News

Energy-Saving Workshops with LINKES

14 Apr 2026

Our MCAS Energy Officer, Abhinav Ojha, alongside our colleague Valery Masawi from Changeworks, delivered two energy-saving workshops with the LINKES women’s group—a community organisation based in the north-west of Glasgow.

Across the sessions, Abhinav and Valery worked with 22 community members, introducing different types of home heating systems and sharing practical ways to use energy more efficiently. The workshops focused on helping participants reduce their energy bills while also addressing common household concerns, such as damp and mould. Group members were encouraged to ask questions throughout, and 1‑to‑1 support was provided for those requiring more intensive help. Where appropriate, participants were also referred to further support available through Changeworks.

All sessions were supported by an interpreter to ensure everyone could participate fully, and warm packs were distributed to all attendees. These packs included easy-to-use items to help participants put energy-saving behaviours into practice at home, such as draught-proofing tape, energy-saving light bulbs, shower timers, and hot water bottles.

Feedback from the workshops was overwhelmingly positive. Ninety-two per cent of participants reported feeling very confident in understanding their home energy use after attending the sessions, and 100 per cent committed to making behaviour changes to save energy at home.

Participants commented:
“Very good information, thank you,”
“I understand my energy usage much better after today.”
In addition, we were pleased to share funding with the LINKES women’s group to support a celebratory community meal for Eid. It was a pleasure working with the group, and we are delighted that the workshops had a positive and meaningful impact on the women involved.

We have completed our latest round of Nature Connection sessions for the MCAS project, working alongside five families from the Linkes Community Project, with a peak of 22 participants across the sessions.

Over four sessions, families visited Knightswood Park and Dawsholm Park Local Nature Reserve before a joint trip to Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. The Scottish weather was kind to us throughout, and with our nature packs in hand, families shared picnics outdoors, identified local species, made story sticks, and learned about local wildlife.

Running sessions for families with children of all ages brings fantastic energy, and we were supported every step of the way by Linkes staff and support workers, without whom these trips would not have been possible.

Our first outing to Knightswood Park gave families a chance to slow down and look closely at trees and plants they passed every day, through species surveys and observation games. For some, these simple activities sparked personal connections to home. As one participant reflected while looking at the trees:

"This reminds me of my mother in Afghanistan connecting one type of fruit tree onto another. She used to grow lots of fruit."

Another, who had lived nearby for ten years, told us:

"I've been in Scotland and coming to this park for 10 years and I never knew these were cherry trees."

At Dawsholm Park, families explored the woodland paths, searched for animal homes, and made story sticks from items gathered along the way. Several parents told us that despite living close by, they had never visited the reserve before, and said they planned to come back with their families. One child described Dawsholm as "not a park" at the start of the session because it had no play park. By the end she had changed her mind, and said she liked "being in the trees." Another summed the afternoon up more simply:

"It doesn't feel like we are in the city, but like we are in a jungle."

Smelling wild honeysuckle and roses growing near the park entrance led to conversations about how certain scents reminded the children of family members' perfume. Parents shared some of their own discoveries too. One told us she'd enjoyed learning about dock plants and how they can help with nettle stings, and was surprised by how wide tree roots grow.

The block finished with a trip to Balmaha at Loch Lomond. The group explored the visitor centre, walked through the Tom Weir garden to Balmaha Pier and up to the viewpoint, and gathered for activities in the woodland at the foot of Conic Hill. Children described the session as "fun" and "surprising." In the indoor classroom space at the Balmaha Visitor Centre, some parents noted how the setup recalled outdoor cooking spaces in Sudan, which led to warm conversations about gathering and cooking outside with family.

These sessions reinforce how important local, accessible greenspaces are for family wellbeing and community connection. A huge thank you to the families from Linkes and the support staff who made this block such a joy to run. We look forward to continuing the Nature Connection Programme and welcoming more community groups into Scotland's wild spaces in the months ahead.