Tag: Invisible Cities

Invisible Cities launches new 360 Virtual Tour of Edinburgh

Discover the Scottish capital from anywhere in the world  

Alternative tour guide company  Invisible Cities has developed a new virtual tour of Edinburgh using innovative 360° technology. 

The initiative evolved from a year of Covid-19 restrictions when the in-person city walking tours that the social enterprise specialises in were not always possible. 

Developed in partnership with 360 Virtual Studios, which provides virtual technology marketing solutions for the arts, culture and tourism industries, the tour allows viewers to discover the spectacular sights of the Scottish capital from wherever they are located around the globe. 

Available in full 3D reality for those who own goggles or through a cardboard version supplied by Invisible Cities, the new tour will be launched at a special virtual event on Zoom on November 3rd when participants will be able to ask questions and hear about Invisible Cities’ future plans. 

Tickets are priced £10 per person and those who sign up in the UK can also order a special Tour Box containing goodies such as chocolate, tea and coffee from fellow social enterprises and further information on Edinburgh and how this virtual came to life-to be delivered for them enjoy while they watch the excursion unfold. 

Zakia Moulaoui Guery, CEO of Invisible Cities says: “The pandemic has made us look for alternative ways of touring the world and launching our 360 Virtual Tour of Edinburgh is such an exciting step for us.

“We are very grateful to 360 Virtual Studios who supported us every step of the way with this. The use of virtual technology is not something we could have done on our own. It was also made possible thanks to Adapt & Thrive funding.

“We can’t wait for people to discover Edinburgh in a brand-new way and our tour box just adds a little bit more comfort to the whole experience.” 

Invisible Cities trains people who have previously experienced homelessness to become walking tour guides of their own city.  They offer a number of themed family-friendly tours across the UK in cities including Edinburgh, Manchester, Glasgow, York and Cardiff.  

Adapt and Thrive is a Scottish Government’s funded programme which aimed to support third sector organisations financially affected by the pandemic to change, flex, innovate, or grow so they can be resilient and financially sustainable during and post COVID-19.

360 Virtual Studios’ Managing Director: Michelle Milnes says: “360 Virtual Studios are absolutely thrilled to partner with Invisible Cities in helping to open up our beautiful capital city to be viewed by a global audience, whilst generating vital funding for this wonderful social enterprise.

“As innovators of virtual technology in Scotland, we’ve already seen how virtual tours have provided a vital income stream for many organisations during lockdown. We’re excited to see how our 360 virtual video can give a boost to these sectors in a post-pandemic world.” 

For more information on Invisible Cities visit https://invisible-cities.org/    

Invisible Cities launches new nationwide project

Tours focus on distinct neighbourhoods within iconic cityscapes 

Invisible Cities, the alternative tour guide company that introduces locals and visitors to some of our greatest urban heartlands, is launching a new nationwide project. 

The social enterprise, which has generally focused on city centres, is now delving deeper into local neighbourhoods and encouraging everyone to discover what is on the doorstep there – from Glasgow’s once-notorious Gorbals slum area to Manchester’s Fallowfield and the inspirational women of Edinburgh’s Leith. 

Zakia Moulaoui Guery, CEO and Founder of Invisible Cities says, “Every year we take thousands of tourists and locals on our tours but, If there is one thing lockdowns have brought us all, it is a new appreciation for our local areas.

“Until now we have tended to focus on city centres or easily-accessible areas but we have realised that our local areas, neighbourhoods and some lesser-known places are also well worth exploring. 

“As a result, we’ve created Invisible Neighbourhoods and curated a series of fascinating new tours detailing some really interesting facts and locations that will appeal to anyone visiting or living in these vibrant areas.” 

Invisible Cities trains people who have previously experienced homelessness to become walking tour guides of their own city.  Invisible Neighbourhoods, a series of tours, events and products, has been designed by these well-informed guides with support from local communities in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Manchester – with more neighbourhoods in the pipeline. 

In Edinburgh children can discover the stories behind the powerful women of Leith, a port with a dynamic community and rich maritime history. 

