Community-led action group Nith Life will be hosting their third Community Visioning Workshop at Glencaple on Saturday 1st July, supported by the Galloway & Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere, The Stove Network, and the University of Manchester.
Nith Life launched in autumn 2022 as a means to empower local people and drive engagement with nature, culture and industry along the entire length of the River Nith, which flows for 70 miles from the Carsphairn Hills in East Ayrshire, through Dumfries & Galloway to join the Solway Firth at Airds Point. Climate change and modern patterns of land use have impacted communities and the environment within the river catchment, and Nith Life is exploring the potential both for nature restoration and widening interest in art, leisure and heritage connected with the Nith.
Community Visioning sessions have already taken place at Sanquhar and Thornhill, led by Dr Joanne Tippett from Manchester University, and using pioneering participatory tools such as Ketso and Roundview. Dr Tippett will also be leading the event at Barbour Memorial Hall, Glencaple, which is free to attend; anyone interested in the Nith is warmly invited, and no prior experience or expertise is required.
Faith Hillier, the GSA Biosphere’s Community Officer, says, “Nith Life is a grassroots movement which has real potential to scale up, and it is especially exciting to see the connections being created between different communities and interest groups as we journey through life and history along the River Nith. Community Visioning reflects our aims as a UNESCO Biosphere to create opportunities for sharing stories, experiences and ideas, and we’re excited to see what will be generated by the Glencaple workshop on 1st July.”
Community Visioning at Glencaple is bookable via the GSA Biosphere’s Eventbrite page: (https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/community-visioning-workshop-tickets-633441710207). Alternatively email [email protected] for more information or to reserve your place.
Nith Life welcomes new members at any time, visit their Facebook page to find out more: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088105003049
