The Sticky Stuff

...or how empathy can help glue 'Broken Britain' back together.

I went to an event today with this title, organised by the Violence Reduction Unit in Glasgow.

It was fabulous.

We had inspiring speakers such as Sir Harry Burns, Scotland's Chief Medical Officer, about the need for connectedness and an assets based approach to good health. Mary Clear from Incredible Edible Todmorden talked about how a town became kinder through growing food pretty much everywhere. My favourite speaker was a fellow I've heard before - Dr Peter Lovatt a.k.a Dr Dance - who believes we were born to dance and has shown scientifically how dancing helps speed up cognitive processing, increases peripheral vision and changes the way we think. He's such a delight I think many of you would enjoy so here's a little taste.

Some of the memorable phrases from today include:

We all belong to each other
Do Something. Be brave.
Kindness is a dish best eaten hot!
Kindness is not a spectator sport
Singing shifts phlegm that Benelyn cannae reach

and my favourite

Proceed Until Apprehended

Whilst it was a great day for ideas and making connections, it wasn't great for photographs (the event was held in a fairly dark night club under railway tracks) so please accept these two happy campers captured before the Scotland v. Belgium match tonight.


I'm grateful for work like this.

PS Check out the height of those feathers!