Fun at the Gathering 2015

How many Team Digital members can you fit into a photo booth? Answer = 7 and I reckon we could have squeezed Mary and Bev in there too!

Fun times with my lovely team aside, the Gathering for me was a great opportunity to meet others working towards greater digital participation. With five workshops on Wednesday we were rushed off our feet, but it was wonderful to hear from some of our inspirational Challenge Fund projects.

From Queens Cross Housing Association’s Historical Connections project, using local history as a ‘hook’ to get older people online, to Scottish Council on Deafness enhancing the digital capability of their organisation to provide better for the people they support, the Gathering was a fantastic opportunity to see and hear about the great work being done in the digital sphere.

After a busy Wednesday, Thursday was a chance to relax and enjoy the exhibitions and sessions myself. After a relaxing 1/2hr getting my hair and nails done by the lovely ladies at West Lothian College, it was onto a session on digital and technology from SOL Connect. It was wonderful to hear about the innovative tech being used to support people with special assistive needs, helping them to live independently. As an extra bonus, there was a free prize draw to win a Kindle and my name was drawn from the box! J

Amongst the many interesting sessions it was great to be able to wander around the exhibition and see the work of organisations across the three sectors. If you’re keen to get to know more people in your local community then why not check out Big Lunch Extras? Have an interest in empowering people through fairer land ownership? Then get involved with Community Land Scotland.

At the Gathering there is something for everyone so if you’ve not been before and you’d like to check it out for yourself then please remember to sign up next year. With over 60 stands and thousands of people through the doors its lots of fun and completely free to attend, what’s not to like?!