Bonnymuir Green Community Trust in Aberdeen appeals for volunteers to keep services running

A community-owned garden and cafe in Aberdeen is calling for more volunteers to help keep its services open to the public.

The Bonnymuir Green Community Trust puts on regular social and educational events for locals.

Now in its sixth year, it welcomes more than 21,000 visitors annually, and requires around 6,000 hours of volunteer support.

The Trust’s Jen Hickling said: “Bonnymuir Green is all about providing a safe inclusive, fun, beautiful place for people to gather.

“Looking back at photographs of the green from five years ago it’s hard to imagine it was just a rectangle of overgrown grass.

“Everything you can see in the garden has been put in place by volunteers in that time.”

The Bonnymuir Green Community Trust has developed the site of the former Bonnymuir Green Bowling Club, now owned by and operated for the benefit of the community.

But Bonnymuir Green wouldn’t be able to run without an army of volunteers, and organisers are now appealing to more people from the local area to get involved.

Jen added: “We have a pool of about 100 people that volunteer in some way, but we love to have new people coming help us out – whether that’s front of house, serving customers, or behind the scenes in the kitchen.”

A local resident said: “We’re at the green at least about once a week. It’s just great for the kids to come and play and have a safe space.

Another called it a “fantastic use of the space”, adding: “It used to be a bowling green, but now there are vegetables and flowers, and various other things on like yoga, art exhibitions and gardening workshops.”