The Community Pioneers Podcast

Ann Porter of Fuel for Innovation has spent most of her working life making change happen. Innovation has been a constant theme. In this podcast, Ann talks through her journey from factory floor to her current interest which centres on the earnings and wealth gap for mothers. Ann is a passionate advocate of the practical application of innovation and is a whirlwind of ideas as you will hear. It's also worth checking out the Fuel for Innovation website for more details. 

Everyone seems to know something about Dundee. It's full of art, design, games and those award winning tourist attractions. But as our guest, Joyce Reid of Transition Dundee, says - there's a whole other side of sustainability going on too. Joyce talks about her involvement with fashion, recycling, upcycling and building skills. Her own journey reflects her interest in making the planet a better place. And, naturally enough, she shares some advice garnered from the front line.  It's a real celebration of community and the power of workshops.For more details about the Wardrobe, the Community Fridge and those workshops - check out their website and socials.

This is a very special Community Pioneers Podcast  entitled " The Power of the Eigg Story, Yesterday and Today' . Moderated by Calum MacDonald with Camille Dressler of Comunn Eachdraidh Eige (Eigg history Society) handling the Q&A ; this event featured three Iconic Scottish Writers, Lesley Riddoch, Alastair McIntosh and Andy Wightman. As you will hear, they all played a part in the Eigg community buyout. Their stories and memories provide a fascinating glimpse to what happened 25 years ago and outline some lessons for the future. Organised by Communn Eachdrtaidh Eige as part of their "voices of the Eigg Community buyout" programme funded by Scotland's Year of Stories 2022, this is a unique audio insight. 

I met Debz at an open art event in Dundee We started to chat about art, working with people in creative settings and puppets. Our 5 minute chat convinced me there was a story to tell and here is the evidence.Debz has had a long journey through personal experience of bullying, mental health and art to get to where she is now. In this conversation she explains how safe spaces can be made to happen and how change can occur in artistic settings. It's a very personal story and Debz is a gifted art befriender to so many.If you would like to see more details - do check out How It Felt.

Kevin's story starts literally with him flat on his back. And how Kevin came to set up the Big Disability Group is an inspiring journey. From his own experience of disability, Kevin has set about building a group which provides a service to a wide range of clients with varying needs. It all started with a simple thought and a Facebook page. He talks honestly and openly about his own challenges; physical and mental,  along the way. The successes have been remarkable, from Open Days to martial arts; it's a great story to encourage everyone.You can check The Big Disability Group on their website and all the social media avenues.

Sandy Greene is a  founder and MD of ScrapAntics. ScrapAntics is a creative recycling social justice enterprise who run Dundee's only ScrapStore. We had a great conversation in which Sandy talked a whole series of topics; from an unique early journey, working with different groups through to what motivates her as MD. Sandy has some strong opinions about the role of a social justice enterprise, the challenges of being a ‘people sustainable business' and how much creativity we all need in our lives. We only touched the surface so feel free to explore more at ScrapAntics 

Charlie Sherry is the founder of Inclusive Images, a social enterprise set up to help individuals and challenged groups tell their story using photographs. Charlie came to photography later in life and was inspired by an iconic photo. From a start with a Blackberry snapping scenery, he talks about his work and the range of groups he has worked with. He explains ‘Photo voice' and naturally enough; shares some advice as to how to take better photographs.  Check out the Inclusive Images website.

Amanda Eletheriades-Sherry is the founder and editor of the  Clydesider magazine. As you will see, if you visit their website,  this West Dunbartonshire community is a hive of activity.Amanda tells of her journey from journalist to community activist with lots of lessons on the way. She also shares the international recognition the Clydesider has enjoyed. The Clydesider is full of good news, 'can do' stories and there is a lot to learn from the magazine's own story.

Greg Cuthbert is a passionate advocate for his village. Newcastleton is one of those places in the Borders which faces all the challenges of being rural. They include poor communications, a declining population and the feeling of being "a land locked island'. Greg has first hand experience of working with the Community Council, the Newcastleton and District Community Trust and the Campaign For Borders Rail to meet these challenges. He talks through the transformational role of railways, energy infrastructure, climate change and the surprising benefit of a community lawn mower.It's an in depth conversation where Greg, as an individual, outlines both the frustrations and the hopeful aspirations of a resilient community. And, as you would expect, there are advice and insights.If you want to find out more about Newcastleton - here are a couple of good links.Newcastleton and District Community TrustCampaign For Borders Rail

If you ever wondered what it was like to open an independent bookshop, Kate Davies of Adventure into Books of Blairgowrie has a tale to tell. She explains the unlikely roles of tea towels, algorithms for 8 year olds and good neighbours all play in being a local book shop. Kate shares her experiences  in setting up and running a successful book. If you have ever been tempted into a retail adventure by opening a shop, Kate has plenty of practical advice. It was great fun chatting to Kate and finding out about behind the scenes. It also does make me want to visit Blairgowrie and browse books.  In the meanwhile, there is their splendid website which includes a 'Good Reads' section.

