Since 2020, we have been working closely with the students at Fortrose Academy.
Two groups of students come to work in the brewery garden over a 12-week period. They work closely with Alexander, our Head Gardener and a trained horticultural therapist, learning how to grow, maintain and harvest vegetables. They are also taught the basic principles of seed saving, the practice of collecting seeds to generate more resilient crops.
The S5s, who are in their penultimate year of school, join us on the same day as our local volunteers. They learn to dress beds with compost and woodchip, collect seaweed for mulching next year's tomatoes and help with the maintenance of weeds.
Furthermore, they have been working closely with Alexander to create a sensory garden at Fortrose Academy, using the brewery garden as inspiration. Sensory gardens are designed to improve cognition as well as physical and mental health.
Our Business Development Team have also collaborated with the Business Studies Department at the academy to give talks, provide mock interviews and feedback on business proposals, to prepare the students for real-life job situations.
The local community has been a huge support to the brewery since its inception in 1998. Working with schoolchildren is one way in which we can return this support, building strong links through principles which are central to the brewery ethos – food security, working with nature and organic farming to name just a few.
Here is what a few of the pupils have to say about their time on our organic brewery farm:
Visiting the Black Isle Brewery “has taught me how to garden better. It has helped me work in a team and talk and interact with others more.” Ryan, S4
“I feel more confident speaking to people.” Donald, S1
Volunteering at the Black Isle Brewery “helps me calm down. It makes me feel happier at school as I have time away from the subjects I don’t like.” Lillian, S1
“Going to the Black Isle Brewery helps me concentrate more on my work in school. The fresh air and seeing the dogs and chickens are my favourite things.” Daisy, S1
