Scotland community resources
This article is an offshoot of Scotland community action focusing on community resources and assets. Resources such as networks, events and community involvement (people and relationships) can be considered as primary resources. Also resources are the activism and physical assets (or what citizens value), such as green spaces, biodiversity, cycle lanes, etc, from the other Scotland community pages. The majority of our information about community resources across Scotland is collated via our place pages...Near you.
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| Location | Scotland, United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 56° 47' 10.00" N, 4° 6' 50.59" W |
Community resources news
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Community Wealth Building and the Future of Scotland’s Economy, By Neil McInroy, bellacaledonia.org.uk (Feb 21, 2026) - Scotland Writes Community Wealth Building Into Law—A World First, connectioning.substack.com (Jan 07, 2026) — World's first legislation mandating democratic economics at scale—and what it means for the movement, Jessica Friday
- The roof over Lochaber: Community Wealth Building in Fort William, scottishcommunityalliance.org.uk (Dec 16, 2025)
- Manifesto for People, Place and Power [Community Land Scotland], Daily Alternative (Nov 30, 2025)
- Building a Connected Scotland, scottishcommunityalliance.org.uk (Oct 30, 2025) — Why Local Hubs Matter
- The English restaurant turning hospitality on its head, positive.news (May 27, 2026) — At a pay-as-you-can restaurant in Stroud, radical hospitality and good food are bringing strangers together
- ‘A share in the delight’: the people investing in the UK’s first community-owned solar battery, theguardian.com (May 08, 2026) — Oxfordshire’s Ray Valley Solar already generates clean energy for 7,000 homes, and is now crowdfunding storage to marry daylight with evening demand
- Community power in the UK: Reviving the social club, thenews.coop (Mar 11, 2026)
- The Syrian volunteers rebuilding their shattered schools, positive.news (Jan 12, 2026)
- Spain to open network of climate shelters, BBC News (Dec 17, 2025)
- Could Zurich’s housing cooperatives be the solution to the rest of Europe’s housing crisis?, theguardian.com (Oct 23, 2025)
Video
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Food activism
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- Nourish Scotland, "charity focusing on food policy and practice. We work for a fair, healthy and sustainable food system that truly values nature and people."
- Public Diners is a project of Nourish Scotland, added 09:16, 31 March 2026 (UTC)
- Scotland The Bread, "collaborative project to grow better grain and bake better bread with the common purposes of nourishment, sustainability and food sovereignty.", added 21:33, 20 January 2025 (UTC)
- Scottish Allotments and Gardens Society, national representative body for allotmenteers and community gardeners in Scotland. added 15:18, 30 October 2023 (UTC)
- GetGrowing Scotland, "brought to you by the Community Growing Forum Scotland, a group of grassroots projects and support organisations sharing information, inspiration, and expertise from communities and partners across Scotland." added 17:34, 22 November 2021 (UTC)
- Scottish Crofting Federation
- Soil Association Scotland
Community energy in Scotland
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The "world's first community-owned tidal power generator" became operational in Bluemull Sound off Yell, Shetland, in early 2014. This 30 kW Nova Innovation device feeds into the local grid, and a 100 kW tidal turbine was connected in August 2016. W
There is considerable support for community-scale energy projects. For example, Alex Salmond, the then First Minister of Scotland, has stated that "we can think big by delivering small" and aspired to have a "million Scottish households with access to their own or community renewable generation within ten years". The John Muir Trust has also stated that "the best renewable energy options around wild land are small-scale, sensitively sited and adjacent to the communities directly benefiting from them", although even community-owned schemes can prove controversial. W
Campaigns
- Our Power Scotland, we should feel the benefits of renewable energy. added 11:17, 31 March 2026 (UTC)
Land activism
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- Reform Scotland's Land, commonweal.scot
In the 21st century, land reform in Scotland has focused on the abolition and modernisation of Scotland's antiquated feudal land tenure system, security of tenure for crofters and decentralisation of Scotland's highly concentrated private land ownership. Scotland's land reform is distinct from other contemporary land reforms in its focus on community land ownership, with the Land Reform (Scotland) Acts of 2003 and 2016 establishing the Community Right to Buy, allowing rural and urban communities first right of refusal to purchase local land when it comes up for sale. Crofting communities are granted a similar Right to Buy though they do not require a willing seller to buy out local crofting land. Under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 and Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016, Scottish ministers can grant a compulsory sale order for vacant or derelict private land or land which, if owned by the local community, could further sustainable development. W
- Planning Democracy, "Our mission is to build a movement of citizens who value Scotland’s people, places and environment. Together we will campaign to ensure that decisions about how Scotland’s land is developed are fair, inclusive, locally accountable, and promote just outcomes driven by community needs rather than profit." Video: Planning Democracy on youtube.com. Added 20:31, 26 October 2023 (UTC)
Housing
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Community resources
[edit | edit source]- Scottish Men’s Sheds Association, added 15:35, 21 October 2023 (UTC), Video: Scottish Men’s Sheds Association on youtube.com
Citizens data initiative
- Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics, the Scottish Government's programme of small area statistics in Scotland.
