Climate Wisdom Launch 

Last week on World Environment Day (5th June) we launched our exciting new project ‘Climate Wisdom’ at Kirrie Connections Meeting Centre in Kirriemuir. 

The team had an early start on launch day, armed with our natural resources and old magazines we headed up to J M Barrie territory for a fun morning with the Kirrie Connections Meeting Centre members, staff, volunteers and our invited guests. 

After a warm welcome and a cuppa, we began our morning of activities centred around nature.  Having laid out all our foraged natural resources on the table we invited everyone to choose something that resonated with them.  Some people chose something because they liked the look of it or were drawn to, whilst others had a story to tell or felt passionately about something. Who knew the humble dandelion has a fiercely passionate group of supporters in Kirriemuir!  We also had a piece of art created by a very artistic member.    

“I don’t normally come on a Thursday; I have had such fun today” 

After we had been around the table reminiscing about poppies, buttercups, daisies, trips to the beach and much more we then got out the old magazines to make nature inspired collages which resulted in conversations about growing fruit and vegetables, going for walks and being in the outdoors.  

“My collage is woodlands – I love them. They make me feel peaceful and calm. They give homes to all kinds of animals too, they are special.” 

After all our chatting, reminiscing, cutting and gluing we had earned a delicious lunch featuring the award-winning pies and quiche from Lees Bakery.  It was a fabulous morning, and we can’t wait to do more climate focused activity sessions in Meeting Centres across Angus and Fife in the coming years. 

‘Climate Wisdom’ is an inclusive, dementia-friendly climate action project that will support people living with dementia, their care partners and their communities to feel inspired, empowered, and confident to take positive, practical action on climate change. The 5-year partnership project led by Outside the Box, brings together Meeting Centres Scotland, The Institute for Place, Environment and Society at the University of Heriot-Watt and the Stockholm Environment Institute at the University of York.   

Thanks to National Lottery players, Outside the Box have received almost £1.5m from The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest community funder in the UK, to launch ‘Climate Wisdom’.