Our friend and colleague Emma Semple believed that buildings become meaningful because of the people who use them. Throughout her career, she worked to make museums, heritage sites and cultural spaces more welcoming, ensuring that local stories and lived experiences sat at the heart of everything she did.
At The Pipe Factory, she gathered oral histories from people who lived and worked in the Calton, and uncovered hundreds of clay smoking pipes from under the ground along the way - slowly, carefully, piecing together the human stories behind the bricks.
Sadly, Emma took her own life in 2025, due to mental health struggles. A year on, in her memory, we’d like to continue the work Emma began, and capture some of it in a lasting memorial to her at The Pipe Factory, as well as raising money for SAMH (Scottish Action for Mental Health).
This summer we launched a fundraiser, our vision is to bring together colleagues and volunteers who worked closely with her to help shape a memorial for Emma. When the doors of the Pipe Factory re-open in 2027, we'll be marking it with a party - everyone will be welcome. If you were part of Emma’s work or her care, warmth and curiosity resonates with you, please join us in helping build and celebrate her legacy.
our fundraiser
For Emma: Slow Routes to Resilience
This summer, our Bobbie and Verity are leading a research project into community ownership, visiting more than 30 community-owned venues and grassroots spaces across the UK. The idea is to learn from the people putting community ownership into practice, learning from people, like Emma, who are able to bring communities together and hold on for the long term.
To help raise funds for the memorial project, Bobbie and Verity have chosen to cycle over 1500 miles between the venues, making their way from Land's End all the way to Lerwick. Cycling slowly, together, felt like the best way of taking Emma with them. Embracing a slow, more mindful and caring pace. Having your support while they pedal through the miles will really help to keep them going.
You can see how our journey is progressing via the gallery below.
