1000 Better Stories

Our Story Weaver, Kaska Hempel, talks to Sally Hinchcliffe, a founding member of Cycling Dumfries. The story is the first in a five-part Dumfries series of Everyday Changemakers.  Transcript  See our website: https://sccan.scot/blog/everyday-changemakers-sally-hinchcliffe-cycling-dumfries/   Credits Interview, recording and sound production: Kaska Hempel Resources Cycling Dumfries https://cyclingd...

Dell McCLurg of the Merkinch Community Council reflects on turning life's challenges into local activism and the creation of the community's Merkinch Local Nature Reserve. The story is the final in a 5-part series of weekly interviews with a variety of grassroots organisations involved in climate, biodiversity and social justice action across Inverness.  Transcript  See our website: https://sccan....

Jon Dixon from the new Holm Grown and Maria from Knocknagael CIC talk about shielding their green spaces from the wave of urban sprawl in Inverness. The story is the 4th in a 5-part series of weekly interviews with a variety of grassroots organisations involved in climate, biodiversity and social justice action across Inverness.  Transcript  See our website: https://sccan.scot/blog/everyday-change...

Our Story Weaver, Kaska Hempel, talks to Gina and Mike at Aultnaskiach Dell about the ways they have been taking care of their tiny, urban woodland. The story is the 3rd in a 5-part series of weekly interviews with a variety of grassroots organisations involved in climate, biodiversity and social justice action across Inverness.  Transcript  See our website: https://sccan.scot/blog/everyday-change...

Our Story Weaver, Kaska Hempel, talks to Everyday Changemaker Louise Marshall, the producer for Dance and Accessible Arts at Eden Court in Inverness.  The story is the 2nd in a 5-part series of weekly interviews with a variety of grassroots organisations involved in climate, biodiversity and social justice action across Inverness.  Transcript  See our website: https://sccan.scot/blog/everyday-chan...

Our Story Weaver, Kaska Hempel, talks to Iain McKenzie, a volunteer and Vice Chair of Inverness Foodstuff. The story is first in a 5-part series of weekly interviews with a variety of grassroots organisations involved in climate, biodiversity and social justice action across Inverness.  Transcript  See our website: https://sccan.scot/blog/everyday-changemakers-iain-mckenzie-inverness-foodstuff/ Cr...

In this crossover episode, Katie Revell, a podcast producer and a member of SCCAN's Story Circle and the Storytellers Collective, shares a bonus episode from her Testing Ground podcast series. It features an interview with Mairi Macleod, a Glasgow-based writer who works in both Gaelic and English, and her short story, Seasickness, or Cur na mara. Mairi’s story updates the traditional Scottish folk...

Our SCCAN intern, Madeleine Scobie, interviews three more people from Arran Eco Savvy. During her visit to Arran, she talked to Jess Wallace, Sustainable Food Coordinator and Nikki Harris, Eco Savvy shop manager. She also spoke with Stuart Wallace, ebike mechanic, online in October. Transcript See our website: https://sccan.scot/blog/everyday-changemakers-jess-nikki-stuart-arran-ecosavvy/(opens in...

Our Story Weaver, Kaska Hempel, talks to Hollis, a volunteer involved in Dundee’s Wee Forest project. The story is the final in a 5-part series of weekly interviews with members of Dundee Community Garden Network (Grow Dundee) recorded this June, and an audio tour exploring the meaning and impact of community gardening.  You can find a draft of the audio tour here:   https://izi.travel/en/ff0a-dun...

Our Story Weaver, Kaska Hempel, talks to Harold, one of the core volunteers running Fruit Bowls Community Garden. The story is the fourth in a 5-part series of weekly interviews with members of Dundee Community Garden Network (Grow Dundee) recorded this June, and an audio tour exploring the meaning and impact of community gardening.  You can find a draft of the audio tour here:   https://izi.trave...

Our Story Weaver, Kaska Hempel, talks to Gisela de la Espada, a garden coordinator for Yusuf Youth Intitiative’s Victoria Community Gardens, forstering diversity among their volunteers and nature. The story is the third in a 5-part series of weekly interviews with members of Dundee Community Garden Network (Grow Dundee) recorded this June, and an audio tour exploring the meaning and impact of comm...

Our Story Weaver, Kaska Hempel, talks to Rowan, who works for Uppertunity with their Growing Spaces Group. Uppertunity supports individuals with learning disabilities, autism and mental health barriers. The story is the second in a 5-part series of weekly interviews with members of Dundee Community Garden Network (Grow Dundee) recorded this June, and an audio tour exploring the meaning and impact...

