Quiz night boosts Rattray Community Garden fundraising efforts

Date: Tuesday 25 February

Pictured are, from left, Rattray Community Garden volunteer Jean Smith, winning team members Bill Proctor, Morag Reid and Richard Titheridge, and quiz master Stuart Nichol

A quiz night organised by volunteers with Rattray Community Garden has raised more than £500 for the popular greenspace.

Nearly 80 people took part in the quiz, which was held at Rattray Bowling Club on Friday, February 21, 2025.

Morag Reid, Richard Titheridge and Bill Proctor were the winning team on the night, ‘The Good Neighbours’, with the ‘Mad Ferrets’ team the runners-up.

The quiz was part of ongoing fundraising efforts by those involved with the community garden to help facilitate its transformation into a welcoming, relaxing area for people of all ages where local groups can meet, supporting health and wellbeing, reducing social isolation, developing gardening skills, and observing wildlife.

Organisers of the event have thanked everyone for their generosity.

Rattray Community Garden management group volunteer and chair of Blairgowrie and Rattray in Bloom, Jean Smith, said: “Our second quiz night was another great success - we were absolutely delighted with the turnout and once again there was a really good atmosphere at the bowling club.

“On behalf of all of us involved with Rattray Community Garden, I would look to say a huge thank you to everyone who supported the event.

“Thanks to Rattray Bowling Club, to everyone who donated so generously to the raffle and to everyone who came along and took part on the night.

“Special thanks must go to quiz master Stuart Nichol, and to Avril Wilson, Lesley McDonald and Steve Johnson for organising everything.

“Congratulations to the winning team, The Good Neighbours, and to Wendy and Billy Neilson who won the star prize in the raffle – a day’s sailing off the west coast courtesy of Avril and William Wilson!”

Rattray Community Garden is based in what used to be a walled garden for Mount Ericht House and has been home to Blairgowrie and Rattray in Bloom for a number of years.

A volunteer-led garden for growing vegetables and flowers and increasing biodiversity, encouraging sustainability, environmental stewardship, and shared responsibility, it was purchased for the town in 2021 thanks to support from the Scottish Land Fund, and developed with support from the Scottish Government’s Shovel Ready fund, The Gannochy Trust and Perth and Kinross Council’s Community- Led Local Development (CLLD) fund.

Based in what used to be a walled garden for Mount Ericht House, Rattray Community Garden has been a home for award-winning environmental group Blairgowrie and Rattray in Bloom - which also contributed significant financial support to the development of the garden - for a number of years and when the opportunity came to buy the land, the site was secured by Blairgowrie and Rattray Development Trust as a community asset. It is now one of the Trust’s core projects.

The purchase and redevelopment of the community garden was highlighted in the Community Action Plan and the aim is to develop the space to facilitate intergenerational activity and educational sessions, reduce food poverty by developing and maintaining an area - including raised beds – to grow fruit and vegetables for the community, and increase biodiversity with careful management and planting.

Whilst establishing a hub for food production, education and wellbeing, contributing to efforts to achieve net zero and improve environmental sustainability, Rattray Community Garden remains home to Blairgowrie and Rattray in Bloom.

The quiz is one of a number of activities lined up by those behind the new facility that aim to raise awareness of the community garden, encourage people to get involved in its development and raise funds to support its maintenance.

Volunteers meet at the Garden on Wednesdays and Saturdays, 10am to 1pm, and always welcome new faces.

To find out more about the Garden, how you can get involved, or the Friends of Rattray Community Garden scheme – where you can support Garden projects and appeals, receive regular updates on what’s going on, as well as invitations to special events - follow ‘Rattray Community Garden’ on Facebook, see online at www.rattraycommunitygarden.org.uk or email info@rattraycommunitygarden.org.uk

For further information or media enquiries, please contact Clare McMicking on 07514 343 042 or media@brdt.org.uk