Eden Project Communities will bring people from all walks of life together to discuss how to create a connected Scotland
A charity is looking to build community links across Scotland.
In its first-ever national partnership networking event, Eden Project Communities, the organisation behind The Big Lunch initiative, is bringing together a wide range of organisations from private, public, voluntary and community sectors to discuss how to create a more connected country.
Tackling issues such as social isolation and loneliness and looking at building safer, kinder, healthier, more vibrant places to live, the charity is bringing people from all walks of life this week.
Hosted at the Grassmarket Community Project in Edinburgh on Wednesday (6 February), the event titled Creating More Connected Communities: Playing Our Part, promises to be a dynamic day of quick-fire, inspiring presentations, where participants will be encouraged to reflect on their practice, and how they can create truly connected communities throughout Scotland.
Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government, Aileen Campbell MSP is amongst the speakers.
She said: “The Scottish Government is committed to creating a country where people can live in more empowered and connected communities and where everyone feels valued. Our recently launched social isolation and loneliness strategy recognises the important role of communities coming together to achieve just that.
“That is why I applaud initiatives such as The Big Lunch and the work of the Eden Project Communities which seeks to bring together public, private and third sector partners to show that encouraging connectedness, compassion, and kindness is vital – between neighbours, friends, colleagues and for the good of societal wellbeing.”
The event also provides the opportunity for participating organisations to make valuable connections and to take inspiration back into their organisations.
Sandra Brown, Scotland country manager for the charity, said: “Partnership is at the heart of what we do at Eden Project Communities Scotland. We work to support people to create connections and partnerships where they live, through taking part in The Big Lunch. But as an organisation, we also rely on partnerships with organisations up and down the country to help us inspire people everywhere to get involved in their community and make a positive change where they live.
“We are building a truly grassroots movement which involves every single person in Scotland working in their own way to create a more connected, more resilient nation. We can’t do this alone, so we are delighted to have the chance to bring our partners together on 6 February and look forward to working with them to create the future we all want to see."
The Big Lunch is an idea from the Eden Project made possible by the National Lottery, designed to inspire people to take a small step that can make a big difference.