Through a complete Trail Pack, including a Leith tote bag, activity pack, stickers and colouring pencils, youngsters can learn who these inspirational women were and the extraordinary things they achieved – all while exploring this legendary waterfront.  

In Manchester, consultations with the local community in Fallowfield, traditionally a student area with a diverse population, have helped to shape a brand-new local tour. Shorter in length than usual and free of charge for schools and local organisations, this tour aims to give people an insight into their own neighbourhood. It has been supported by The Manchester Wellbeing Fund and Barratt Homes. 

In Glasgow the focus is on the Gorbals and Lauriston. With support from Urban Union, a walking tour will kick off soon with the possibility of self-guided trails also on the horizon for families to discover this lesser-known part of Glasgow.  

Regular Invisible Cities tours are also available in York and Cardiff. 

For more information on Invisible Neighbourhoods visit http://invisible-cities.org/invisible-neighbourhoods 

George Heriot’s pupils raise £2,616 by taking part in Invisible Cities’ ‘In Our Shoes’ Challenge

As part of their Poverty Week focus, students kept their shoes on for 48 hours straight to raise awareness around homelessness 

George Heriot’s School took part in Invisible Cities’ ‘In Our Shoes’ Challenge: an innovative new challenge introduced by the social enterprise, where pupils are asked to keep their shoes on for 48 hours straight (without removing them at all).   

The mission behind the challenge is to help school children to understand more about and discuss some of the issues faced by rough sleepers while on the streets such as podiatry issues, lack of access to adequate shoes, etc.  

Zakia  Moulaoui  Guery, CEO and Founder of Invisible Cities said: “We are delighted to say, that through completing this challenge, George Heriots School raised an amazing £2616 which we split with our fellow social enterprise and friends at the Grassmarket Community Project.”  

Based right next to the school, Grassmarket Community Project have been a long-standing partner of Invisible Cities and have supported with recruiting new guides and working on collaborative projects together.  

Katherine Duncan, Principal Teacher of Curricular Enhancement, explained: “Our Junior School pupils took part in Poverty Awareness Week at the end of March as part of our annual Financial Education focus. 

“It created an opportunity for them to learn more about the causes of poverty (both locally and globally) and how poverty impacts on the rights of everyone affected.   

“Putting themselves “in the shoes” of rough sleepers not only allowed our pupils to empathise with rough sleepers, but also helped them to make a difference by raising £2616 for Invisible Cities and the Grassmarket Community Project.”

Invisible Cities is a social enterprise that trains people who have previously experienced   homelessness to become walking tour guides of their own city in Edinburgh, Glasgow , York and Manchester. 

Zakia  Moulaoui  Guery, CEO and Founder of Invisible Cities, said: ” This challenge was designed to give a different perspective on homelessness and focus on a very practical issue that people can face. 

“We are so thankful to the school, teachers and pupils alike for taking part and supporting us with such a generous donation.”   

Jonny Kinross, CEO for Grassmarket Community Project, said: “We are delighted to be one of the beneficiaries of George Heriots School’s incredible fundraising effort as part of their poverty awareness week.

“With this donation we will be able to provide practical support, training, access to free IT classes, free IT equipment, free food 5 days a week and one to one support including counselling and therapies to many of the City’s homeless and vulnerable.   

“As the lockdown relaxes and we are able to provide one-to-one face to face support this donation will enable us to re-connect to people who are exceptionally vulnerable and isolated – to help them sustain their tenancies, ensure they receive the benefits and support to which they are entitled as well as get the emotional and mental health support they need.

“What an exceptional fundraising initiative and our huge thanks go out to the pupils and their families who got behind and will help us to ensure that no one is left behind in the city’s recovery.”   

For more information on Invisible Cities visit https://invisible-cities.org/     

Invisible Cities: 500 miles, 5 cities, celebrating 5 years of helping those affected by homelessness

To celebrate 5 years of Invisible Cities, the team are inviting all supporters, friends, partners and customers to take part in a virtual mile-covering challenge, whilst raising vital funds for their social enterprise  

Invisible Cities, the social enterprise operating in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester and York, trains people who have previously  experienced  homelessness to become walking tour guides of their own city.