- Understanding Scottish Places
Research
- Decentralising Digital, Working with rural communities in Karnataka, India, Decentralising Digital is an ongoing research project seeking to co-create new narratives for decentralised digital futures. added 12:22, 15 September 2021 (UTC)
Community currencies activism
- On the ScotPound and Alternative Digital Currencies, Left Scotland, 6.29 mins., 2015, on youtube.com
- ScotPound, 2015, neweconomics.org
Other resources
- Environment, information from the Scottish Government
- Greener Scotland one-stop website for greener living, provided by the Scottish Government
- Scotland's Environment, website steered by a partnership chaired by the Scottish Government.
Visions
[edit | edit source]- Our Common Home Campaign, commonweal.scot
- Common Weal, Scotland’s growing grassroots think tank and movement.
- Turning Vision into Reality , scottishcommunityalliance.org.uk, added 14:23, 21 October 2023 (UTC)
Arts, sport and culture
[edit | edit source]- TRACS, "empower communities across Scotland, to discover, develop and practise their unique traditional arts and heritage in the context of our daily lives."
Health and wellbeing
[edit | edit source]- CHEX, Community Health Exchange, "promote community-led health as a way to tackle Scotland’s persistent health inequalities." CHEX facilitates a network of community-led health initiatives, chex.org.uk, added 09:30, 27 October 2023 (UTC)
- Scottish Communities for Health and Wellbeing, alliance of community-led health improvement organisations, added 15:34, 27 October 2023 (UTC)
Reduce, reuse, repair and recycle
[edit | edit source]- Share and Repair Network, a project of Circular Communities Scotland, supports existing, developing and brand new sharing libraries and repair cafes to support a move to borrowing instead of purchasing seldom used items and to give people skills to repair and re-use items. The project offers guidance, a mentorship scheme and support network for any group interested in setting up...Community-led climate action, gov.scot. Website includes members map.
- Circular Communities Scotland, empower our national network of reuse, repair and recycling charities. Website inlcudes members map. Video channel: Circular Communities Scotland on youtube.com, added 13:44, 29 October 2023 (UTC)
- Zero Waste Scotland, website includes "What Zero Waste Scotland can offer community groups"
News archive
[edit | edit source]- The roof over Lochaber: Community Wealth Building in Fort William, scottishcommunityalliance.org.uk (Dec 16, 2025)
- Manifesto for People, Place and Power [Community Land Scotland], Daily Alternative (Nov 30, 2025)
- Building a Connected Scotland, scottishcommunityalliance.org.uk (Oct 30, 2025) — Why Local Hubs Matter
- “We believe our communities should be benefiting from the transition to renewable energy, not being left behind”, says Highland People’s Power, Dailt Alternative (Oct 22, 2025)
- ‘Much fairer’: all profits from new Orkney windfarm to benefit locals, theguardian.com (Oct 21, 2025) — Construction due to begin in 2027 on what is expected to become UK’s largest publicly owned windfarm
- Funding marks step forward for community-led renewable energy in Scotland, gov.scot (Oct 01, 2025) — Community and Renewable Energy Scheme’s (CARES) Community Energy Generation Growth Fund will enable 46 community groups to install local renewable energy schemes such as wind turbines and solar panels, to meet local needs.
- The Pylon, the Turbine and the Black Black Blade [Bella Caledonia], Daily Alternative (Aug 26, 2025)
- The community buyout projects leading Scotland’s self-help revolution, theguardian.com (Jan 01, 2024)
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| License | CC-BY-SA-4.0 |
| Cite as | Philralph (2021–2026). "Scotland community resources". Appropedia. Retrieved June 4, 2026. |