Scotland's annual celebration of books and reading opened today, carrying the theme of Friendship. Book Week Scotland, now in its 14th year, aims to bring people of all ages and all walks of life together to share the joy of reading and storytelling. The celebration, which this year
Scotland has always felt a welcoming and friendly place for me - but that's not the case for everyone. And by 'everyone', I'm really talking about people from ethnic minority groups. Recent anti-immigration rallies and protests in cities like Glasgow, Perth, Aberdeen and Falkirk
Social media is part of everyday life for most of the world - but could we live without it for work? If you are a professional, entrepreneur, community group, business, charity or other organisation, you need to be able to communicate. According to Statista, there are 5.56 billion people
If you are a book lover, reading is a pleasure - but could your pastime have a social and environmental downside? In its latest guide, Ethical Consumer magazine says our buying habits are often giving money to brands with a poor or terrible record for responsible business. The magazine has
The British sustainable travel charity Sustrans has changed its name. It is now called Walk Wheel Cycle Trust. Founded in 1977, the charity says its purpose has always been to encourage people to walk, wheel and cycle - but that has not always been clear to the public. So, it
Citizens, families, businesses and community groups in Scotland are being encouraged to take action on climate change. Scotland Climate Week (running from 29th September to 5th October) aims to celebrate progress, highlight small wins and big wins, and get more people involved in making positive change where they live. On
The best ideas are often the simplest. And they start from asking questions. Questions like: * How do we encourage children to eat more healthy food? * How do we bring people in communities together and strengthen social connections? * How do we make use of schools AFTER school is finished (and most
To clarify matters: "Good people doing great projects for good"... ... are the purpose-driven people I want to help so they can: * Be more visible (cut through the 'noise' or explore different ways to get the message out) * Present their key message and core themes with greater
If you agree that storytelling is a powerful way to communicate you may have a question (or two)... ... such as, "But where do I find good stories?" My answer is to make space for stories to emerge or find you. To do this, I encourage you to: 1.
The picture above shows a postbox topper. It's become a common sight in parts of the UK. The 'toppers' are knitted or crocheted decorations - often themed - which sit on top of the classic red postboxes in towns, cities and villages. It could be argued
As with any event, it not only took effort but it took money to put on Content Rising. Organisers found values-aligned sponsors to help cover the costs of staging the event earlier this month, including the wonderful presentation tent in the fields of Wakehurst in Sussex, England. And it got
The message I'm hearing a lot right now about climate change, the world and making communities better (and more resilient) is this... "People are concerned about how the world is. But they don't know what to do about it or whether it will make any