Cittaslow Activities
This section of the website aims to provide information about
some of the on-going activities in Perth and Kinross that link into
the aspirations and principles of Cittaslow.
THE CARSE OF GOWRIE HERITAGE ORCHARDS PROJECT
In Scotland there are traditionally two main areas of commercial
orchard planting: the Clyde Valley and the Carse of Gowrie, which
is a low lying area beside the River Tay between Perth and
Dundee.
Many heritage apple varieties in Scotland originate from Perthshire
and Angus, including the Bloody Ploughman, Oslin, Hood's Supreme,
Lass o' Gowrie, and the Tower of Glamis. Whereas the Clyde Valley
orchards are predominately a product of commercial jam-making in
the Victorian era, the Carse of Gowrie orchards started as part of
the farms and granges owned by Medieval abbeys and later
contributed to food production for the burgeoning towns and cities
in the area.
At least two-thirds of all traditional orchards have been lost
in Britain over the past four decades. There is an urgent need to
safeguard the existing orchards in the Carse and to make them
commercially viable.
With the resurgence of interest in orchards, the Tayside
Biodiversity Partnership undertook a research project to survey the
location, condition and extent of orchards in the Carse. From this,
a Traditional Orchards Action Plan has been drawn up to improve the
condition of local orchards, raise awareness of their importance
and develop new markets for their produce.
This Action Plan also aims to:
"Establish a network of community and school orchards throughout
Tayside to keep the local cultural tradition alive, to highlight
local food and health options, and to encourage the planting of
Scottish origin 'heritage' (fruit) trees."
It is hoped that this project will lead to: regular events that
highlight the local orchards; the creation of trails that link
orchards and local food based businesses with visitor
accommodation, eating places and villages; and stronger links with
healthy eating projects in local schools and communities.
One of the first public events to be held through this project
was a highly successful Orchard Festival,
which took place in October 2008. This
has now become an annual event.
FUTURECHEF
Since 2007, Perth & Kinross Cittaslow has sponsored the
Tayside regional heat of the national FutureChef
competition.
FutureChef is promoted by Springboard UK to
encourage young people attending school to consider catering as a
career option. FutureChef is organised in regional
heats that lead to a Scottish Final and, from there, to the
national UK Grand Final.
With contacts in the hospitality sector, Cittaslow Perth can also
assist with finding mentor chefs for local competitors, as well as
judges to help assess the local heat which is held at Perth
College.
FutureChef attracts around 7,000 entrants from
nearly 600 schools across the UK and over a dozen youngsters
participate in the Tayside Regional heats. Previous winners
of the Tayside heat have come from Blairgowrie High School, Perth
High School, Perth Academy and Arbroath Academy.
Cittaslow Perth commissioned a unique hand-carved
trophy to be awarded to the winner of the Tayside heat. The
trophy is presented to the winner by Councillor Jack Coburn, Chair
of Cittaslow Perth, and their school retains the trophy for the
year.
More information on the FutureChef competition.
LOVE FOOD HATE WASTE
Cittaslow Perth teamed up with Love Food, Hate Waste on a
competition to highlight the amount of unwanted and spoiled food
being wasted on a regular basis, creating unnecessary waste going
to landfill that could have been prevented.
The aim of the competition was to inspire home cooks and budding
chefs alike to come up with some delicious recipes that turn
everyday leftovers into tasty meals, promoting the national 'Love
Food Hate Waste' message.
Local chefs, some of whom are Cittaslow Business Supporters,
offered their services to judge the entries and prizes ranged from
a meal for two at participating chefs' restaurants to full-day
cooking courses to help fine-tune those kitchen skills.
Love Food Hate Waste
recipe competition.
NATIONAL SPRINGCLEAN PROGRAMME
Cittaslow Perth has taken part in the springclean programme by
helping to tidy up the Moncrieffe Island in Perth. The
initiative locally is organised by Perth & Kinross
Council’s Greenspace team.
For more
information.
CIITASLOW UK AND INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES
Meeting of International Co-ordinating Committee
- In November 2010, coinciding with the Perth 800 celebrations,
the Cittaslow International Co-ordinating Committee met in
Perth. A programme of events was planned for the group,
including a gala dinner at Perth College, served by hospitality
students in their award-winning Training Restaurant, to a ceilidh
at the Salutation Hotel in Perth.
On the same weekend, Perth hosted the Cittaslow UK Annual
General Meeting. Councillor Jack Coburn stood down as Chair
of the UK Board and the group is now led by Liz Jones, from
Cittaslow Aylsham.
- In the summer of 2011, Cittaslow UK appointed Sophie McKeand to
be the UK Co-ordinator. Sophie’s role is to seek out
and encourage potential new towns to the Cittaslow network and to
work with the existing towns to develop projects and
activities.
