Cooperation

Stirlingshire businesses, from butchers and bakers to local food makers, are invited to share their ideas for a new local food network.

Forth Valley & Lomond LEADER and Stirling Council want to hear from local food businesses across the Stirling region that are interested in working together to promote local food.

A recent event focused on the contributions of younger islanders in renewing island life and contributing to sustainable island communities.

Fifty people from Scottish and Irish islands gathered in Grimsay, North Uist from 30 September to 4 October as part of the "Smart Islands in Scotland and Ireland: Supporting Enterprises and Young People" project, funded by LEADER in the Outer Hebrides and Ireland. The week week was hosted by local organisation CoDel (Community Development Lens) and the Scottish Islands Federation.

A further application round for the Food Processing, Marketing and Cooperation (FPMC) Scheme is now open.

This scheme can provide support grant to suppliers and producers to contribute to the Scottish Government's overall vision for food and drink in Scotland, which is to be a Good Food Nation, where it is second nature to produce, buy, serve and eat fresh, healthy food.

Funding can help you:

Capital Projects:

The Scottish Islands Federation, in partnership with the Irish Islands Federation (Comdhail Oileanean na h Eireann) have recently succeeded in securing LEADER funding for 2 transnational projects focusing on the them of 'Smart Islands'.

Last month Angus LEADER hosted a group of individuals from Belgium and Romania as part of a tourism project across the three countries. The Transnational Cooperation Project, funded through the Angus LEADER programme aims to build the capacity of each area to develop a flourishing visitor economy that benefits the whole community.

A group of farmers are working with SAC Consulting and a data company to develop distributed ledger, or blockchain, technology that will allow consumers to trace oats along the supply chain and be assured they are gluten free.

The Rural Youth Project has been awarded funding from five LEADER Local Action Groups across Scotland.

Support of £191,170 has been awarded by LEADER in Angus, Lanarkshire, Outer Hebrides, Rural Perth and Kinross, and the Scottish Borders.

The programme for the first-ever Foraging Fortnight has launched, with events ranging from woodland walks to wild food feasts to foraged cocktails!

This LEADER-funded project takes place from 31 August to 15 September and will feature a wide range of events across five diverse regions of Scotland: Lanarkshire, Fife, Moray, Forth Valley and Loch Lomond, and Orkney.

The European Network for Rural Development (ENRD) Contact Point is preparing a series of 'LEADER thematic labs'.

There will be up to four labs with 30 LEADER stakeholders in each. The thematic labs will be an opportunity for an in-depth exchange of ideas and will include keynote presentations, discussion of lessons learnt, including enabling factors and challenges, current achievements and future outlook. 

A new campaign will promote the Forth Valley as an accessible visitor destination.

The Forth Valley Accessibility Tourism Promotion will create a suite of downloadable and print itineraries as wellas three films highlighting the full range of accessible attractions and accommodation providers in the area. The itineraries will be tailored for visitors with Autism, Dementia and Mobility issues and will cover three themes: Family Fun, Heritage and Outdoor activity.