ALL WELCOME
WHO WE ARE: OUR STAFF
RITA BUDAVÁRI
Rita Budavári is Youth and Children’s Worker at Transition Edinburgh South and brings valuable experience to our team through her extensive background in language education. She previously worked as a PSA at Gracemount Primary School, giving her a strong familiarity with the Gracemount area and its families. Since 2019, she has been an active member of Trees and Seas Outdoor Adventures, a local community interest company. Her involvement includes leading Hungarian Forest Families sessions and being a forest school assistant with Forest Under Five and Forest Fridays programs.
Rita’s enthusiasm extends beyond traditional classroom settings. She is passionate about both teaching and creating enjoyable outdoor activities. Rita’s personal interests align seamlessly with her professional pursuits, as she enjoys trail running, hiking, camping, and exploring the hidden gems of Scotland.
RICHARD WHISTON
Richard Whiston is our Garden Manager. He delivers open gardening and learning sessions for a range of participants and visitors, including children and young people, adults and community groups, such as school groups, youth organisations, disability services, and pre-school groups. Some of these individuals have additional support needs and are referred by partner agencies. Richard has worked for Transition Edinburgh South since 2013, developing the Gracemount Community Garden as an outdoor learning, meeting, food-growing and recreation space for public and community benefit. He has extensive experience as a community gardener in Edinburgh, having worked and delivered programmes for Bridgend Growing Communities from 2013-16, a youth programme for Edible Estates in 2016 working with 17-25 year olds, and leading community garden sessions for Bridgend Inspiring Growth 2016-17. He previously helped establish and lead a community growing space at The Salisbury Centre in Edinburgh. He has been a self employed garden designer and builder for more than ten years.
KIRSTEN FOGGO
As the Food and Wellbeing Worker at Transition Edinburgh South, Kirsten Foggo brings with her a wide range of experience, from growing produce and teaching cookery to confidently engaging these skills and passions with the community.
Recognising the need to increase food knowledge in the community, Kirsten is committed to sharing her understanding of the connection between the food we eat and our physical and mental health, as well as our overall general well-being.
Just as importantly, Kirsten loves to share her own enjoyment of food with others!
Rob Davidson
Rob Davidson is Project Manager for Edinburgh Transition South. He has had a connection with food and community his entire life as he comes from a long line of farm labourers.
He studied environmental biology and worked as a chef in restaurants during that time. This has guided him to a career working on community food projects which he feels is a great way to connect people with the environment, their wellbeing and their neighbours. He has managed and coordinated many great projects throughout Edinburgh, The Lothians and Fife and delivered training at all levels. Those projects include Nourish Scotland, The Fife Diet, Cyrenians Farm, Common Good Food,Youth Vision, The Yard, Lauriston Community Farm and Grow West Fife.
He sees social enterprise, regenerative methods and community wealth building as new terms that fit the principles of the Transition movement very well and brings his experience of management and delivering on those to TES.
To relax he rides bikes and makes electronic music that probably only he enjoys listening to.
BARA CMOLOVA
Bara Cmolova writes: my family moved to the Gracemount area a decade ago, and we have since become an integral part of this wonderful community.
I currently work as a Youth Worker at the Gracemount community garden through Transition Edinburgh South, in addition to being self-employed gardener and care worker.
My profound connection with nature and soil began in childhood, having grown up in a small village where growing food, raising animals, foraging, and appreciating the natural world were central to our lives.
I particularly enjoy working with young children outdoors. We are in the garden throughout all seasons, which offers a unique opportunity to learn about nature, gardening, wildlife, and various outdoor skills.
I’m passionate about permaculture, forest gardening, arts and crafts. In my gardening practice, I introduce clients to organic and wildlife-friendly approaches, emphasizing the crucial role of native flora in our gardens.
I possess extensive experience of foraging, herbs, preserving, and cooking, all of which I actively incorporate into our sessions.
Together with family, we love exploring Scotland and its Scottish Islands. Hiking is my favourite activity, closely followed by cycling, and creative pursuits.