News

The Equal Opportunities Committee
launched its report on the extent and impact of social isolation on older and
younger people living in Scotland at Viewpoint Craft Café yesterday. The event
was attended by Margaret McCulloch MSP, Convener of the Equal Opportunities
Committee and Christian Allard MSP, along with Craft Café members from
Edinburgh and Glasgow and a host of reporters and journalists.

Programme Manager Natalie
McFadyen White had given evidence at the parliamentary enquiry on the subject
earlier on in the year, along with a host of other organisations working with
people who had experienced isolation and loneliness.

She said:

“Impact Arts developed Craft Café
as a creative solution to the plight of isolation and loneliness that older
people were experiencing back in 2009. We were so confident about the need for
preventative spend in this area that we undertook a Social Return on
Investment Report in 2011 which evidenced that for every £1 invested into
the Craft Café programme, there was a saving of £8.27 for the public purse.

“I’m pleased that this report has
generated a lot of publicity and has brought the issue to the attention of both
the wider public and the Scottish Government. I’m looking forward to seeing
what, if any, changes take place based on the findings of the report.

“In the meantime, Impact Arts will
continue to run Craft Café workshops for over 60’s in Glasgow, Edinburgh, East
Renfrewshire and Renfrewshire. I would encourage anyone who is feeling isolated
or knows of any family members in these areas to get involved and encourage others
to do the same.”

Natalie talks in more detail on the subject on STV News and
Scotland Tonight.

Find your nearest Craft Café.

Read the Scottish Parliament’s Age and Isolation Report and watch their film on the launch.
Images courtesy of Tom Finnie.