The social enterprise is now inviting supporters, friends, customers and partners to take part in a virtual mile-covering challenge, to celebrate Invisible Cities turning 5.  

From April – July there are 4 legs (one per month) that collectively make-up 500 miles as participants virtually move between Invisible Cities locations. Participants are invited to sign up for one leg, or all 4 and the challenge is to complete the number of miles required for that leg, within the month.   

Each leg varies in distance, so there’s something for everyone, from absolute beginners to fitness enthusiasts alike. The challenge can also be enjoyed as individual or in teams of up to 6, to reach the target miles. People can also choose between walking, running, cycling and swimming when it comes to how they decide to cover the mile target.     

The purpose of Invisible Cities’ virtual fundraiser is to connect individuals with other like-minded people all over the UK to raise money for those affected by homelessness.   

Zakia Moulaoui Guery, Founder & CEO of Invisible Cities said: “After a full year of being stuck indoors, getting outside to exercise is more important for our mental health than ever before.

“As COVID-19 has had a huge impact on homelessness, we thought we’d combine the benefits of outdoor activity with the effort to help support those experiencing homelessness through the pandemic. We really don’t think we could have found a better way to celebrate our 5th birthday!”  

To be part of the latest Invisible Cities initiative participants simply need to fill the form which can be found on the social enterprise’s official website, pay the £10 entry (100% of which will support their work to help combat homelessness) and all details for the challenge will then be emailed directly to them.  

As part of the initiative, Invisible Cities will also set up a personal Go Fund Me account for all ‘challengers’ to share and collect sponsorship and much-needed encouragement from friends and family, and the team will share fun updates about history and homelessness organisations depending on the point reached on the virtual journey.  

They will also receive access to the official Invisible Cities Strava group to track miles and become part of their community as well as receiving virtual updates showing where they are on their journey.   

For more information and to register for the virtual miles-covering challenge visit:   

https://invisible-cities.org/news/2021/500-miles-5-cities-celebrating-5-years-of-invisible-cities

Positive social impact delivered by Invisible Cities reported at £187,700

Impact delivered by Invisible Cities is achieved both in the direct employment of tour providers and through the wider training and advocacy work they deliver

Invisible Cities, the social enterprise that trains people who have previously  experienced  homelessness, to become walking tour guides of their own city in Edinburgh, Manchester,  Glasgow and York – has recently worked with Big Issue Invest to develop a report, measuring their social impact. 

The social impact delivered by Invisible Cities is achieved both in the direct employment of tour providers and through the wider training and advocacy work delivered by the team.

Invisible Cities has supported 13 people directly to generate sustainable income with three going on to suitable further employment. Big Issue Invest has estimated a social value of £187,700 generated by Invisible Cities while accounting for attribution and using National TOMs values.

Zakia Moulaoui Guery, Founder & CEO of Invisible Cities comments; “Our work today is more important than ever: with an estimated 320,000 people homeless or at risk of homelessness, both the supportive employment and the help we can offer with regards to individual wellbeing are crucial for many of the UK’s most vulnerable people.

“The impact we can deliver is achieved both by employing our tour guides directly and through the wider training and advocacy work delivered by our team. We also create awareness-raising campaigns, training sessions to schools and major businesses and collaboration sessions between homeless people and service providers.”

Data compiled to draft the report also found that Invisible Cities provided training for 23 tour guides and held an additional 16 schools and training sessions. They also hosted 4,130 visitors on their tours and significantly raised awareness around homelessness in the UK, with 2,360 people confirming that they had directly learned about homelessness from the social enterprise. 

Joshua Meek, Head of Impact at Big Issue Invest comments: “Invisible Cities is a brilliant example of an enterprising organisation, keen to understand and grow the impact they are creating.

“It has been great to see one of our very own Big Issue vendors trained through Invisible Cities and working as a tour guide in Edinburgh.”

