All projects:
Funding news
We are delighted to say a huge thank you to Edinburgh University Local Community Grants fund which has recently awarded the Ridge £1.000 to run a small project with a focus on biodiversity and re-wilding part of urban landscape. In the run up to COP26, The University of Edinburgh rolled out ‘The Green Micro-grants’, a…
Befriending
We are immensely proud to align ourselves with the Befriending Network who have supported us both in terms of grant funding and training. Their mentoring has allowed us to train and support our wonderful team of Befrienders who are working within our local community. If you are reliable and genuinely interested in people and want…
Cooking for Life
Thanks to generous funding from Foundation Scotland Coop Good Fund we are now rolling out our new “Cooking for Life” classes. Our Support Team have devised a friendly and relaxed course that will equip you basic cooking skills that will allow you to cook with confidence on a limited budget. Spaces are limited and booking…
Building Four
The amazing work continues at Building Four in the Black Bull Close and we are very much looking forward to making further use of this beautiful building. The ground floor is currently used by students working on the joinery element of the NPA in Construction; it is genuinely heartwarming to hear and see the sights…
NC Rural Skills
Alongside our NPA provision we deliver National Certificate in Rural Skills. A beautifully diverse course that covers everything from soft landscaping to estate management. We are very much looking forward to welcoming our new cohort of students for 2021
NPA Construction
We provide an indispensable component of East Lothian Work’s offering for young people across the county, as part of our ongoing quest to provide the best educational experience and outcomes for each individual.
Routes to Work
For those whose personal barriers to employment are more significant, we are able to offer support at Stage 1 or even before this. In the current economic climate, more and more people are struggling to cope on very limited budgets, with some really catastrophic effects on individuals and families. We aim to support people to…
Crisis Support
Our work has evolved continuously in response to local need. Over recent months, we have experienced a very significant upsurge in the number of people coming to us in crisis of one sort or another. We are now well known for offering sympathetic, non-judgemental and highly effective support to help individuals address a range of…
Built Environment Projects
The Ridge Foundations CIC is a construction company/social enterprise and part of the Ridge SCIO charity. Our core focus is to provide high quality training in traditional skills, and supported employment for those who would otherwise struggle to access or sustain either. Based in Dunbar, we offer opportunities to local people, in an area of…
Volunteering opportunities
Volunteering is good for you. Why? We focus less on our own troubles We feel appreciated We regain a feeling of self worth and a feeling of accomplishment We are energised We learn new things Volunteering is a wonderful way to make an impact on the local community. It also helps us to grow as…
Our Gardens
The Ridge Gardens are based in two sites not far from Dunbar High Street, the Backlands Garden and Empire Close Garden. Up until recently both sites had lain to waste and offered no more than neglected derelict waste ground in the heart of Dunbar’s historical town centre. The Ridge started work on regenerating the Backlands…
Plenty
In February 2017 we started our fantastically successful Plenty Project. The Plenty Project is designed for people who want to learn how, what and why to cook on a limited budget. It has developed into a number of courses tailored specifically to adults, and to children of all different ages. Adult courses are made up of…
Hungry Hatch
The Ridge Cafe at the Bleachingfields have recently started a new venture, Hungry Hatch Meals and we want to shout about it. Sue along with a fantastic crew of volunteers are working closely with local suppliers to stamp out food waste in Dunbar. Food that would normally go to waste for no good reason is…
Sunny Soups
Sunny Soups grew out of the Plenty Project as a way for course participants to stay in touch, continue to learn new cooking skills, and volunteer to reduce local food waste and generate free, nourishing food for the community. Unsold fruit, vegetables and herbs are donated by local shops including The Cooperative and the Crunchy Carrot,…
Stonewall Repair
The Ridge Training has delivered well attended courses in Hot Lime Mortar training with Stockdale and Lyall and Stonewall Repair at the Backlands. More will be added to the diary in the New Year thanks to our strengthening relationship with Historic Environment Scotland.
Plenty Project: Schools
In May 2017 we were approached by the headteacher of nearby West Barns Primary School to deliver a version of our Plenty programme to each year-group of pupils, and in October P 6/7 took part in the first week of classes. The Plenty Project is funded by SCVO, and in this instance we have been…
Write to Recovery
A further development from the Plenty Project ‘Write to Recovery’ was a ten week creative writing course facilitated by the Scottish Recovery Network at the Backlands, which started mid-July 2017. These are rolling courses so get in touch if you want to find out current dates and times. There is growing evidence that tells us that…