Summer partnerships to reach and support
The summer school holidays are a difficult time for the increasing number of families facing food poverty, social isolation and discrimination across Edinburgh and beyond.
To help The Green Team reach and support more children and young people facing some of the greatest challenges, we continue to build partnerships with other organisations.
Over the summer, our team were out and about delivering nature connection projects in collaboration with Circle Scotland, SCOREscotland and City of Edinburgh Council. By working with The Green Team, these partners are able to add the many benefits of time in nature to the experiences they can provide the people they support.
Here’s a little more about our 2026 Summer Partner Projects.
Circle Scotland
Circle Scotland is a registered charity working at the heart of communities across central Scotland. Circle works with families facing multiple disadvantages because of structural inequality, poverty, drug and alcohol use, imprisonment, physical or mental health, trauma, abuse, and loss,
‘We believe that every child, no matter their background or circumstances should have the support they need to live a happy and healthy life.’
At The Green Team, we believe that time in nature is an essential part of a happy and healthy life, and that every child should be able to access, value and enjoy the natural world around them.
Over the course of a week in July, Green Team Group Leader Struan, working with Circle’s mentoring team, took a group of young people to green places around Edinburgh. They visited Corstorphine Hill, Redford Woods, Water of Leith, Bonaly and Cramond.
As you can see, the group enjoyed a wide range of activities from river walking, to cooking, to den building. Highlights for the group included cooking on the fire making jam, sausages, hot chocolate, popcorn and smores and chill time in hammocks!
On the last day, the group took a trip to Cramond Beach, visited Cramond Island and paddled on the beach.
SCOREscotland
SCOREscotland is a small charity with a big mission to advocate for social justice and equal opportunity, with a strong focus on accessibility and inclusivity. Committed to supporting and empowering those who face discrimination, SCOREscotland is all about strengthening communities and working in partnership.
The Green Team is delighted to be working in partnership with SCOREscotland, connecting the young people they support with nature. In July, we had a wonderful afternoon taking a group to Bonaly Country Park to enjoy a great range activities and experiences.
‘We learned how to tie a hammock up and did some forest bathing. After this. we foraged a lot of blaeberries to make a blaeberry coulis and enjoyed this on some pancakes!’
City of Edinburgh Council
For more than 5 years, The Green Team has been part of the Discover programme, The City of Edinburgh Council’s free holiday initiative for low-income and vulnerable primary school-aged families, providing healthy meals, activities, and family support during school breaks to tackle food poverty and social isolation
As a partner on the Discover Programme, The Green Team has a wonderful opportunity to support families from across Edinburgh.
Every school holiday, meals are provided with food and cooking activities for referred children and families in hubs around the city. The families can then join in a range of activities including a trip to Bonaly Scout camp.
Over the summer, The Green Team offered sessions for up to 50 people a day, giving parents and children the opportunity to join us in the woods for safe fire lighting, den building and relaxing in hammocks! As you can see, we all had a great time!