Activities & Participants

This research project has involved a wide range of participants, from Trust staff and volunteers to members of the many communities of location, interest and identity who generously agreed to participate in the social values assessments.

The first phase of research activity focused on understanding the existing Trust context and involved staff and volunteers in interviews, focus groups, and an online questionnaire.

The research team then undertook rapid, qualitative social values assessments for seven properties in the care of the Trust to explore how those heritage places are valued by communities today – what do they mean to people who live or work nearby, visit, or have personal connections to the area?  These properties are:

• Balmacara Estate
• Bannockburn
• Ben Lomond
• Fyvie Castle, Garden and Estate
• Iona
• Staffa National Nature Reserve
• The Treshnish Isles

The last three properties listed (Iona, Staffa, and the Treshnish Isles) are all islands in the Inner Hebrides to the west of Mull, with established connections between them. A co-ordinated approach was therefore taken to these assessments, that recognises the distinct values associated with each place while also taking into account the overlapping communities associated with them. 

Assessment activities were varied and took place at the properties, but also at other venues in the wider area, while walking outdoors, and online. The activities included interviews and questionnaires, focus group discussions, school workshops, participatory mapping, photo elicitation, and participant observation. Alongside these activities, the research team reviewed pre-existing research and other material related to the properties.

All participation was voluntary and on the basis of informed consent. Ethical approval for this research was granted by the University of Stirling General University Ethics Panel under reference number GUEP 2024 15639 13066. In the final phases of the project, findings from these assessments informed discussions with Trust staff and representatives from other heritage organisations on the implications for organisational approaches to social values. A series of co-design workshops helped in the development of the project outputs.

We are very grateful to everyone who has given their time and shared their knowledge as part of this project.