The Scottish Diaspora Tapestry, the Great Scottish Tapestry, the Prestonpans Tapestry; Andrew Crummy has been one of the creative team making these pieces of inspirational community art.  The story of how these tapestries came into being is a fascinating tale of talented women and men collaborating in some very unique ways, which, for example, did require dressing up to recruit 'stitchers'.  Andrew has an interesting journey to share. From an unusual background in Craigmillar, through street art ( before it was street art ) , murals , and on into the world of tapestry he has met some characters on the way. As anyone who has seen the tapestries will attest, there is a rich vein of  lives and history to depict. Andrew explains how the art of tapestry sparks this response in communities.It was a fascinating conversation. We could have talked for hours about the way tapestries are drawing out the extraordinary into the light. Andrew is a gifted artist whose experience is unique and should be filed under "life affirming".The Great Tapestry of Scotland has a new home in Galashiels and is worth a visit. Please put it on your bucket list.

The Bookmark Book Festival is alive and well in Blairgowrie and Gail Wylie is the enthusiastic Chair.  From an early passion for reading through to an association with Muriel Spark, Gail has been in and and about literature for a wee while. In our conversation, she describes the passion of teaching, the recipe for a successful book festival and also offers some top reads for the dark winter nights. Gail also outlines the appeal and purpose of a book festival in a rural East Perthshire market town like Blairgowrie.

I met Biddy a couple of years ago in the Tardis that was Fresh Start's packing centre. There were teams of cheerful people assembling 'starter packs'  of duvets, bedding, cutlery and just about every item of household goods known to mankind. All destined to help someone homeless take that first step. I promised myself that one day, I would have a longer chat with Biddy and find out more. It took some doing, pandemics notwithstanding, but the resulting conversation was fascinating. From her own start in youth work in East Lothian, Biddy has some interesting experiences to relate about ground breaking youth work back in the day.  She shares some career advice she's received and also how she came to work for Fresh Start. And, as you would expect, she has some insights to share - "homelessness is a point in time; not a destination" and the role of values in an organisation. 

Cathy Ratcliff has been working internationally with different communities from Nepal to Malawi. She came into the pod and reflected on the changes she has observed over her career to date.  A gifted linguist, Cathy was very enlightening about  Russia's role in Africa. She also talked; the nature of Russian people, the art of working with people, being a PhD, and the role of listening. It's a really reflective and thoughtful set of insights from @cathyratcliff . 

“Tatties Tae Tables” is  the idea of Colin Harris. The simple idea of linking up a surplus of potatoes to people who could use them during a pandemic  is charitable brilliance. In this podcast Colin explains how he put the various elements of this initiative together. From growing tatties himself and the family connections he was able to call on, this is a fascinating story. From Penicuik to Ardrossan and beyond, this network has grown through the efforts of many different community groups. It is definitely worth checking out the “Tatties Tae Tables” page  on Facebook and they do have a Gofundme page too.

Jason Schroeder is a man who “goes to bed with a dream and wakes up in the morning with a purpose”. As the CEO and founder of the Scottish Men's Sheds Association, he has had a positive influence over thousands of Scots. In this conversation, I want to leave that executive role behind and find out about the man. His journey from the early days in South Africa to rural Aberdeenshire is fascinating. Jason is a self reflective man. His insights about ‘rites of passage' and what it means to be a man will resonate with many, I feel sure.By the end of our conversation, you may also want to check out the Scottish Men's Sheds Association too.

“The town is in flux”, the major employer is shutting down and depopulation is a real issue. It's against this background, Joan Lawrie and Marion O'Brien stopped by to tell me about Thurso Community Development Trust. The rapid progress from community consultation through to the establishing a community benefit society has been an exciting story. Joan and Marion have their own unique contributions in the telling of this story so far. And, of course, we talk about how the community has handled the challenges of the last year.

This podcast is a tale of the prodigal's return. Born in Huntly, Donald Boyd is the General Manager at Huntly and District Development Trust. However, his journey to that role has taken him across Europe, the Middle East and beyond, including a stint in Guatemala. Trained as a surveyor, he has learnt to work in a variety of different environments and styles. In this podcast, he paases along some of his thoughts, observations and experiences from the journey so far and anticipates the challenges he sees ahead.For more information about Huntly and District Development Trust.

Colin Mackie is a clever man with many talents. His regular appearances on the internet Facebook sensation that is “Live from Oor Livingroom” demonstrate this. Over the last year and a bit, Colin and team have been streaming nightly ; quizzes, karaoke, history talks, presentations and general cheery content to their local community in the Gorbals and beyond. It is a staggering amount of sessions aimed at boosting everyone's health and well being. An amazing achievement. You can join in the fun here.But that's not all. Colin is also involved in “Friends of Southern Necropolis”. The Friends  strive to preserve and promote the many historical, educational and environmental assets of the Southern Necropolis in the Gorbals area of Glasgow. It's a fantastic story and Colin is a great advocate for this ‘city of the dead'.A great warm chat and one sure to put a smile on your face.

