
By the Clydesider Team
Sharing stories is part of life but we all have different ways we enjoy communicating.
For some, it’s the written word – factual or fictional.
Others find their stories through the lens of a camera, in the rhyme of a poem or in a carefully crafted song.
And there are many people who find creativity is the perfect medium to share their interests and passions.

At Clydesider we’re keen to hear stories from as many in our communities as possible so in 2022, thanks to funding from the National
Lottery Community Fund, we embarked on our Community Media & Creative Storytelling project.
Over the next three years we worked with a wide range of local community groups, offering six-week projects to creatively delve into the stories which matter to them.
We have worked with carers, older people facing isolation, young people with additional support needs, new Scots, neuro-diverse teens, people struggling with poor mental and physical health, women’s groups, people facing financial challenges and geographical
community groups.
Once the storytelling topic, creative medium and product is agreed, our Creative Lead, Caroline Finn, appears with her magic box of creative materials and the group work together to share their story.
The artwork created has been as diverse as the participants.

Over the past year these included Maggie’s Yarn Buddies’ feltwork tapestry celebrating the community of Dalmuir, the Vale Trust’s
heritage photobook and exhibition, Empowering Women’s creative exhibition for International Women’s Day, a welcome guide for new Scots created by Moments of Freedom, Easter craft gifts produced by Dalmuir Barclay Church’s art group and a Members Welcome Booklet created with Stepping Stones mental health charity.
There is one final project still in progress with Improving Lives’ Art for Anxiety group.
They are working with local creative facilitator Nathalie Friel to explore how art and creativity can help mental wellbeing.
Our Community Exhibition, now in its second year, was an opportunity to celebrate this wonderful creativity and diversity in our communities and for each group to display their artwork and share their stories in person.
In addition to the creative storytelling exhibits there was a section displaying the poems, photos and stories produced by our volunteers for the magazine, plus a range of community stalls and free creative activities to enjoy.
There was also a TV screening our Take a Minute Heritage videos, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
And with over 80 visitors dropping in throughout the day, the event appears to have been a popular success.
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