Rural Housing Conference 2020 at Birnam Arts and Conference Centre

By OTBMarch 12, 2020January 20, 2021 Burghead, Hopeman and Cummingston, Highland Perthshire, Housing & fuel poverty, Older people having a voice & leading change, Rural Wisdom Scotland, Shared learning

by Fi Thomson, Rural Wisdom Community Worker, Moray Housing in Rural Scotland is a complex problem. Key issues such as land ownership, demographics and depopulation, holiday houses and tourism, rural enterprise and affordability were all discussed at this conference in the lovely surroundings in Birnam. The attendees included journalist and broadcaster, Lesley Riddoch whose talk was aptly named ‘Not Doomed…

Change is coming… Scottish Rural Action Conference

By Ruth WrightMarch 11, 2020January 20, 2021 Burghead, Hopeman and Cummingston, Older people having a voice & leading change, Rural Wisdom Scotland, Shared learning

By: Joan Megson, Community Activist Change is coming. How should Scotland’s rural communities, businesses, organisations and people respond? I went to the Scottish Rural Action Conference to find out more. The location of the conference, the Lanark World Heritage Centre set the tone of what we were to focus on well. The questions posed were;…

Exploring alternative energy and fuel poverty in Moray

By OTBMarch 3, 2020January 20, 2021 Burghead, Hopeman and Cummingston, Housing & fuel poverty, National policies, Rural Wisdom Scotland

by Fi Thomson, community worker in Moray One of the first community meetings I went to was a get together to discuss Burghead, Cummingston and Hopeman becoming less reliant on oil and electricity and maybe even producing their own energy. There was interest in renewable and energy and the idea of a development trust to implement it, but it…

Rural Wisdom Evaluation Key findings, January 2020

By OTBFebruary 11, 2020January 20, 2021 Eaglesham and Waterfoot, Highland Perthshire, Leeswood and Pontblyddyn, Milford Haven, National policies, North Angus, Rural Wisdom Scotland, Rural Wisdom Wales, Shared learning

The National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTI) are the appointed evaluation partners of the Rural Wisdom project. Following their visits and research, they have now published their key findings fo far, along with a number of case studies that highlight the varied and interesting work of the project: Rural Wisdom Evaluation Key findings, January 2020…

Rural Wisdom 2020 News

By OTBJanuary 30, 2020January 20, 2021 Burghead, Hopeman and Cummingston, Eaglesham and Waterfoot, Highland Perthshire, Holywell, Leeswood and Pontblyddyn, Milford Haven, North Angus, Rural Wisdom Scotland, Rural Wisdom Wales, Scottish Borders, Shared learning, The Dale Peninsula

In this issue, we celebrate some of the initiatives, projects, events and ideas set up with older people in rural communities. Download the PDF version here In October, community members and workers from Scotland and Wales came together to discuss Rural Wisdom. It was a chance to take stock and reflect on all the successes…

Scottish Borders Transport – Transport & Medical Appointments

By OTBJanuary 20, 2020January 20, 2021 Active & connected, Rural Wisdom Scotland, Scottish Borders, Support that older people want, Transport

The final area we looked at during the event in Duns was issues around transport to and from medical appointments. Issues raised Travel time and/or access to transport is not taken into account when appointments are being scheduled. It also feels like those who are making the appointments have limited local knowledge of how…

Scottish Borders Transport – Bus Stops & Pavements

By OTBJanuary 20, 2020January 20, 2021 Active & connected, Rural Wisdom Scotland, Scottish Borders, Transport

Another area we looked at during our event in Duns back in November was Bus Stops & Pavements as a persons journey begins the minute they leave their home so that includes are the pavements even?, does the bus stop have a shelter? Or is their benches for resting? Issues raised Many of the issues…

Scottish Borders Transport – Bus Connections & Timetabling

By OTBJanuary 20, 2020January 20, 2021 Active & connected, Rural Wisdom Scotland, Scottish Borders, Transport

This is the 2nd blog from the Duns Transport event back in November, which looks at the Bus Connections and timetabling issues discussed. Issues raised The group had experienced many issues around bus connections and timetabling. Below is what we heard. It is common for the buses not to connect for onward journeys to destinations….

Scottish Borders Transport -Connecting Villages & Towns

By OTBDecember 16, 2019January 20, 2021 Active & connected, Older people having a voice & leading change, Rural Wisdom Scotland, Scottish Borders, Transport

Last month we were in Duns to talk about transport issues in the area. The Royal Voluntary Service and Living Streets came along to talk about the work they have been doing in the Borders. Four main themes came through from the discussions: Issues around connecting villages & towns through public transport Issues around pavements…

Multigenerational Activities in Borders – Session 1

By OTBNovember 14, 2019January 20, 2021 Active & connected, Contributing to age-friendly communities, Rural Wisdom Scotland, Scottish Borders

Rural Wisdom started working in the Scottish Borders earlier this year, finding ways to make rural communities work better for everyone that lives there. The weather gods were obviously listening this weekend. Saturday afternoon was a beautiful autumnal, although very chilly day here in the Borders for the first of our multigenerational activity sessions. Glenkinnon,…