Reconnect staff, volunteers and digital group attendees recently spent an afternoon on the Union Canal courtesy of our All Aboard canal boat.
At People Know How we run various services and projects to support the community, with an emphasis on improving wellbeing.
On a recent trip on the canal, we brought together two different areas of our work by inviting our Reconnect team and those we support on a trip on the canal.
Our Reconnect service plays a key role in communities, combatting both digital exclusion and social isolation, both of which are central to improving wellbeing. We run digital groups in communities across Edinburgh and the Lothians, designed to be an open space where anyone can come for a cup of tea and learn more about the digital world and the new challenges it presents.
We invited those who attend our Reconnect digital groups to a trip on our All Aboard canal boat, which hosts trips on the Union Canal that provide opportunities to improve wellbeing, socialise and discover new experiences while surrounded by nature in the heart of Edinburgh. This gave attendees from different groups across Edinburgh and the Lothians the opportunity to meet and come together for a day they’ll be sure to remember.
Collaboration is in our DNA
The collaboration between our Reconnect and All Aboard teams brought together members from our South Bridge, Fisherrow, Craigmillar, Broomhouse and Ripple Centre digital groups for a series of trips down the Union Canal. Many of those attending had never had the chance to be on a boat before which was an exciting prospect that led to a build-up of excited chatter in the weeks before the trips.
Betty has lived in Edinburgh all her life and never had the opportunity to go on a boat on the canal before. She loved meeting people from the other groups, finding out what they had been learning and having her usual cup of tea in a very different environment than normal. Weeks on from the trip she still regularly mentions what a wonderful time she had and wants to know when the next one will be!
Much like Betty, Simon has been a regular at one of our digital groups and never had the chance to go on a boat before. He thoroughly enjoyed the change of scenery and the opportunity to explore the beautiful city of Edinburgh from the canal.
By uniting our services, we provide new experiences for staff, VIPs and service users. This collaboration between All Aboard and Reconnect created lasting memories for our digital group attendees.
All Aboard has become a staple of the Union Canal and has helped many charities and community groups in its 3-year history. Many organisations we support may not have the funds available to allocate to trips like this and we’re delighted to be able to offer this resource to the community.
These trips are made possible by donations and funding that help to maintain the upkeep of our canal boat. A small donation to All Aboard can help us to continue to offer this resource and provide the opportunity for a charity or community group to offer a memorable trip for their volunteers, staff or service users.