going on - from exciting events to engage the community, new developments within our organisation and good ol' fashioned hard work to get the gardens growing well. Keep up to date by visiting this page for our latest news, events and opportunities.

News

18/07/14

Offering energy advice at Govanhill Welfare Hub

From the 1st of August South Seeds will be offering energy advice at Govanhill Housing Welfare Hub.

16/07/14

Paid opportunity for a bookkeeper

South Seeds is looking to recruit a bookkeeper to spend 2 hours in the office each week to assist us with maintaining financial records.

11/07/14

Best Close in Govanhill

The Richmond Fellowship close on Butterbiggins Road wins ‘Best Close in Govanhill’. They have created a fruit and vegetable growing area in the back court and shared information to reduce energy bills.

23/06/14

South Seeds on the telly

For those of you who missed South Seeds on STV’s Riverside programme in early June, here it is.

Events

26/06/14

Regular summer gardening sessions

South Seeds are running regular sessions throughout the week in the Southside of Glasgow. You don’t have to have any gardening or food growing experience to take part.

14/04/14

South Seeds AGM, Monday 28th April

Starts at 5.30pm at The Bungo, everyone welcome. Arrive a wee bit before for tea and coffee.

14/04/14

Community gardening volunteer required

Do you have 8 hours a week to give South Seeds and would you like to see a community garden flourish?

Opportunities

16/07/14

Paid opportunity for a bookkeeper

South Seeds is looking to recruit a bookkeeper to spend 2 hours in the office each week to assist us with maintaining financial records.

26/06/14

GREAT Gardens recruiting a Manager

GREAT Gardens, a Govanhill Housing Association initiative, is looking for a Manager. Deadline to apply July 11th.

22/05/14

We are looking for 3 people to join the board

Download the application pack to find out more.

Our Friends

Here are some of the organisations which have supported us since we started. You may also find these organisations helpful to you.
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Locavore is both a shop and project which contributes to creating sustainable local food economies in the Southisde of Glasgow.
Great Gardens GREAT Gardens offer training in grounds maintenance and horticulture to people who have been unable to make a successful transition between school, education, training, work or have mental health issues.
Kabloom Seedbom
Kabloom are makers of seed bombs, supporters of the war against wasteland.
Tramway Hidden Gardens is a hidden garden in the Southside of Glasgow. To find it, walk through the Tramway on Albert Drive in Pollokshields.
Govanhill Housing Association is a provider of social housing and factoring services in Govanhill.
Antimatter Design Antimatter Design is a Graphic and Web Design service offering everything a project needs to look exciting from identities to digital artwork.
Glasgow Community and Safety Services are a partnership between Glasgow City Council, Strathclyde Police, Strathclyde Fire and Rescue and Glasgow's Community Safety Partnership to prevent crime and promote community safety.
Glasgow City Council Glasgow City Council offer a huge range of services to Glasgow residents check out their website.
Govanhill Residents Group Govanhill Residents Group is a voluntary group which meets regularly to find solutions to problems in Govanhill.
Community Renewal Community Renewal works to transform communities by engaging and supporting people to get involved in community activity and to improve health, learning and employment.
Govanhill Baths Community Trust's goal is to re-open the baths as a Wellbeing Centre and at the same time contribute to the wider social, cultural and built regeneration of Govanhill as a community.
Urban Roots Urban Roots is a community led organisation based in Toryglen, Glasgow, committed to working with local people on projects that improve the environment and health of the area through a range of activities.
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Contact us

If you would like to get involved in any way at all, or just find out more about what we do, then feel free to contact is either by email or via any of the social networking links below.

We look forward to hearing from you!

South Seeds
168 Butterbiggins Road
Govanhill
Glasgow G42 7AL
Call: 0141 636 3959
Twitter