Members of the Parent Council led a project to establish a new school community garden on unused land next to the school. They applied for a grant from North Lanarkshire Council to start the project, then worked with Bargeddie Primary School, The Safety Zone, and local businesses to raise additional funding.

The group also ran a competition across both schools to name the garden. The winning entry — The Friendship Garden — came from Cara Crieghton (then P6) from Bargeddie Primary.

The project involved clearing and levelling the land; erecting perimeter fencing; laying a central path, patio, and turf; and installing benches, raised beds, and a polytunnel. Volunteers helped with planting, painting, and other tasks to get the garden ready.

Throughout the year, the Parent Council runs extracurricular events and activities, and supports children and families to reduce the cost of going to school.

Gareth James, Chair of the Parent Council, said:
"We are delighted to receive the Community Initiative of the Year Award. Delivering this project took a huge amount of work and commitment, and it’s wonderful to see it recognised nationally. Most importantly, it has been fantastic to see children from both schools enjoying the garden since April — planting and growing their own potatoes, tomatoes and green beans.”

The garden has given children a place to learn, grow and connect, and it has strengthened relationships between the two schools and the wider community. A real sense of pride has developed locally, with more people getting involved and taking ownership of the space.

Mr James continued:
"I'll never forget the early milestones — first breaking ground with the digger; the long days moving materials with the flatbeds and tippers; and seeing the storage container lifted neatly into place by the HIAB. But most of all, I enjoyed meeting people along the way. The Open Day on 28 April captured all of that perfectly, bringing the whole community together.”

The project was funded by the UK Government, North Lanarkshire Council, The Safety Zone, Viridor, Tarmac, Clarkson's Car and Van Hire, Keir Construction and Safe Deposit Scotland. Phase 2, which involved clearing the remaining land and laying a new path to enable direct access from the school, was also funded by Viridor and McTaggart Construction. Landscaping works were completed by NV Landscaping Services.