 Jacky Niven works for one of Aberdeenshire's Local Rural Partnerships based in Kincardine and Mearns and also chairs Aberdeenshire Third Sector Strategy Group.In this conversation, Jacky shares her thoughts about effective communications, the role of excellent customer service, what recovery is going to look like and a range of other topics. Jacky's background in graphics and retail has an interesting role in the way she sees the third sector. Jacky shares a lot of her experiences and insights from her work with dynamic communities. If you like Jacky's approach; you can see more details on this presentation entitled ‘Building Foundations for Citizen Participation' and the KDTV Channel.

Kevin Neary had a  background which includes first hand experience of violence, addiction and the criminal justice system, you  can read the details here.  However, through a series of lucky accidents and incidents, he is now in a better place. As the co-founder of Aid & Abet , Kevin is now an articulate voice actively involved in supporting people on their release from prison. When he came on the podcast, I wanted to understand the background to his story. It was a very thoughtful, humourous and surprising conversation. It's a long listen and 'Neary's theories ' are delivered with the passion which  comes from a considered life. More Kevin is regularly available on Twitter too.

Marion Hughes is a passionate advocate of 'Forest Schools'. She has an amazing story to tell about the role of woodland  in our children's development. She also explains how an Erasmus visit to Finland and a Castlemilk exchange played a role in her journey.As promised, you can see a lot more detail at the Auchinairn After School Care web site and their very active Facebook page.

It was fabulous to  get Marie on the podcast.As the CEO of Cranhill Development Trust, Marie has worked long and hard to support this community in a variety of innovative ways. Over the years, Cranhill, as a Glasgow inner city area, has faced its own challenges and the Development Trust has responded with a range of initiatives from food to education.  Marie gave some insights about methods of listening to the community, spotting opportunities, and engaging partners.  It's a fascinating glimpse into this dynamic community and  Marie's own style of management and leadership.  If you are interested in the Cranhill Development Trust, check out their website and Facebook for more details.

This grandmother and granddaughter are a hutter double act. With her pension lump sum, Lorna bought some woodland. Helped by Mischa and family, they are all off to build huts.It's a fascinating story as they share their aspirations and plans. Although the current lockdown has put plans on ‘pause', they have been busy making plans, as you will hear. It is a story to make you smile and there's a lot to share for anyone contemplating their own 'hut' journey.As Lorna mentions, they have a YouTube channel, Mafia Wood, where you can follow their progress.

Willie Whitelaw is now a woodworker and purveyor of wood stores amongst other things. He also has had a long and varied career working, as a community worker,  with different groups from youth work to helping set up mens' sheds. As ever, it was interesting to hear first hand about the different dynamics working with different groups. What works, what groups need for success and the qualities of a community worker are all topics that Willie has views about based on his experience. And it's all delivered with a wry sense of humour.

Fintry and  the Fintry Development Trust are well known within the wider community world as being one of the first to own a wind turbine. Gordon Cowtan was there at the very beginning; one of “the Fintry 4”. It was good to catch up with him and get his reflections on the early days and how things developed. We also talk about his background, lessons learnt, and what the future holds.

I have always been curious about what ‘community development' looked like in remote rural areas.  I have met Alison on a number of times at different events over the years and found out more about  Applecross each time.Alison's experience of raising a family in Applecross , finding work in Raasay and latterly coming back to Dumfries and Galloway was an interesting tale in the telling. On the way, we chat about how rural groups fix things, what the challenges are and the future of high streets; notably Midsteeple Quarter.

Kayt has been ‘doing good  stuff in Fintry' for more than a dozen years from tackling fuel poverty to community orchards. She has had a number of roles within Fintry Development Trust and has been involved in  lots of different projects from energy advice to  a car club. FDT has always been more than just owning a wind turbine. In this podcast, she talks through her experience of a rural community that has a reputation of being innovative and more eco than most.

Abi Mordin is a passionate food activist. It was great to get her to sit down in the shed and take us on her  personal journey. Abi has championed community resilience through food networks in a number of different places with a variety of settings across Scotland. She has some story to tell. If you want more details of interesting food initiatives check these out.Glasgow Community Food NetworkPropagate - Rethinking local foodHidden Veg - an appetite for local food

This is the first brief podcast to introduce the Community Pioneers Podcast. In the coming weeks, there will be a number of interviews with a variety of people from the communities around Scotland. All will be telling their story in their way.Over a period of time, this podcast should grow to be a useful resource as different voices tell about their journey and their community. Stay tuned - there will be more.