Network Gathering 2025
Inverness, 11th November
Thank you for joining us for the Community Knowledge Matters Network Gathering!
A celebration of community-led research
Our second in-person meeting bringing together communities, researchers, and practitioners passionate about community-led research took place on Tuesday 11 November 2025 in Inverness.
We had an incredible day connecting, learning, and celebrating the power of community-led research across rural and island Scotland. From inspiring spotlight talks and creative workshops to heartfelt conversations and new collaborations, the day was a powerful reminder of why community knowledge really does matter.
Our sincere thanks go out to everyone who joined us in Inverness and online, to all our speakers and facilitators, our volunteers, and the team who made the event possible.
Relive the best moments from the Gathering by browsing our photo gallery and exploring the attendee breakdown below. More outputs will be shared soon, including recordings of the Community Spotlight talks and key themes from the discussion tables.
Community Knowledge Matters Network Gathering, Inverness (11 November 2025) - Photo: Alexander Williamson.
About the Event
The Community Knowledge Matters Gathering was a celebration of community-led research across rural and island Scotland and beyond, which took place on Tuesday 11 November 2025 in Inverness.
CKM In-Person Meeting. November, 2025. Photo: Alexander Williamson.
This was our second in-person event, bringing together network members and others interested in thinking about how we can make community-led research more equitable and effect change to practice and policy.
The 2025 Gathering was a chance to:
bring together peers from rural and island communities, practitioners, researchers and policy-makers passionate about community-led research to connect and share practice.
hear the launch of new findings exploring what priorities rural communities in Scotland have around being involved in mental health research based on our Co-Priority Survey, co-developed and analysed with a working group of diverse lived experiences.
continue to build a collective voice and advocacy as a network to shape policy and systems to make community-led research more equitable and sustainable.
The main Gathering was held in Inverness at WASPS Creative Academy between 10am and 5.30pm of Tuesday 11 November followed by a Sharing Cèilidh in the evening from 7pm until 11pm with food, informal networking and creative sharing along with traditional dances from the award-winning Science Ceilidh band.
Who Joined the Gathering?
At our Gathering in November 2025, we asked people which "hats" they were coming in with and which communities they felt part of. Explore here a breakdown of who attended and what these insights indicate about the composition of the CKM network so far.
Highlights from the Gathering
We had an incredible day connecting, learning, and celebrating the power of community-led research. Relive the best moments and view our gallery of photos from the day. Explore the photos here.
2025 Recordings
Relive the welcome and introductions, network updates, our Community-Led Research Spotlights, and the presentation of findings from the “Doing Mental Health and Wellbeing Research with Rural Communities” Co-Priority Survey. Check back soon to watch the videos in full!
Discussion Tables
The thematic tables provided a space to structure dialogue, share resources, and develop ideas for collaborative action. Participants explored collective asks for decision-makers and identified pathways for future change. We will be sharing a summary of the main themes and insights from these discussions here very soon.
Programme Overview
The main conference featured a mix of short presentations, community spotlights, and facilitated group discussions. Participants also engaged in network library conversations, individual and group reflections and a listening panel. View the full programme here.
Community Bursary Scheme
To support a wide range of voices joining us for the Gathering, we are offering some bursaries with funding from the Ideas Fund to cover the costs of travel, accommodation and accessibility expenses to those who may not otherwise be able to attend. Bursary applications are now closed. Find out more about the bursaries here.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to be a CKM network member to attend?
No, anyone can join. We’re primarily a Gathering for the network, but you don't need to be an existing member of Community Knowledge Matters to apply to join us as long as you’re passionate about community-led research!
Is the Gathering Free?
Yes. This Gathering is funded by The Ideas Fund, British Science Association and Wellcome. We will be providing food and coffee/tea through the day. The evening Cèilidh is included when you register. Travel to Inverness and accommodation are not included.
Do I have to live in Scotland?
We're especially keen for people primarily living and/or working in rural and island Scotland to join us. However, people from all the UK and internationals are welcomed to share learning. We will be live streaming specific parts of the day for those who cannot join in-person.
Will the event be live-streamed?
We will be live streaming specific parts of the day for those who cannot join in-person. You can register for an online only ticket.
If you have any questions or would like to find out more about the event, please email lewis@scienceceilidh.com