In-person conference in Edinburgh 

FREE EVENT, Tue 26 September 10am – 3:30pm

Grassmarket, 86 Candlemaker Row, Edinburgh   EH1 2QA

Extra tickets released – book your place here

Community Renewal Trust is now in the fourth year of delivering our whole-person, whole-place, test of systems change – called Lifting Neighbourhoods Together – in two deprived neighbourhoods in Edinburgh (Bingham, Magdalene and the Hays) and Newcastle (Walker).

Following a continual process of evaluation and local learning, Community Renewal Trust will share the emerging evidence in this Edinburgh conference.

We will provide feedback on our human learning systems approach, and the rollout of a new local community wealth building partnership.

There will be interactive discussions about the social, economic, and political context, including looking at the wider evidence from across Scotland and reviewing similar projects being delivered in the UK.

We will be asking: to what extent can we hope to eradicate persistent poverty in our lifetimes and what national call to action might we need?

We are pleased to announce the agenda for this year’s conference


10am – 10:15am   Registration and drinks

Teas, coffees, orange juice and pastries on arrival


10:15 – 10:20am   Welcome and introductions


10:20 – 11am   John Halliday, CEO – Community Renewal Trust

Emerging learning from the Lifting Neighbourhoods Together test of change.


11 – 11:15am   Ancha Stoodley, Neighbourhood Transformation Manager – Building Futures East

Delivering Lifting Neighbourhoods Together in an English context


11:15 – 11:30am   Networking Session


11:30am – 12:30pm   Wider learning from fellow changemakers

What do you see as emerging learning about lifting neighbourhoods out of poverty in the context of your work?

Dr Jim McCormick, CEO – The Robertson Trust

Euan Leitch, Chief Executive – SURF – Scotland’s Regeneration Forum

Ralph Broad, Local Area Coordination

Gordon McLean, National Programme Manager (Getting Alongside Communities) – Corra Foundation (Pre-recorded talk)

Laura Hainey, Design Officer (Climate Action Towns) – Architecture and Design Scotland (A&DS)


12:30 – 1:15pm   Lunch

Finger buffet and drink refreshments


1:15 – 1:35pm Prof. Ian Wilson, Deputy Director – CRESR at Sheffield Hallam

Learning and evaluation from Sheffield Hallam University


1:35 – 2pm   John Halliday

National call to action?


2 – 2:30pm   Breakout Session


2:30 – 3:30pm   Expert panel discussion with:

Cath Cooney, Delivery Partner – International Futures Forum

Ancha Stoodley – Building Futures East

John Halliday – Community Renewal Trust

Dr Jim McCormick – The Robertson Trust


3:30 – 4:30pm   Networking and drinks reception



Extra tickets released – book your place here

Another upcoming conference

Building Futures East is delivering Community Renewal: Lifting Neighbourhoods Together’s methodologies and approach in the neighbourhood of Walker in Newcastle.

On Tue 10 October, they will be joined by Community Renewal Trust for their local conference, which will share their emerging evidence in an English local context.

Book your free place

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