A FORMER community farm in Dumbarton is set to be brought back to life to help support people with addictions to rebuild their lives.

Alternatives, a local drugs charity, has secured approval from West Dunbartonshire Council for use of the space at a development site at Dumbarton’s Castlehill Road – formerly home to Knowetop Farm – with the intention to build a secure area to plant fruit and vegetables.

The proposed compound is part of a wider scheme to improve the natural habitat, while helping those in recovery from drugs with something to focus on while gaining new skills which will help them find employment.

It is also hoped that this will encourage wildlife, and provide a relaxing, natural space for the local community to use.

An Alternatives spokesperson said: “We are in the process of piloting three new social enterprises as safe, therapeutic work placement opportunities for our recovery clients and an in-house ‘training academy’.

“The social enterprises will focus on horticulture/wildlife, catering and upcycling, and the training academy will offer a range of qualifications to suit clients, staff, and volunteers.

“The training will also include employability skills of numeracy/literacy, interview skills and self-awareness.

“The project came from the recognition that safe, therapeutic experiences of value are helpful in recovery.

“The emphasis across the board is on health and recovery, with the clients’ needs as the starting point.

“The client base is our recovery clients who need activities which normalise a life without dependency, as well as a helping hand onto the employability ladder, and members of the local community who participate through volunteering, workshops and courses and gain the same benefits.”

And the new Knowetop site will focus on nature, horticulture, as well as community and food growing spaces.

The spokesperson continued: “We have a long lease of a 15.5-acre site with West Dunbartonshire Council which is the base for the project.

“The Knowetop site was previously a community farm, well-loved and much missed by the local community since it closed, and the site has been unused for more than 10 years.

“In this time nature has started to reclaim it and we want to work with our recovery clients and the local community to enhance the biodiversity on the site and encourage community involvement beyond the dog walking that is currently the main use.

“Commercial horticultural activity will be where recovery clients grow fruit, veg and herbs to supply Alternatives’ community cafe and catering operation, with any surplus being sold locally.”