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Coldside Changemakers: Soup and Sharing

By Mark McGreehin



I didn’t know that you used to be able to go dancing at Dudhope Castle in Dundee. I do now however after talking with one of the Coldside community partners at a Coldside Circle event there. Nuggets of local experience like this are what we want at the heart of the Coldside Pilot Project and from the chats on the evening I know that these partners agree.


The Coldside Pilot Project outcome at the centre of the event (which for now being called “a trail”) involves local illustrators and artists Suzanne Scott and Cara Rooney creating an interactive map of Coldside; it will highlight green spaces in the ward that people often walk past without thinking to walk through. This Community Journalist is collaborating to create videos about these spaces to accompany the map. The aim is that they will include stories coming from the community members who care for and about the spaces, the caretakers.

The event was organised so that Dundee Changemakers could seek guidance and support for the next steps on the trail. It was hosted for Changemakers by Uppertunity at Dudhope Castle and the evening started casually with their delicious soup. 


To follow were updates from Changemakers’ Shona Cherry, Manuela de los Rios and Front Lounge’s Kerry Livie. 





Then the main course was a “world café” informal dialogue session where Shona, Manuela, Cara, and myself swapped from table to table. We had a strict 10-minute limit at each to update community members on the proposed creative direction of the project and to hear their hopes, thoughts and suggestions in turn.


Amongst the great feedback, encouragement and food for thought, were notable repeating themes about what our stories could say about the area.


There was a feeling that it’s essential to highlight the history of the area and its people; “It’s great celebrating the stories of yesterday to inspire, to see where we go tomorrow.” - Changemaker Sandy Greene, Managing Director, ScrapAntics CIC said. Localised stories by older people of how the area has changed, for example long lost bowling greens, were described as “slices of history” by a partner from Fairmuir Community Garden. Violet Fraser - known as Sustainably Spectrum on Instagram - feels that the green spaces “…don’t just connect them [people] to nature but connect them to other people and the history that we all share.” 





A similar theme and desire expressed was to help the community celebrate what is literally on their doorstep. One participant observed that non-Dundonians seem to like the city more than locals and that it would be great if [local] people knew “How good it is and what’s available.” while another has often heard her community members say they “Don’t do anything in [the] area even though [they] live there.”


With the Coldside trail being central to the project, Cara’s conversations focused in on specific areas and potential stories that could be told by the groups that know them best. For example, Dundee Litter Pickers have up to date experience of spaces and there are community allotments filled with green-space minded locals. It was highlighted that Coldside is filled with post-industrial patches that are steeped in history like the Miley Nature Reserve, a former factory rail line, and the changing story of these areas is ripe for intergenerational engagement.


Several participants observed that young people need spaces for them to feel safe and enjoy; they also shared the sadly common lament that there is ‘nothing for young people’. Many participants hope for increased engagement in and by schools with nature clubs and projects; likely with primary school children who are easier to engage with.


There was the definite feeling in the room that preserving the history of Coldside and championing its ongoing positive aspects needs to be actively intergenerational; it needs youth activism to help young people engage more in improving their community and connecting with it. 


While a great many specific youth activities and projects were suggested, participants also expressed how important it is not to consider young people as different [to grown-ups]. Young people have their own thoughts, opinions, hopes and approaches like anyone else and it was suggested to give them the “pen” for ownership and let them initiate their own project[s]. If an intergenerational approach can indeed be facilitated and nurtured I think this project could be even more special than anyone has imagined. 


_____


These shared thoughts and feelings came from representatives of Friends of the Law, Fairmuir Community Garden, Front Lounge, ScrapAntics, The Maxwell Centre, Dundee Fighting for Fairness, Hilltown Management Group, Recovery at Dundonald (NHS), UNESCO, Dundee City Council, NEoN Digital Arts & Uppertunity, Dundee Miley Group, Sustainability Spectrum, Scottish Wildlife Trust Dundee and Angus Group. This is a collection of organisations that clearly cares about their community.


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