Previous Events
From 2014 to 2024, we organised and collaborated a number of community events bring together people from all over Forth Valley, with diverse backgrounds. These events weren’t just about community cohesion, but to progress understanding between diverse communities and individuals; practicing the meaning of the term, Al Masaar – path to progression.
Eid in the Woods, 2017
A landmark event that brought together over 400 people from diverse backgrounds to celebrate Eid Al-Adha in Callendar Park Arboretum and Callendar Woods.
Activities included:
⦁ Treasure hunt, crafts, storytelling, face painting
⦁ Outdoor cooking, foraging, forest bathing, and woodland games
⦁ Learning about Hajj rituals in nature
⦁ Involvement from organisations such as Recyke-a-Bike, CSREC, Trossachs
Search & Rescue, Forestry Commission Scotland
Community groups from Glasgow, Greenock, Inverclyde HSCP, and the Maryhill Integration Network also attended.
Autism Support
As one of Scotland’s first racialised-community organisations to centre autism understanding and acceptance, our work included:
⦁ Ground-breaking webinars with SWAN and Dr Catriona Stewart OBE on neurodiversity in ethnic minority families.
⦁ Sessions on nutrition and brain health led by scientist and parent Shona MacGregor.
⦁ A WhatsApp support group for mothers and carers of autistic and ADHD children, including autistic adults and experienced carers.
⦁ Links with Falkirk and Stirling Carers Centre, advocating for improved support for ethnic-minority families.
⦁ Contributions to national autism policy via the Autism Advisory Forum.
Anti Racism Work
Our anti-racism efforts included:
⦁ Participation in Anas Sarwar’s Cross-Party Group on Islamophobia, contributing insights on gender and education. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/354374767_Scotland’s_Islamophobia_Report_of_the_inquiry_into_Islamophobia_in_Scotland_by_the_Cross-Party_Group_on_Tackling_Islamophobia
⦁ Community consultations with CSREC to encourage reporting of hate crime and training in Third-Party Reporting.
⦁ Major online discussions during Black History Month and Islamophobia Awareness Month in 2020.
⦁ Collaboration with anti-racism activists and researchers including Pavi Sarma, Khadija Mohammed, Debora Kayembe Buba, and the Stephen Lawrence Foundation.
⦁ Challenging racist bullying in schools and working with councillors, MSPs and Police Scotland on solutions.
⦁ Planning a parent and pupil survey to collect lived experiences of racism in Scottish education
Domestic Abuse Support
We supported women experiencing domestic abuse through culturally sensitive, trauma-informed work rooted in lived experience.Key elements included:
⦁ Partnership work with Police Scotland’s Forth Valley Diversity Officer, where Farah advocated for women accessing legal and justice support.
⦁ Public awareness events such as Chair Day and 16 Days of Action, including online and in-person discussions.
⦁ Collaboration with Amina MWRC, delivering sessions on gender-based violence.
⦁ A confidential peer-support WhatsApp group: Safe, Single and Stigmatised.
⦁ Links with Shakti Women’s Aid, Committed to Ending Abuse, Forth Valley Rape Crisis, and new support from Healed Scars, offering specialist courses for survivors.