A TWEEDDALE community group has announced plans to change its name.

Peebles Community Action Network (CAN) will become Greener Peebles from next month.

The group was first formed in 2013, and as it approaches its 10th anniversary, members have reflected on its name.

Nichole Dow, projects manager for the group, said: “Our community garden will be celebrating our 10-year anniversary next year.

"We reflected on our name, and felt that Peebles CAN (Community Action Network) is vague to what we actually do.

"Over the years we have become well-known for our amazing community garden, and the work we have done developing green-space in the community, including Kingsland Primary, Haylrude Primary and Tweeddale Youth Action.

"Our garden offers people a way to grow and consume food in a sustainable manner, and community growing is known to have many benefits for volunteers."

The group decided that as a name, Greener Peebles represents its values about environmental sustainability and bringing the Peebles community together to enjoy the outdoors.

Ms Dow added: "We are so excited about our new name and welcome local people to come along to the garden to find out more about what we do.

"There will be no change to our activities and services as we move across to our new name – the garden will remain as busy as ever."

One of the next events being held by the garden will be a community meal on June 3 from 12-1pm to commemorate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee as well as celebrating the work of volunteers.

Also on June 3 Greener Peebles will open its new community orchard which was planted by volunteers, pupils from Kingsland Primary School and volunteers from Interest Link.

Both the community meal and orchard were funded by Scottish Borders Council and Tesco Bags of Help.

Local community group Tweedgreen will be attending the event with a stall to talk about Transition Towns.

Lesley Morrison, the chair of Tweedgreen, said the event as “an opportunity for local people and groups to join us for an informal chat about Transition Towns and to “sow seeds” towards Peebles becoming a Transition Town".

A Transition Town relates to societal concerns and changes which arise as communities move away from fossil fuels to renewable energies.

Lesley and her Tweedgreen colleague Christa Hook said: "While there are many initiatives in Peebles that work towards these broad aims, sometimes they are not well connected or communicative with each other.

"Locally we already have great examples of community food growing, re-use hubs, wood fuel collection and forest management, and extending cycle paths. Other ideas include solar energy, community cafes using surplus food, and rethinking the whole transport network.

"The model of transition is not to bring all initiatives into one organisation but more like a spider’s web, with many different groups connecting, supporting and inspiring other independently constituted groups.

"It reinforces the idea of self-organisation as its objective is not to centralise decision-making but to connect diverse initiatives in order to share experiences, knowledge, skills, and ideas on best practice.

"Existing transition communities have also found it crucial that statutory bodies are part of the network."

Tweedgreen has a small grant to send four to eight lucky locals on a trip to Greener Melrose or Sustaining Dunbar, to meet other local groups committed to climate action, and see how Peebles might follow in their footsteps.

Contact Tweedgreen at: tweedgreenpeebles@googlemail.com or join the Greener Peebles event.

Later this year garden volunteer Andy Entwistle will take on the Mighty Strider Kiltwalk to raise funds for Greener Peebles.

To support Andy and help raise money for the garden, visit: edinburgh.thekiltwalk.co.uk/fundraising/EdinburghKiltwalk2022-AndyEntwistle