Invisible Cities plans to continue to support guides and to develop a bespoke Women of Scotland programme that will specifically aim to help marginalised women to join the Invisible Cities programme. The work will also look to cover key issues facing women across Scotland including period poverty, domestic abuse and accessing clear support services for women, by women.

Invisible Cities also plans to set up its Cardiff branch in 2021 with the objective of being in seven cities across the UK. 

Zakia concludes: “We couldn’t be prouder of our team and of our tour guides! Together and through sheer passion for what we do, we are helping to make a real difference in the lives of vulnerable people, in many different ways.

“There is so much more we want to – and will – achieve!”

For more information and to read the full Impact Report, visit: 

http://invisible-cities.org/our-mission

Invisible Cities launches ‘Women of the UK’ card game to celebrate International Women’s Day

 Game highlights incredible women and raises awareness around their achievements – available for purchase via www.invisible-cities.org  

Invisible Cities, the social enterprise that trains people who have previously experienced  homelessness, to become walking tour guides of their own city in  Edinburgh, Manchester, Glasgow and York – has recently launched a new card game to celebrate International Women’s Day (8thMarch).

Featuring women from all corners of the UK, this unique card game (RRP £7.99) has been designed by the whole team at Invisible Cities and can be played by the whole family. Each card highlights a particular woman and her history, detailing why she is inspirational.  

Cards include women from the past and present, recognised for their talents in fields such as sports, politics, literature or activism. Famous women featured include Elsie Inglis, Jane Austen, Adele and Ada Lovelace. The aim of the game is to highlight each and every incredible woman, increasing awareness around their achievements while raising vital funds for Invisible Cities.   

Invisible cities CEO and Founder Zakia Moulaoui Guery says, “Through our tours, we want to represent women and discuss their achievements but also their place in society. It is important to create strong role models for children nowadays and I really believe games like this will support us in our mission to achieve this.  

“The whole team has worked very hard on choosing the women that they wanted to include in the game and curating a little story for each of them. The cards are also accompanied by a beautiful illustration from our friend Nicola Boon making them perfect for gifting to loved ones too.”  

For more information on the ‘Women of the UK Card Game’ visit 

http://invisible-cities.org/shop.  

Invisible Cities: LIVE virtual tours of Edinburgh to help those who have experienced homelessness

Collaboration will enable human-centric tours of the city, which will be broadcast in real time by your local Invisible Cities guide  

Invisible Cities, the social enterprise that trains people who have previously experienced  homelessness to become walking tour guides of their own city in Edinburgh, Manchester,  Glasgow and York – has teamed up with  Virtualtrips.io to offer LIVE virtual tours of Edinburgh. 

Virtualtrips is a dedicated live-streaming platform that offers raw, human-centric tours of interesting places, broadcast in real time by expert locals. With more than 250 tours across 45 locations and counting, people can ‘travel’ together to Venice, explore Yellowstone National Park, and make it back in time to see the coast of Guernsey – all in the same day.  

Viewers can enjoy following Virtualtrips’ friendly and knowledgeable guides and engage with them and fellow travellers through interactive chat. All of the tours are currently free to watch, though tips are encouraged (and very much appreciated!) 

On average, people have rated the tours 4.7 out of 5 across 15,000 reviews.  

Zakia Moulaoui Guery, Founder & CEO of Invisible Cities, said: “The Virtualtrips online platform offers virtual walking tours from around the world and we are really delighted to be joining forces with them. 

“We are also hoping to eventually be able to take this partnership further and become a Virtualtrips community partner, but that is for the future!  

“In the meantime, our virtual tours of Edinburgh will keep the community engaged, allow us to continue our work, giving a voice to those who have felt invisible and offering some much- needed entertainment for people across the UK and beyond.”  

The virtual tours of Edinburgh are also available on Invisible Cities’ very own Zoom platform, making them ideal for teams at work, or families and friends, who wish to discover the city from the comfort of their own home.   

Zakia concludes, “We are inviting people to book their preferred date and time via our Invisible Cities website and then they can just log onto zoom on the day.

