In January, Claire, our Founder, stepped down as CEO and I took the reins. I have been involved with The Melting Pot since 2016, first as a member of the coworking community, then as a Facilitator leading our Good Ideas programme. I never set out to be the CEO, but when the opportunity presented itself, it felt right. The Melting Pot is a special place for me.

It has been great to work with the team this past year on several new projects and make exciting plans for the future. Recruiting seven new trustees from a diverse range of backgrounds has been a real highlight, including the first dog to join the board! Our new trustees have brought a whole heap of skills, knowledge and expertise with them, complementing our existing board members’ skillsets. In the process, we have increased the number of Melting Pot members who sit on the board, ensuring we’re led by the community we are here to serve. As a new CEO in post, I have found the support of the board and our new Chair invaluable.

Since our 15^th birthday, we have rolled out a new brand for The Melting Pot (you might have noticed!). This has enabled us to assimilate our different business areas and develop a brand that truly represents The Melting Pot as Scotland’s Centre for Social Innovation. Alongside this, we created a shiny new website. We couldn’t have done either of these projects without the support of our freelance associates, who specialise in marketing, branding and the web development.

Another highlight has been working with Social Value Lab to understand the impact we have on our members and the wider community. The full report will be revealed soon! A couple of key takeaways for me though were the many benefits our members get from being part of our community. From improved wellbeing, networking and collaboration opportunities, to being part of ‘something bigger’, effecting positive change for people and the planet.

2022-23 has seen us deliver over 75 events, with over 700 attendees. Many of these have been in partnership, with diverse organisations from across Edinburgh and beyond. We have explored the actions we can take on topics such as community wealth building, inclusion, climate change, nature-based solutions, AI, the circular economy, the cost-of-living crisis and many more. I have particularly enjoyed developing the Bridging Communities Event series with our partners, and attending the Social Enterprise World Forum.

With a new strategy in place (to be revealed soon), a brilliant staff team and an amazing community of members, I am now looking forward to all the next 12 months The Melting Pot has in store. Watch this space!

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