East Renfrewshire Climate Action Hub

14/08/2026

🌱 Pick of the Week: Cucamelon! 🌱

Have you ever seen a watermelon small enough to fit on your fingertip? 🍉

Meet the Cucamelon (Melothria scabra), also known as the Mexican sour gherkin. These adorable fruits look like miniature watermelons but taste more like a cucumber with a refreshing citrus twist! 🥒🍋

Our cucamelons are thriving in the greenhouse, climbing happily up their supports and producing plenty of these fascinating little fruits. Despite their tiny size, they are packed with flavour and make a fantastic addition to salads, snacks, and summer dishes.

Fun fact: Cucamelons are native to Mexico and Central America and have been enjoyed there for centuries. They are easy to grow, highly productive, and a real conversation starter in any garden!

Have you tried a cucamelon before? Let us know how you like to eat them in the comments! 👇

10/08/2026

💡 Thinking about applying for funding for your community project?

There's still time to sign up for ERCAH's FREE Small Grant Workshop this Thursday!

Whether you're new to funding applications or want to improve your success rate, this session will help you: ✔️ Understand what funders want ✔️ Avoid common application mistakes ✔️ Build stronger funding bids ✔️ Find funding opportunities for community and climate projects

📅 Thursday 13 August 2026 ⏰ 5.30pm – 7.00pm 📍 Rouken Glen Park, Thornliebank

Places are limited, so don't wait!

📧 [email protected] 📞 0141 876 9555

Please share with anyone who may benefit from this opportunity. 🙌

🎉 FREE Small Grant Workshop for East Renfrewshire Community Groups! 🎉

Are you involved in a community group, charity, or third sector organisation in East Renfrewshire? Looking to improve your chances of securing funding?

Join ERCAH for a FREE Small Grant Workshop and gain practical tips to help make your next funding application stand out.

✅ Understand funding criteria and what funders are looking for
✅ Cut through confusing funding jargon
✅ Learn how to develop strong funding proposals
✅ Explore funding opportunities for climate and community-focused projects

📅 Thursday 13 August 2026
🕠 5.30pm - 7.00pm
📍 Community Wellbeing & Enterprise Hub at Rouken Glen Park
4D Rouken Glen Park, Thornliebank, G46 7UG

🌱 Whether you're applying for funding for the first time or looking to strengthen future applications, this workshop will provide valuable advice and support.

⚠️ Spaces are limited, so early booking is recommended!

To reserve your place, contact:
📧[email protected]
🤳014187695555

07/08/2026

🌼Pick of the Week: Marigolds & Calendula 🌼

This week, our Pick of the Week shines a spotlight not on vegetables, but on some of the beautiful flowers growing alongside them: marigolds and calendula. 🌿🧡

Flowers play a vital role in supporting biodiversity, providing food and habitat for a wide range of pollinators, including bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. By growing flowers alongside our crops, we're helping to create a healthier and more resilient growing environment for both plants and wildlife.

Marigolds and calendula don't just benefit pollinators. These vibrant blooms have long been valued for their traditional uses in supporting human health and wellbeing. From soothing skin preparations to herbal teas, they are wonderful examples of how gardens can nourish both people and nature.

Want to learn more about the benefits of marigolds and calendula? Visit our website: 🔗 https://eastrenclimatehub.org.uk/growing/

05/08/2026

🌧️ It seems the butterflies weren't too keen on getting their wings wet today, so unfortunately our butterfly count was rained off!
The good news is there's still plenty of time to take part in the Big Butterfly Count before it closes on Sunday 9th August. 🦋

Here's how to get involved:
🦋 Download the free Big Butterfly Count app --> https://bigbutterflycount.butterfly-conservation.org/
☀️ On a dry, bright day, head to your garden, a local park or another green space.
⏱️ Spend 15 minutes looking for butterflies and record what you see in the app.

Every butterfly you log helps scientists monitor butterfly populations across the UK and understand how we can better protect these important pollinators for the future.
Happy butterfly spotting! 🦋

04/08/2026

🦋 Look who visited our polytunnel before the Big Butterfly Count tomorrow! 🦋

This beautiful Small Tortoiseshell butterfly stopped by for a visit and reminded us just how important our green spaces are for wildlife. 🌿💚

If you love butterflies and would like to help record these amazing pollinators, why not join us for the Big Butterfly Count tomorrow?

