KLSB are a registered charity which was were set up in March 2018 to help tidy up the green spaces of Larbert & Stenhousemuir. On our very first litter pick more than 40 volunteers came out in the rain and helped rid the local park of over 60 bin bags worth or litter as well as many other discarded items. Since that day the group have grown and now cover all of ward 4 and part of ward 5 of Falkirk Councils areas. We continue to plant and maintain various flower beds in the area plus we also run a community food pantry for vulnerable people and low income households.
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In 2019 the gardening budget had been cut by the local authority meaning that the flower beds in and around the local area would have been unmaintained and even turned back into grass. Falkirk Council had put out a press release asking for local community groups to volunteer their services and plant and maintain the excess stock of flowers that were already in their possession. KLSB took this opportunity to expand the community involvment and they took ownership of over 3000 Begonias. Over the course of two weekends our volunteers came out and 6 large flower beds were weeded, turned over and had the flowers planted. That year KLSB applied to Foundation Scotland and were successful in securing an award which was to allow us to purchase flowers and bulbs for 2020. Early in 2020 there was another injection of funds put into the budget for the gardens by the local authority and once again KLSB managed to take delivery of over 3000 begonia and other flowers. This freed up some of the funds by Foundation Scotland which allowed us to purchase a greenhouse and install a raised bed which we now use to grow fresh vegetables for the community. KLSB also partnered with a local nursery who supplied us with evergreen shrubs for the community gardens.
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A short video clip from our very beginnings and a trip through time highlighting our work during the Covid-19 pandemic.
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In November 2019 KLSB received permission from The Dobbie Hall Trust to open a community food pantry in the old caretakers flat which is situated above the Rotary Hall. We successfully applied to the National Lottery for funding which was to be used to purchase items such as a cooker, table, chairs, dishwasher and a fridge/freezer etc. Our vision was to open a community drop in centre where people could come for a warm meal or even just a cup of tea whilst having a friendly chat with a trained volunteer. The community pantry had just opened its doors and was taking in its first members when we had to close due to Covid-19. Falkirk Council soon contacted us and suggested that we work with them to offer support to the local community via the pantry. We contacted The Dobbie Hall Trust and requested use of the main rotary hall which they kindly agreed on. We relocated the pantry into the hall and with help from Falkirk Council, Stenhousemuir FC and over 90 volunteers we started supplying over 180 households per week with weekly food supplies, household items and personal hygiene items. This work continued through the lockdown and until the end of October where we reverted back to a community food pantry as people were once again being able to support themselves. In November 2020 we took a lease on our new home at King Street where we again had a vision of a local drop in centre to offer support, a hot meal and/or a cup of tea to anyone in the area. This vision is still strong in 2023.