Martin Whitfield MSP has attended North Berwick Coastal Community Connections’ Absent Friends Week at St Andrew Blackadder Church.

North Berwick Coastal Community Connections organises a range of activities and events to support socially isolated adults connect into local networks, gatherings, purposeful activity and develop new friendships.

The group organised Absent Friends Week with the aim of helping communities to have open conversations about grief, death, dying and terminal illness.

Mr Whitfield was invited to attend during the week to find out more about the charity’s work and walk the thought-provoking Labyrinth, a time for quiet contemplation, thought, next steps and connections.

Martin Whitfield MSP said:

“North Berwick Coastal Community Connections is undertaking really important work to help reduce isolation and loneliness in the local area.

“Absent Friends Week was really well organised with a range of activities and events. It helped to put an important focus on the issue of dying and grief which are often so closely linked to isolation and loneliness.

“I’m grateful to the charity’s team for inviting me to join them and to Labyrinth designer Felicity for giving us the opportunity to walk her fascinating and thought-provoking creation.”

Find out more about the work of North Berwick Coastal Community Connections at www.nbc-communityconnections.org.