Our Story Weaver, Kaska Hempel, talks to Catherine Lawson, one of the volunteers behind Bonnie Dundee (In Your Neighbourhood) group. Credits Interview, recording and sound production: Kaska Hempel Transcript  See SCCAN website https://sccan.scot/blog/everyday-changemakers-catherine-lawson-bonnie-dundee-iyn/ Resources Audio tour of Dundee Community Garden Network (DRAFT): https://izi.travel/en/brow...

Kathi Kamleitner reports on her summer visit to the Wild Seas Weekend in Argyll and the Seawilding project which is fast becoming a template for community-led marine regeneration efforts around Scotland’s coastline. This story was funded through our mini-grant programme. Get in touch on stories@sccan.scot if you are considering applying for one. Kathi’s publishing a sister Seawilding story on her...

One of our Story Weavers, Lesley Anne Rose, interviews community artist, Andrew Crummy. Andrew is one of the team of behind the vision for the The 360 Center, an inspiring community led project to transform the site of the former Cockenzie Power Station in East Lothian. Credits: Interview and recording: Lesley Anne Rose Edit: Kaska Hempel   Resources: SCCAN Member of the Month blog about 360 Centr...

This is a cross over episode from the Disrupting the Doughnut of Doom podcast by our friends at EMEN (Ethnic Minority Environmental Network). Podcast host, Andrew Williams, interviews Thalia Groucott from Glasgow Food Policy Partnership. They discuss how what we eat, and how we grow it, affects the climate, the countryside and the communities we live in. Resources Listening matters – a collection...

What is deliberative democracy, and can it help your community involve more people in creating a better future for all? SCCAN Story Weaver, Kaska Hempel, explores the idea in this story from the People’s Assembly in Torry, as the community stand up against becoming a sacrificial zone yet again. The Assembly took place at St Fittick’s Park over the weekend of 28 and 29 of May this year, and it was...

Today’s Everyday Changemaker is Peter Moffatt, Transition Black Isle trustee and a man behind its website. Our Story Weaver, Kaska Hempel, caught up with him at SCCAN’s Northern Gathering in Inverness on the 16th of September. Credits: Interview and audio production: Kaska Hempel Resources: Transition Black Isle https://www.transitionblackisle.org/ Transition Network (worldwide) https://transition...

Kaska Hempel, our Story Weaver, interviews Tom Nockolds, who is one of the people behind the community-driven retrofit project, Loco Home Retrofit, based in Glasgow. This episode complements video recordings of presentations from the "SCCAN Member Networking and Skillshare Meet up: Talking about Retrofitting", which took place on 25 August 2023. You can find them on SCCAN YouTube channel. Credits:...

Listen to an inspiring example of work by a tranditional storyteller in residence, helping community of Fittie in Aberdeen come together and face the past, present and future of the place where they live and love. Story was developed and perfomed by Cara Silversmith, with an introduction from our Story Weaver Lesley Anne. Resources Cara Silversmith's website: https://www.carasilversmith.com/ Cara'...

Today Roz Littwin reads "Long Live Lenny", her short story creatively exploring the good work of the Edinburgh Remakery. Roz’s story was originally published on the 1000 Better Stories blog and funded by one of our storytelling mini-grants. The grants fund contributions to 1000 Better Stories Blog and Podcast. They are open for applications now with a deadline at the end of July and another one at...

Our Everyday Changemaker today is Ruth McLaren, Arran EcoSavvy's project and communications development officer. Credits: Interview, recording and edit by Madeleine Scobie, Sound production by Kaska Hempel Resources: Arran Eco Savvy website: https://arranecosavvy.org.uk/ Green Islands Net Zero project: https://arranecosavvy.org.uk/green-islands-plans/ Project Videos Zero Waste Cafe: https://vimeo....

In the first episode of our Everyday Changemakers shorts series we meet Carolyn Powell from Huntly Development Trust who's working on community-led town centre regeneration. Credits: Produced by Kaska Hempel Resources Trust Website: https://www.huntlydt.org/ Number 30/Town Centre development: https://www.huntlydt.org/what-we-do/town-centre Carolyn’s bio https://www.huntlydt.org/about-us/people New...

We share an episode from Collaborative Mobility UK podcast channel. CoMoUK is the national charity dedicated to the social, economic and environmental benefits of shared transport. Among many other things they provide excellent support and resources for community groups wanting to set up shared car or bike clubs. The story explores some of the opportunities and challenges faced by community car cl...

What can we learn from the multigenerational wisdom of Gaelic tradition bearers about reconnecting our communities to places where we live, to our past and to our future in the changing climate? To explore these questions, Our Story Weaver, Lesley Anne, talked to Gaelic Officer for CHARTS, Àdhamh Ó Broin, about his journey into Gaelic tradition-bearing and activism, the role of land-based ritual i...