Go4Gold - Together for our Planet

Go4Gold - Together for Our Planet

Care Homes across Perth and Kinross have been participating in Go4Gold, with this years theme being 'Together for Our Planet'. This is the tenth annual Go4Gold event in Perth and Kinross.

Go4Gold was organised by the Perth and Kinross Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) in partnership with Perth & Kinross Care Home Activity Network (CHAN), Scottish Care, Live Active Leisure, Paths for All, the third sector and local care homes.

Throughout the project, care home residents and staff participated in numerous different ways including through developing sculptures made from reusable materials, taking part in the step count challenge, and championing recycling in Care Homes.

Reusing teabags in the garden

As part of Dalweem Care Homes commitment to reducing waste, recycling more, and seeking better climate change solutions, one Resident suggested re-using tea bags in the garden when they were brainstorming for their ideas board. The Resident said they also remembered their mother and sister-in-law using the teabags in their gardens and said it makes a huge difference to the plants.

Used tea bags can be added directly to soil, the natural tannic acid content of tea leaves leeches into the soil to increase nutrients, helping your plants to grow naturally healthy.

Enhancing Biodiversity

As part of Richmond House Care Homes commitment to enhancing their biodiversity measures throughout the garden, residents created a bug hotel made entirely out of repurposed and recycled materials. If you look closely you will see a commode, zimmer frame, tiles, skates, pine cones, tin cans, garden canes, old drinking cups, and branches from pruning the apple tree and moss.

One resident, Elma said “I just love looking at our bug hotel, it feels like you find something new to look at every day!”

Step Count Challenge

As part of the Go4Gold, four Care Homes participated in the Step Count Challenge including Ashley House, Dalweem, Kincarrathie and Muirton House.

Both residents and staff are taking part, with the opportunity to set goals and step count targets, with the aim of walking a bit further each week. Steps are logged online and can be converted into CO2 emissions saved when swapping journeys which would normally have been in the car. Participants can also build a virtual forest and share their progress.

The challenge runs from 5^th Sep to 2^nd Oct and everyone participating will be supported to feel happier and healthier whilst learning how to fit more walking into their everyday lives.

Championing Recycling

As part of their commitment to reducing waste and making improvements to recycling, the ‘Stick to the Six’ campaign has been highlighted to all staff and residents. Immediate progress has been noted with less contamination from wrong kinds of waste and are now being disposed of correctly. One Care Home even increased their contract with Perth & Kinross Council to add another industrial bin to allow for recycling of the correct items from the home right through to when it’s collected.

We encourage all Perth & Kinross residents to stick to putting the six key types of material in their blue bins which include:

Paper
Cardboard
Plastic bottles
Plastic pots, tubs, trays & punnets
Cans & tins
Cartons

Together For Our Planet

Perth and Kinross Council have made a commitment to addressing climate change and aim to be net zero carbon by 2045. We greatly appreciate all the efforts from Care Home residents and staff in taking part in Go4Gold with so much enthusiasm. Every climate action helps take us closer to reaching that goal.