On April 25th West Lothian Climate Action Network held it’s first gathering at Beechbrae, a hidden jewel situated Blackridge bringing together a variety of community groups from the region aspiring to be part of building a flourishing, inclusive supportive and collaborative network that cares for our local environment. The event was also a chance to meet other local groups and explore together how best to shape the West Lothian Action Network around the needs of communities.
We started off my removing our shoes as we entered the building which gave us a sense of transitioning from the big outside to the relaxing haven of our homes, well at least that was my aim which I was pleased to hear was also a positive experience for the groups who attended. I did say that my objective has always been for the network to be a safe and relaxed space where we could all feel at ease with each other…I think I’m heading in the right direction on that one!
The day was followed by a presentation about SCCAN, our vison and values and what can be achieved in unison at regional level when connections are made with the right support in place. This gave groups an opportunity to discuss both their aspirations, concerns and visualise what a just, fair, resilient, and sustainable West Lothian could look like in 2030 from community perspective.
We then moved onto a brainstorming session prior to lunch were groups made their way around tables contributing to discussion questions such as :
- What they liked or would change about their communities?
- What functions could a network achieve?
- What would be practical, useful and inspiring, especially to build capacity?
- What resources, benefits and support would be most helpful from a network?
- What is happening, not happening?
From groups input we are most certainly on our way to defining key priorities and functions for a Climate Action Network and Hub. There is a real appetite for climate action collaboration in West Lothian and I feel privileged to be part of such an exciting time for us.
Thank you to all the groups who helped make the event a success!
To get involved or for more info, please contact taya@sccan.scot
