By Eglė, WSC’s Community Engagement Officer
We hosted our second Community Supper in early October, to celebrate the harvest and the people who bring it in. We all want to feel safe, valued and respected, wherever we live and work. That evening, around one table, we got a small taste of how far from reality that vision is for Scotland’s seasonal farm workers.
At the end of the night, one guest left us this note: “Thank you for this amazing gathering. I take so much knowledge and education with me. Leaving so moved by the brutal reality. We must meet again.”
Around the table were local neighbours and friends from several Perth community organisations. I was there with my colleague Talgat, one of our caseworkers. Talgat also brought a guest who came to Scotland this season to work on a farm. She generously shared some of her story with us, and when she had to leave early, our table was left full of questions.
Other guests wanted to understand what life is really like for those who come to Scotland on a seasonal visa: where and how they live, and what their days are like. Having Talgat there made all the difference. By listening to many people’s stories in his work, he has learned a great deal about the realities of working and living on Scottish farms.
When Talgat shared some of his insight, this was the first time many people around the table had understood the difficulties many seasonal farm workers face. The people who harvest the berries and vegetables that feed our families are too often left isolated and without the protections most of us take for granted.
Many seasonal farm workers are forced to spend a large percentage of their earnings on renting draughty, moldy, end-of-life caravans with little privacy or storage space. They also report having to eat meals sitting in the mud because there are no tables or chairs available, being shouted at, receiving racist remarks and being afraid to report problems or change jobs.
Everyone was curious, and many were deeply moved. As the evening ended, several guests left notes: “It was great to be invited to the community supper. Am happy to help WSC in any way I can.” And “Very interesting evening, great conversations about foreign contract seasonal workers.”
I believe the evening mattered for our visiting farm worker too, because she got to see a different side of her local community: neighbours who welcomed her with respect, warmth and genuine curiosity.
For me, this supper showed how much we need safe, welcoming spaces where everyone can gather and have simple, face-to-face conversations. Because when we sit down together, we start to see new perspectives, deepen our understanding and feel inspired to take action.
This is also the core idea behind our regular community suppers: building local connections and a broader movement for a Scotland that welcomes every worker – no matter their job, visa situation or nationality.