Scottish Rural and Islands Transport Community

Calling all EV Drivers in the NORTH EAST of ENGLAND! We need YOUR insights! Are you passionate about electric vehicles and want to have a say in shaping the future of EV charging infrastructure? We're hosting an online workshop to explore the needs, preferences, and challenges of EV drivers, and we want to hear YOUR story! Workshop: Charging Ahead: EV Drivers and Their Charging Needs Date: First Week of December (Exact date to be confirmed) Duration: 2 hours Location: Online In this interactive session, you'll have the chance to: ✅ Share your experiences and ideas about EV charging locations 🚙⚡ ✅ Help design real EV drivers characters from across the UK ✅ Discuss the amenities and features you’d love to see at charging stations Who should join? If you:  👍 Own and drive an EV in the North East of England 👍 Are interested in shaping future EV infrastructure 👍 Want to share your EV journey experiences with like-minded individuals Spots are limited—sign up today to ensure your voice is heard! 📩 Register your interest by commenting below or sending email via sritc@ruralmobility.scot. We’ll contact you with more details soon! #EVDrivers #EVCharging #ElectricVehicles #Innovation #UserExperience #Workshop #EVCommunity

Who's your favourite online retailer? We bet they partner with #easyfundraising! The online site partners with over 8,000 retailers, so when you shop with them, you raise free donations for SRITC CIC too! All you need to do is remember to start at easyfundraising's website or app first, then shop with your favourite retailer to earn them a free donation! Plus, sign up before midnight on 31st October, and you'll enter us into a giveaway to win £300: https://lnkd.in/eUKDuZtP. #WeAreSRITC

Meet Angela, a retired General Medical Practitioner who has been living in Galloway since 1996 and campaigning for rural health equity as a member of the Galloway Community Hospital Action Group. After a long career in urban areas, Angela moved to Galloway for what she thought would be a quieter life - but soon saw the pressing need for better healthcare access in rural Scotland. 💬 "The nearest General Hospital for our patients in Wigtown is 70 miles away, and our Community Hospital in Stranraer is 26 miles away. Patients travel 140 miles to Edinburgh for cancer treatment, bypassing Glasgow, which is 40 miles nearer." Getting to appointments is not straightforward, with poor or non-existent bus and train services and travel by car along pot-holed, non dualled roads, frequently disrupted by weather or ferry traffic from the port in Stranraer.           💬 "Pregnant women will travel up to 90 miles while in labour to deliver babies in Dumfries, often delivering the baby in lay-bys en route accompanied by anxious relatives. This endangers the lives of mothers and babies.” Advocacy can sometimes feel like it is falling on deaf ears:    💬 "Health managers and politicians often sit in their urban ivory towers and fail to understand the struggles rural communities face." But Angela is keen to point out that advocacy groups like Galloway Community Hospital Action Group don’t just raise awareness of problems. They also bring solutions to the table:     💬 "The healthcare system can sometimes feel designed without rural communities in mind. My advice is to highlight solutions, gather local support, make plenty of contacts with politicians and the media, and connect with other rural communities to build a stronger case. Whatever you do, don’t give up!💕 How YOU can help: ✅ Support rural and island health campaigns by joining local groups or signing petitions ✅ Advocate for better transport and healthcare infrastructure in rural and island areas ✅ Share Angela’s story and help raise awareness about the need for change #UNWomen #SRAWomen #InternationalDayOfRuralWomen #RuralWomenInHealth #ScottishRuralAction Neil Gray, Mairi Gougeon, United Nations, The Scottish Government, Scottish rural network, Scottish Rural and Islands Transport Community, Scottish Rural Health Hub, The Scottish Women's Convention, NHS DUMFRIES & GALLOWAY, Science Ceilidh, Rural Health Compass, SRUC, SRUC Rural Policy Centre

Today, we’re proud to introduce Rebecca, a passionate advocate for health equity in rural  Scotland. Her journey into campaigning began from a deeply personal experience as a gynaecology patient in Caithness, where she discovered the stark inequalities in healthcare access for women in the North.   💬 "It feels wrong that we all pay the same tax and national insurance, yet women in the North have far more limited access to basic healthcare and women’s health services than those in populated areas." As part of the North Highland Womens’ Wellbeing Hub, her campaign for better healthcare access has not been easy. She highlights how difficult it is for rural and island women to attend vital meetings, hearings and events held in cities like Edinburgh, often requiring days of travel at great personal expense. Another challenge has been finding the decision makers who will commit to making a difference.            💬 "Navigating the internal politics of the NHS and getting Scottish Government to take us seriously was tough to start with but we are proud to have some strong, positive connections now, to try and push for change." Rebecca’s advice to other campaigners seeking better access to services is to have a clear message and be realistic. There has to be understanding on both sides - campaigners and decision makers. But, she adds, that does not mean we have to be meek!           💬 "Fight for what you believe in and always bear in mind the UN Human Rights treaties that Scotland and the UK have sworn to uphold. As a citizen, it’s your duty to be a Human Rights defender and call decision makers to task." How YOU can help: ✅ Attend local events supporting health equity ✅ Write to your MSP/MP to back up local campaigns ✅ Sign petitions or share posts on social media Small actions make a big difference in ensuring rural and island women like Rebecca have the support they need to keep advocating for better healthcare for all. #UNWomen #SRAWomen #InternationalDayOfRuralWomen #RuralWomenInHealth #ScottishRuralAction Neil Gray, Mairi Gougeon, United Nations, The Scottish Government, Scottish rural network, Scottish Rural and Islands Transport Community, Scottish Rural Health Hub, The Scottish Women's Convention, NHS DUMFRIES & GALLOWAY, Science Ceilidh, Rural Health Compass, SRUC, SRUC Rural Policy Centre

