Community development

LEADER information session at Royal Highland Show

Members from across the LEADER community are holding an information session during the Royal Highland Show.

Representation from across the 21 Local Action Groups as well as previous beneficiaries will be on hand to discuss how to access the substantial funding pot for rural Scotland. LEADER provides funding opportunities for farmers and a wide range of rural businesses.

Around 90 people from across Scotland gathered at Sabhal Mor Ostaig on Skye on 30 and 31 May for the Community Land Scotland conference 2017.

The theme of this year's conference was 'Sharing the Knowledge' and with presentations, workshops and plenty of time for networking the event was a great opportunity for people to learn from each other.

Grant funding is available for business groups and local bodies, working in partnership with their local authority, to develop proposals for Business Improvement Districts across Scotland.

A Business Improvement District (BID) is about businesses working together and investing collectively in local improvements, in addition to those delivered by the statutory authorities. These improvements will be of benefit to the businesses involved and also contribute to the wider aspirations of the local residential community and growing the local economy.

The European Network for Rural Development's (ENRD) latest 'Rural Connections' magazine is now available online.

The Spring 2017 edition has a focus on social inclusion with interviews on a youth initiative of South & East Cork Area Development, Social Innovation in Marginalised Areas, and a National Rural Networks cluster on migrants and refugees. There is also a report on what LEADER can do in terms of social inclusion.

A new plan has launched setting out how all those with responsibility for the Cairngorms National Park will coordinate their work to tackle the most important issues over the next five years.

The Cairngorms National Park Partnership Plan (2017-2022) will deliver the following long-term outcomes for the National Park:

Scottish Rural Action Conference and AGM: Inclusive rural development post 2020: Towards a vision for rural Scotland

The Scottish Rural Action conference and AGM will be taking place on the 20th September from 9.30am – 5pm, with speed networking, volunteer training and the conference dinner taking place on the 19th September.

Agenda: Conference Agenda Draft

The conference and AGM is for members only, and there is an opportunity to shape the agenda to tackle the issues you want to talk about. The event is free, but donations are very welcome.

Community Woodlands Association/Making Local Woods Work Conference

This year will see a change to the usual format: the conference will be starting on Friday and there will be groups from the rest of the UK who are involved in the Making Local Woods Work project.

This year’s conference will be much bigger than usual as organisers expect to welcome up to 150 delegates, including 50 or more from outside Scotland. There will be the usual mix of speakers, workshops, site visits, networking and ceilidh. Workshops will cover a range of topics including: woodfuel, adding value to timber, social finance, education, health and volunteering.

Scottish Rural Action have launched their Action Plan, with key points in five areas they will be taking forward.

The new Moray LEADER programme launched at the Morayvia Aerospace Centre recently.

Around 80 people from agencies, businesses and community groups attended the launch event on 26 May to find out more about the £3.5 million fund.

 

More than 140 people attended the Stirling Food Summit last week, setting out a vision of Stirling as Scotland’s first Good Food Nation city.

The two-day event took place at the Forth Valley College campus in the city, with a focus on strategy on Friday 19 May and a community day on the Saturday 20 May.

Stirling Council Director of Localities and Infrastructure, Alastair Brown opened the event.

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