We are pleased to announce that Emma Straughan, Project Facilitator at SAMH (Scottish Action for Mental Health), will be joining us as a guest speaker at the upcoming Dignity in Food Provision Project event on 22 April.

Emma will be representing SAMH’s Thriving Minds initiative and will deliver a focused 15-minute talk exploring the relationship between connection, food, and mental wellbeing. Her contribution will reflect on a point that is often recognised in practice but insufficiently discussed in policy and service delivery: that access to food is not only a matter of physical sustenance, but also a deeply social experience that shapes emotional resilience and community belonging.

Drawing on her work within mental health support, Emma will consider how meaningful social connection, particularly in spaces where food is shared or accessed, can play a significant role in improving wellbeing outcomes. This aligns closely with the broader aims of the Dignity in Food Provision Project, which seeks to move beyond crisis responses and instead foster dignity, inclusion, and long-term support within communities.

Following her talk, Emma will be available at a dedicated stall where attendees can engage more directly, ask questions, and learn more about SAMH’s work and the developing Thriving Minds project.