This October 15th, we join the global celebration of the International Day of Rural Women by shining a spotlight on the incredible contributions of rural and island women campaigning for health equity across Scotland. Rural and island women play a vital role in maintaining the health and well-being of our communities, often facing unique challenges such as isolation, limited resources, and access to healthcare services. Yet, their dedication and resilience ensure that everyone, no matter how rural, has a platform to amplify their voices and campaign towards health equity. Stay tuned as we highlight their experiences, the impact they’re making, and how we can all support the incredible campaigning of rural and island women in health. 🔗 Learn more about #InternationalDayOfRuralWomen and how you can join us in raising awareness on this day: https://lnkd.in/dAiSgKw. #UNWomen #SRAWomen #InternationalDayOfRuralWomen #RuralWomenInHealth #ScottishRuralAction Neil Gray, Mairi Gougeon, United Nations, The Scottish Government, Scottish rural network, Scottish Rural and Islands Transport Community, Scottish Rural Health Hub, The Scottish Women's Convention, NHS DUMFRIES & GALLOWAY, Science Ceilidh, Rural Health Compass, SRUC, SRUC Rural Policy Centre

I'm looking forward to hosting this online event in November. Exploring the opportunities and challenges that thinking about CWB in our rural places can bring. Sign up now online and check out the other CWB conversations taking place that month.

Today, on October 8th, a day dedicated to Transport Poverty during Challenge Poverty Week, we want to share a common nightmare that young people face on their way to school. This post is a bit longer than usual, but we believe it's important to take this opportunity to raise awareness of the issue. During the Royal Highland Show, several young people came to us to charge their phones via the pedal-powered bike loaned to us by felscotland.org, and they shared a recurring issue about their school buses. In some central belt areas where young people live outside of towns, school buses are the service buses, and students rely on their Young Scot card to access free travel. However, there's a catch – the physical Young Scot card must be presented, with no alternative app or digital solution accepted by bus drivers. Young people often forget or lose their cards (like we all do!) and when they board the bus, they are required to pay for the bus rather than use their Young Scot Card. We heard firsthand how young people are paying using money meant for their lunch to cover the fare. This situation highlights a serious gap in the digital age—where something as simple as a forgotten card can lead to transport poverty, and even food poverty. As we face a cost of living crisis, we believe it's crucial to raise awareness of how transport policies, or lack thereof, can push young people into poverty. We hope that the forthcoming The Scottish Government Rural Delivery Plan, which aims to bring together all departments across government, can work on a solution both for the short and long term. If you have a story to tell us, please get in touch. #ChallengePoverty #TransportPoverty #RuralCommunities #YoungScotCard #WeAreSRITC Transport Scotland, Scottish rural network, Mairi Gougeon, Scottish Rural Action, Graham Simpson, Dr Abigail Fletcher, Transform Scotland

At SRITC we've had many conversations with our commununity about the impact on the quality of healthcare that occurs when those who need it cannot access or afford the transport needed to travel to appointments in locations that can often require an overnight stay which has to be self funded. The article in today's Herald shines more light on the breadth and depth of the issue. It's one that isn't discussed enough at Govt level as it's less visible than issues in urban areas. With rural populations ageing faster than urban ones, the demands on rural and islands healthcare practitioners are only going to increase. While digital technologies may reduce demands on patients to travel to appointments, the reality is that there will be many medical conditions that can only be treated in-person. Travel support in the form of more regular and accessible bus services, community car clubs and more dependable/reliable ferry services are a pre-requisite. Furthermore, we need to remove the barriers that currently prevent medicial professionals and volunteers from living and working in rural and island communities. We can't afford to have people suffering in isolation! You can join us at our Open Cafe on Oct 25th at 10am to have your say on this issue or any other rural transport related issue that you're passionate about. https://lnkd.in/dZsMjbfy

Join us for the SRITC October Open Cafe & Chat! ☕  🗓️ 25th October 2024 ⏰ 10:00 am - 11:00 am 📍 Online Grab your FREE ticket today and pop into our relaxed, no-agenda chat about all things rural mobility. Whether you’ve got burning ideas to share or just want to catch up with friends (and meet new ones!), this is the perfect space to connect. Don’t miss out—register now! 🔗 https://lnkd.in/e7kbd8U3 #WeAreSRITC #RuralMobility #RuralScotland

Rural communities have unique needs, and at SRITC, we specialise in connecting with these stakeholders through our Rural & Island Stakeholder Engagement services. This #CatchTheBus month, let’s highlight the importance of inclusive engagement.   From workshops to in-depth stakeholder mapping, we’ve built strong connections across rural communities, businesses, and transport providers (often bus companies). Our past projects include engaging with stakeholders for the National Transport Strategy (NTS2) and fostering collaboration around young people in transport.   If your project needs expert rural engagement, contact us at sritc@ruralmobility.scot.   #RuralEngagement #StakeholderMapping #IslandCommunities #WeAreSRITC