“Their guide will take them through a journey along the streets of Edinburgh – either on their own or as part of a group tour experience, with others from various households, no matter where they are in the world!”

For more information on the Virtualtrips.io collaboration visit https://www.virtualtrips.io/locations/edinburgh  

For more information on Invisible Cities and their very own virtual tours of Edinburgh visit https://invisible-cities.org/     

Celebrate Burns Night with Invisible Cities

Online quiz will support the social enterprise and bring people together to celebrate Burns’ contribution to Scottish culture 

Invisible Cities, the social enterprise that trains people who have previouly experienced homelessness – become walking tour guides of their own city, in Edinburgh, Manchester, Glasgow and York – will be hosting an online quiz to celebrate Burns Night.   

Their official quiz master and Invisible (Edinburgh) guide has designed the special quiz for teams of up to six to enjoy online. All of the questions will be centered around Scottish Culture and there will be a few trick questions thrown in there too!   

Zakia Moulaoui Guery, Founder & CEO of Invisible Cities comments: “We know this year, we will not be able to come together to enjoy our traditional Haggis, Neeps and Tatties. But with Invisible Cities, you can still invite a few friends to come together (virtual) for a special online quiz, in support of our work!”  

The quiz will start at 6pm and can accommodate up to 6 teams – so those interested in attending are advised to book their spot promptly to avoid disappointment! Entry fee for the quiz is £30 per team and the winners will receive unique Scotland Goodie bags put together by the Invisible Cities team.   

For more information and to sign up, email info@invisible-cities.org.   

Burns Night is annually celebrated on 25th January in Scotland. It commemorates the life of the bard (poet) Robert Burns, who was born on January 25, 1759. The day also celebrates Burns’ contribution to Scottish culture.  

Invisible Cities is a social enterprise that doesn’t believe in labels or stereotypes. They want to show that everyone has great potential. They train people affected by homelessness to become walking tour guides of their own city and offer these alternative tours to tourists and locals. 

Their training focuses on confidence building, public speaking and customer service. They partner with professional tour guides to build bespoke tours and practice their routes.  

For more information visit https://invisible-cities.org/   

Urban Union helps Edinburgh’s homeless with Christmas donation

Regeneration firm Urban Union is donating £1,500 to support homeless charities across Edinburgh this festive season.

Crisis in Scotland will receive a cash boost from the developer behind Pennywell Living, to support people homeless in Scotland this Christmas. The donation has been made in lieu of the firm’s annual staff Christmas party, with Turning Point also being recipients of the donation. 

Crisis in Scotland will be using the money to help its front-line team and 250+ volunteers provide people with hot meals, personalised wellbeing packs, online activities (including entertainment, learning and wellbeing) and a telephone befriending service throughout December.

Urban Union has also embarked on a new partnership with Invisible Cities, an Edinburgh-based social enterprise that trains people affected by homelessness to become walking tour guides.

Work is currently underway on a new tour celebrating the rich history of Glasgow’s Gorbals area which is home to Urban Union’s first development, Laurieston Living.

Neil McKay, Managing Director of Urban Union, said: “Our focus at Urban Union is to not only build new homes, but to create strong relationships and support the communities in which our developments are based.

“We are pleased to be able to support Crisis as well as work with organisations like Turning Point and Invisible Cities, who carry out brilliant work supporting the displaced and vulnerable across Edinburgh and Glasgow.

“We hope our donations will allow them to continue to provide crucial and important services through what are difficult times for many over Christmas.”

Crisis’ Edinburgh Skylight centre provides expert support and advice to homeless people to help them leave homelessness behind for good. How Crisis helps someone depends on their individual needs and situation, so it could be that they help someone to find a home and settle in, work together to help them gain new skills and find a job, or improve their overall health and wellbeing.

Kirsty Potter, Fundraising Manager from Crisis in Scotland, said: “We are very grateful for this generous donation from Urban Union which will make a real difference to people in Scotland without a home this Christmas.

“It will help bring comfort and dignity to people being supported in hotels, BnBs and other forms of temporary accommodation this Christmas. Everyone deserves a home, and donations like this will help people in incredibly challenging situations access the support they need to end their homelessness for good.”

