There are several ways in which we incorporate community spirit into practice (and our spirits) at Stillgarden. One of those is our Social Botanist project, where members of the community help us to grow the garden botanicals we use in our drinks, as well as keeping the space welcoming and tidy for anyone who’d like to stop by or use some of the herbs for their dinner. It started in 2020 in the first lockdown when we gave ten out-of-work bartenders botanical grow kits to take home but this has now spread to the wider Dublin community. The Social Botanists take part in a variety of activities, tending to the onsite garden, going on regular foraging trips into the surrounding area to harvest wild botanicals, wildlife walks and helping out with community cleanups of the Goldenbridge Estate. All sessions end with a delicious complimentary refreshment back at the distillery.
Not only is this a great opportunity for us to clean up some of the more unkempt areas that surround the distillery, but these cleanups present an opportunity for anyone who’d like to get involved, Dublin City Council, local businesses, and community environmental and tidy towns groups to meet and spend time with like-minded people who also care about their area. When these community spaces are used and given attention, as we’ve seen with the garden, litter becomes far less of an issue. These cleanup days are unique and special times when we come together to regenerate a neglected space. In a time as lonely and socially disconnected as a global pandemic, that feels particularly rewarding.
