Well Being Sustainability

Caring for the planet is critical, but so is caring for ourselves and for our communities. Our end goal has to be a healthy planet with healthy people.  

Sadly in most of the world we seem to be doing as much harm to each other as we are to the planet.

Think Global

A large number of older people sit around tables in a village hall. The room is decorated with Union Jack tablecloths and bunting and red, white and blue balloons

Act local

graphic with five coloured blob shapes that say Connect, Keep Learning, Be Active, Take Notice and Give.

Act now

A selection of vegetables and herbs including leeks and carrots sit in a green wooden box
Food Hub operates a pay it forward programme for veg boxes to help increase access to good food for all

Think Global

Enough food is produced to feed everyone on the planet but a toxic cocktail of conflict, climate change, disasters and structural poverty and inequality stops this from happening. 

In the UK our “success” in a global ranking 6th place in terms of GDP conceals the fact that wage inequality has returned to Dickensian levels. The last two decades has seen a multi-fold increase in food banks. As climate change worsens, the need for responding adjustment and mitigation leaves growing numbers facing fuel poverty and overall hardship. 

Increasingly we see those with power and wealth using it to protect their own entrenched positions rather than protecting the vulnerable. As global communication has increased,  the age of internet now dominates. Polarisation and polemic have replaced consideration and compassion. This harms the wellbeing of our communities and of ourselves. 

A large number of older people sit around tables in a village hall. The room is decorated with Union Jack tablecloths and bunting and red, white and blue balloons
The ladies of the Thursday Club and Killearn Guides cam together to put on a Platinum Jubilee afternoon tea for all Killearn residents who remembered the coronation

Act Local

In fact Killearn still manages to have a robust and resilient community. Covid lockdown brought out the best in the village and its people. There is a lot going on and a lot of people already involved. Volunteers enable our community e-bikes, Colourful Killearn and the Paths Group. Their work lets more people enjoy the countryside; get exercise and appreciate the environment. Yoga and Pilates classes feature in the village and kirk halls, as do mentally stimulating activities such as the Bridge Club and social groups just gathering for a coffee and a chat. There are people who undertake regular caring or volunteering activities including our Guide and Scout leaders.

Yet, while the village is strong overall; there are those experiencing food or fuel poverty, those who are victims of domestic abuse, those who feel isolated or forgotten. To some extent that feeling of being forgotten may be justified. There is always the risk of “out of sight out of mind” This isn’t wilful ignorance. Many of us are busy and caught up in other things. Many others might be willing to help but don’t know how to get involved. 

There is a digital divide in the village and if you aren’t on “Killearn for All” in Facebook you can miss lots of what is happening. While there is a range of activities and potential support in the village if you don’t know who to ask or where to look it can be hard to find out what it is. So people are uncertain as to how to offer help or ask for it. Even people who have been here for years can still be unaware of all that’s going on.  

graphic with five coloured blob shapes that say Connect, Keep Learning, Be Active, Take Notice and Give.
The five steps to Wellbeing provide context and targets to help you contribute to village life and improve your wellbeing.

Act Now

A focus on Wellbeing can be a good way to help ourselves and help others. Most established approaches to wellbeing identify five key steps; Connect, Keep Learning, Be Active, Take Notice and Give. While all of these can be considered separately they work best in unison. There is a wealth of ideas and information out there Belfast 5 steps to Wellbeing Guide is a good mix of the overall principles and some practical examples that we can all put into practice. 

All of the things we do to promote food, ecological, resource, travel or energy sustainability will also directly contribute to one or more of these wellbeing steps. Being mindful of how our activities can contribute to our wellbeing will also give us better more resilient projects and initiatives.

Can you think of neighbours who might be facing isolation or other challenges and what we might do to help them? In some cases you won’t even need to initiate activities; just connect to and raise awareness of what is already happening. Or looking beyond the village, could you support the excellent work being done for organisations like Refuweegee, Help the Homeless Glasgow, Start Up Stirling and the Maryhill Integration Network? 

Why not see how you could get more involved in community activities and help ensure we achieve a Sustainable Killearn.