Land In Our Hands

 Polmont Community Hubs new land group`s

Land in our hands

Land in Our Hands is a collective of communities with land ownership, connecting our communities to the land as a means to achieve food security, climate justice, land and racial justice. Healthy food for all

Land In Our Hands believes that healing relationships with nature and land is also about healing the land and working in sustainable, reciprocal and caring ways. we strive towards collective land stewardship as a means to support our communities to access nutritious, delicious food grown using ancestral, alongside modern, sustainable, regenerative, permaculture practices. We aim to utilise different agroecological practices in our growing spaces. We are passionate about learning Scottish indigenous farming practices which worked in harmony with the land. We believe in Agriculture not Agribusiness

Since its founding in 2025, LIOH joined in fraternity with Polmont Community Hub and set out to collaborate with other groups that care about the environment and community. This continues to grow our collective and its reach:

• They aim to host wellbeing and nature immersion events, talks on permaculture, biodiversity loss and the changing of the seasons, where gardenizers can connect.

• They aim to publish books in Scots and Gaelic researching the harmful effects upon food growing that marketing culturcide has damaged the people of Scotland's relationship with nature, which has had a horrendous impact to the health in our society.

• They spearheaded the community of Polmont by stewarding No Mow May and the end of biocide usage at Polmont Community Hub (PCH)  then started growing culturally appropriate foods and holding events for the collective’s communities to learn about food and connect with each other, the Hub's halls rooms and  green spaces

• Beginning with the successful just transition of the traditional Burns supper, in January 2025 where shop local and healthier alternative Scottish foods were served out for free, to promote the circular economy and agriculture over agribusiness

• Then close ties with other community events like Polmont community councils sunflower growing competition, Polmont horticultural societies annual show and braes friendly growers Apple day, and FEL`s lunchtime learning

• They have begun work on our Herb garden, composting and mushroom growing along with food and water wastage to fertilisers plan

LIOH wants to scale up its event programme to continue to expand its network, with events like the return to Scottish Samhain instead of a consumerist Halloween event, we look to host the alternative high street event, annual Apple day Events, a seed library and regular social cinema events. 

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 Souplin in Scots is the shoot of a tree

 LIOH & PCH served stewp at the just transition burns night, a broth so thick it was like stew, treemendous introduction to what you can offer as accessible pathways into permaculture skills, nutrient-dense local food and an oportunity to explore the role community-scale food farming without slaughter animals could play in the ecological, social and cultural regeneration of our communities

In their first year, PCH PCC & the BFG`s established plans for a nearly 3-acre, holistically-designed, living landscape of food and shelter, they then partnered with organisations including Social Farms and Gardens, keep scotland beautiful, its your neighbourhood, FELScotland and other wellbeing hubs to explore the role social farms and orchards could play in tackling inequality, food poverty, waste habits and diet-related health issues. 

Souplin aims to offer free workshops, videos, and resources focused on cooking with seasonal ingredients and growing food. We aim to engage with children and local schools. Through these initiatives, we strive to demonstrate our capability to cultivate plastic-free organic produce and foster an engaged permaculture community. Our goal is to create a community of practice through regular and open communication, volunteer programs, community events, feasts, and open days, while also nurturing strategic partnerships both locally and nationally.

The planning of a transformation of the former playgroup end into a community kitchen and an outdoor cooking and learning centre has already begun

In the future, we envision a system where local health services can prescribe natural remedies instead of pharmaceuticals. This initiative, supported by Souplin, PCH, LIOH, and the BFGs, aims to significantly reduce the burden on the National Health Service caused by individuals who lack access to natural remedies and may feel socially isolated, impacting their mental well-being.

 Our zero waste team also collaborate with these groups and are developing our composting our herb garden, water storage and sustainable urban drainage systems that encourage biodiversity. With planned wormery and mushroom growing facilities