📅 Wednesday 5th August
⏰ 12:00pm - 1:00pm
📍 Community Wellbeing & Enterprise Hub at Rouken Glen

The actual butterfly count only takes around 15 minutes, and we'll head into Rouken Glen Park nearby to take part, so there's no need to stay for the full hour if you're short on time.

☔ If the weather isn't on our side, we'll have a butterfly-themed activity indoors instead.

Everyone is welcome, whether you're a seasoned nature lover or just curious to learn more. Come along, help us spot and count butterflies, and contribute to an important nationwide wildlife survey!

Don't forget to take your waterproof jacket☔

01/08/2026

🌱🍅 August Gardening Calendar is Here! 🍇🌽

August is one of the most rewarding months in the garden, with harvest baskets filling up and plenty of opportunities to sow crops for autumn and winter. 🌿

This month's gardening calendar is packed with tips on what to sow, what to harvest, and essential jobs to keep your garden thriving through the late summer season. From sweetcorn ripeness checks to succession sowing for winter veg, there's something for every grower.

💚 Remember: the more you harvest, the more crops will produce! Share your surplus with family, friends, and neighbours, and help reduce food waste by preserving any extras.

🖨️ Want the full year-round gardening calendar in a printable format? Visit our website to download your free printable gardening calendar:https://eastrenclimatehub.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Gardening-Calendar-1.pdf

What are you harvesting or sowing this month? Let us know in the comments! 👇🌱

30/07/2026

Help support a great local community project! 🌱🚉

The Patterton Station Adopters are a group of local volunteers working to make Patterton Station a greener, more welcoming place for everyone. Since adopting the station, they have brightened the platforms with colourful planters and are now transforming a neglected area into a vibrant community space filled with plants, biodiversity, and local pride.

Whether you have green fingers or simply want to help make a difference, the group would love to hear from you. 🌼

To get involved, contact:
📧 [email protected]
📧 [email protected]

Please share with anyone who may be interested in helping create a greener Patterton Station and a stronger local community. 💚

27/07/2026

🌱🪴 We’re absolutely delighted to have supported Busby Community Council through our East Renfrewshire Climate Action Hub Small Grants Fund!

Thanks to their hard work and dedication, the planters at Busby Library have been transformed into vibrant, pollinator-friendly spaces that will benefit both the local community and wildlife. What a fantastic difference already, and we can't wait to see what comes next! 🌼🐝

If your community group has an idea that will help tackle climate change, enhance biodiversity, or make your local area greener and more sustainable, why not apply for funding?

👉 Find out more and apply here: https://eastrenclimatehub.org.uk/east-ren-climate-action-hub-small-grants/

27/07/2026

🥕🥬🧅 A colourful harvest from our polytunnel this week! 🌱
We're delighted to share this week's harvest of fresh, locally grown vegetables. Every crop grown in our polytunnel is a reminder of the many benefits of local food for both our health and the climate.
Eating food that is grown close to home means fresher, more nutritious produce on our plates while also reducing food miles and the carbon emissions associated with transportation. Local food helps build more resilient communities and supports a healthier planet for future generations.
🌿 Behind every harvest is a fantastic team of volunteers helping to sow, grow and care for our crops. If you'd like to spend time outdoors, meet new people, learn gardening skills and contribute to a greener East Renfrewshire, we'd love to welcome you.
💚 Join us as a Chat & Plant Gardening Volunteer and be part of our growing community.
👉 The link to the registration form for the Chat & Plant Gardening role is in the comments.

24/07/2026

🎉 FREE Small Grant Workshop for East Renfrewshire Community Groups! 🎉

Are you involved in a community group, charity, or third sector organisation in East Renfrewshire? Looking to improve your chances of securing funding?

Join ERCAH for a FREE Small Grant Workshop and gain practical tips to help make your next funding application stand out.

✅ Understand funding criteria and what funders are looking for
✅ Cut through confusing funding jargon
✅ Learn how to develop strong funding proposals
✅ Explore funding opportunities for climate and community-focused projects

📅 Thursday 13 August 2026
🕠 5.30pm - 7.00pm
📍 Community Wellbeing & Enterprise Hub at Rouken Glen Park
4D Rouken Glen Park, Thornliebank, G46 7UG

🌱 Whether you're applying for funding for the first time or looking to strengthen future applications, this workshop will provide valuable advice and support.

⚠️ Spaces are limited, so early booking is recommended!

To reserve your place, contact:
📧[email protected]
🤳014187695555