In our People of Pollok spotlight series, we’re shining a light on the people who make the Pollok Community. At last year’s Pollok Community Harvest Festival, as part of our wider Pollok Grows Together project, we stopped to chat with volunteers, participants, and attendees to hear their stories, reflections, and what the project means to them.
Name: Natasha
Q: Why did you come along today?
A: I try to come to anything that’s about restoring our heritage, our culture, and bonding our communities. Anything that can make our community better in some way, I’m there.
Q: Is there anything about today’s event that you’ve particularly enjoyed?
A: I love seeing the kids, I love seeing their confidence…
And I love seeing that everyone’s always surprised at all of the natural things we have in the world and all the little examples. Like today we’ve made apple cider vinegar… and we get to take these things home. It’s lasting and it’s not just for today. And there’s always something new to look forward to as well. The kids learn a lot, and it’s something to take home, something to continue working on.
Q: What does the word “community” mean to you?
A: Community to me is like… I don’t even have the word for it. You have to have community. It’s like the heart and the soul of where you live, and how your kids grow. And if you don’t have community, you don’t really have much, you’re isolated. It’s like fresh air; you have to have it.
Q: Is there anything else you’d like to see happen in relation to the orchard we planted?
A: It would be great to have days where we pick the apples at some stage and made some things. Like teach the kids how simple it is to do apple crumbles and things like that. And I actually know a community kitchen as well down at Pollok United Church. It’s one of those big metal containers and it’s an actual kitchen in there. So it’s an opportunity just down the road. And they use it for schools and things as well but it’s not always booked out. And it should be a community event where everyone picks the apples and maybe that week it’s just everything apples.
Name: Filip
Q: What does being involved with pollok community orchard as a volunteer mean to you?
A: It’s about being part of the community. So for example, today for the event I baked a traditional Polish apple cake. And it’s not just about sharing the cake, it’s about sharing ideas on how we can grow, whether faster or maybe depends slower, but with more people getting involved and appreciating the orchard. It will serve us all greatly in the future. That’s how I see it.
Q: Do you feel more connected to your local community because of volunteering?
A: I think yes so. I come from Poland, and I was never really involved in any community groups. Living in a small town, you’re naturally part of the community, but I never served the community. Since we started with these events a year ago, I feel greatly connected.
Q: Are there any skills or personal ambitions you’re developing, or hope to develop more through this project — like gardening or anything else?
A: Yes. Because I’ve met more people with different skills, I’ve started learning more myself. Or even at the event last year, we won two trees in the raffle — an apple and a pear. After planting them, I realised, this is what I’ve always wanted, because my grandad had an orchard in Poland, and I always envied him. So now I’m encouraged to pickle more… not just gherkins, but apples, pears, and to build on that experience.
Q: What are your hopes for the future of the orchard and the project?
A: From what I’ve seen so far, we’re a small group of people, and we’re all busy with our families. But when it comes to an event like this, there’s real enthusiasm and support. I’d love to see more people join, more skills, more enthusias, and for it to grow into a proper community where we can help and serve one another.
Name: June
Q: Why did you come along today?
A: Well my kids love it. We came last time and they really enjoyed it. All the set up is very interactive and engaging. We also love getting to know the local breeds of the apples. The apple tasting is quite educational as well, and at the same time they’re having fun and we also enjoy it.
Q: Did you come along to the planting day?
A: Yes, we did. It was out in the field, right? They planted the trees — yes, we were there.
Q: Is there anything about today that you particularly enjoyed?
A: We love crafts. Especially when you use natural ingredients… it gives kids a new perspective. They see that things aren’t just for cooking; you can make lovely things with them, like the thread we made today that looks like a necklace or bracelet.
Q: What does the word “community” mean to you?
A: Getting to know people and feeling connected.
Q: Is there anything else you would love to see happening in relation to the orchard?
A: It would be great to have more clubs for young children, maybe ages three to five, before they start Primary 1. After they start school, there are more projects, but before five there isn’t much. A monthly club or project for young children to get involved would be very nice.
Name: Aniah (10 years old)
Q: Have you enjoyed coming along today?
A: Yes
Q: How has it made you feel?
A: Happy
Q: What did you enjoy the best?
A: Probably the colouring and the facepainting
Q: Which story performance did you enjoy the most?
A: The faces because it looked funny
A huge thank you to our community members for sharing their experiences and involvement in the project. It’s the people of Pollok who truly make it so special, and we look forward to catching up with you again soon.