City of Edinburgh Council’s Convener of Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work, Councillor Kate Campbell said: “We’ve worked together to put our most vulnerable residents first during this crisis – but the biggest challenges are still to come.

“Making sure people can access the right support when and where they need it is an absolute priority. So it’s great to see these funds going to Crisis and Turning Point to help them help others. Particularly at this time of year”

Urban Union will also be donating funds to Turning Point Scotland which provides support for people who are dealing with mental health conditions, learning disabilities or are homeless.

The charity has led the way in its introduction of the Housing First approach to homelessness in Scotland – by granting secure accommodation as a first step in addressing the issues that led to the situation, rather than the last and being given as proof of recovery.

In addition to the donations, the regeneration specialist has partnered with Invisible Cities to train up to eight people who have experienced homelessness and develop a new walking tour proposed to launch in early 2021.

The group will undertake training to help with confidence building, public speaking and customer service skills and have the opportunity to become an official Invisible Cities guide or access further support to pursue a career path of interest to them.

Urban Union regenerates areas across Scotland to create revitalised communities through building new, high quality, affordable homes.

Across each of its developments, Urban Union aims to deliver sustainable long-term benefits to the new and surrounding neighbourhoods, with job and training opportunities, ensuring the community will benefit from the projects for years to come.

Invisible Cities launches Christmas crowdfunder to support network of homeless tour guides

Donate to the crowdfunding page and receive a Christmas gift bundle!

Offering unique tours to thousands of customers across the country, Invisible Cities trains people who have previously experienced homelessness, to become walking tour guides of their own city – Edinburgh, Manchester, Glasgow, and York.

Following a year of country-wide lockdowns and a huge dip in the tourist industry, the social enterprise has announced a crowdfunding page where individuals can donate to Invisible Cities and its cause.

A social enterprise that doesn’t believe in labels or stereotypes, Invisible Cities’ mission is to show that everyone has great potential. Training focuses on confidence building, public speaking, and customer service, which not only offers the prospect of a better future, but also the skills to undertake these innovative walking tours. Each Invisible Cities recruit partners with a professional tour guide to build bespoke tours, practicing their routes and gaining further knowledge of their beloved city.

Zakia Moulaoui Guery, Founder & CEO of Invisible Cities CIC comments: “The safety of our guides and guests will always be a top priority for us. Due to the devastating effect of the global pandemic, we have had to pause all activities and tours, whilst of course continuing to support our guides, trainees and volunteers.

“Having all experienced homelessness, trauma, substance addiction, poverty, a history of poor mental health or learning difficulties, it is key that although the tourist industry may have all but stopped for now, our support of them, has not.”

Invisible Cities relies on the income from the walking tours to support its guides and trainees, so the national lockdown has seen a huge decrease in available resource.

The Crowdfunder offers the chance to donate to your chosen location, ensuring that the team in that city, benefits. Donations each coincide with a gift bundle that will arrive in time for Christmas, starting at just £5 and going to £30 or more.

Those who give £5 will receive a thank you video message from one of the guides in your chosen city, whilst top donations of £25 or more will receive a bundle of goodies including hand-written postcards, poetry, books and items from the local area. There is also a ‘Kids Bundle’ for £12 or more, for the little ones.  

According to Shelter, an estimated 320,000 people are homeless in the UK. This equates to one in every 201 people living in the UK and was an increase of four per cent on the previous year’s number.

Shelter says its figures, which include rough sleepers and people in temporary accommodation, are likely to be an underestimate of the problem as they do not capture people who experience “hidden” homelessness, such as sofa-surfers, and others living insecurely in sheds or cars, for example.

Crowdfunder is making community and charity crowdfunding projects completely free during the coronavirus crisis. 

Invisible Cities have put together a Crowdfunder to allow the same level of support to their guides and the wider community to continue. A donation for Invisible Cities this Christmas means security and comfort for these individuals.

For more information visit https://invisible-cities.org/

To donate to the cause visit https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/invisible-cities-christmas