PICTURES from a photography course in West Dunbartonshire that helped vulnerable adults combat social isolation have gone on display as part of an exhibition.

Three years in the making, Inclusive Images worked with 12 community organisations supporting people affected by a range of life challenges, including disability, poor mental and physical health, addiction and additional support needs.

The ‘Picturing Our Past’ project focused on the local social, cultural and industrial heritage of some of the most economically deprived areas in Scotland. 

Working in partnership with local historians, cultural and heritage organisations, participants were provided with engaging historical information, and joined discussions about their local heritage, which they were then supported to discover and photograph. 

Photos taken across West Dunbartonshire by the service users are on display at Stirling Castle until November 30.

The project was funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund for Scotland from 2021-2024.

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Charlie Eleftheriades-Sherry, founder of Inclusive Images social enterprise, said: "I was inspired to set up the Picturing Our Past project after working with Chance 2 Change, a Drumchapel-based peer mental health support group and learning that most of their members had never visited Glasgow's Botanic Gardens because, in their words, they felt they weren't for 'people like us'. 

"Over the past three years it has been a real privilege and a pleasure to work with so many people who had similarly felt excluded from their history and heritage. 

"The combination of participatory photography workshops, heritage talks from local and national experts plus visits to historic sites, helped the participants recognise that history and heritage belongs to us all. 

"Working closely with Historic Environment Scotland (HES) throughout this project has also been a pleasure, the support and kindness they showed to the participants on the visits to Stirling Castle was thoroughly appreciated by everyone. 

"And through the Steering Group and participants sharing their views in our end-of-project report, I hope they have helped highlight the barriers - physical, financial and psychological - which still exist and an understanding of how to continue to improve access for all to Scotland's heritage." 

Craig Fletcher, head of Learning and Inclusion at HES, added: "One of our key aims at HES is to make the historical environment more accessible, which the Picturing Our Past project has achieved brilliantly through working directly with local communities, giving participants the opportunity to learn more about their heritage, develop new skills and have their work exhibited in the iconic Stirling Castle. 

“Using participatory photography workshops together with heritage photo walks and visits, the project aims to raise awareness of, and interest in, places of local historic significance as well as iconic heritage sites whilst breaking down some of the barriers which can impact on people accessing and participating in Scotland's heritage. 

“Working directly with local communities enables new groups of people to take part who might not have otherwise had the opportunity to do so.

"Projects like this demonstrate how supporting access, inclusivity and making creative use of heritage resources can support wider social aims such as health and wellbeing, empower people to experience and share the heritage on their doorstep and ultimately help make sense of what Scotland means to them."