Enterprise

From rural start-ups to Scotland's favourite established businesses, 100 rural businesses are announced as finalists in the 2017 Scottish Rural Awards.  

Background

The annual Scottish Rural Awards are the ultimate benchmark of success in Scotland's countryside, highlighting the enterprise, skill and innovation of those who live and work in rural areas.

Dumfries and Galloway LEADER Local Action Group are delighted, in a backdrop of change, to have committed £867,041.10 to a mix of community, enterprise and farm diversification projects since March 2016.

The Scottish Government has published the country's first long-term Social Enterprise Strategy.

The ten-year strategy includes a number of steps aimed at growing the social enterprise sector and driving inclusive growth.

Social enterprises trade for the common good and work to strengthen communities, improve people’s life chances or protect the environment.

Sarah Hyslop, LEADER Manager for Ayrshire Local Action Group attended a European Network for Rural Development (ENRD) transnational Community-Led Local Development (CLLD) Seminar – Achieving results the CLLD way: Putting the method to work - in early December.

Participants included people from Managing Authorities, Local Action Groups (LAGs)/Fisheries Local Action Groups (FLAGs), Networks, European Commission and regional/national organisations from many member states including Sweden, Greece, Portugal, Slovenia, Cyprus, Italy and Hungary.

Scottish Rural Action have launched their full Manifesto for Rural Scotland.

The manifesto was released in draft form in September 2016 and was officially launched at the Scottish Rural Action AGM in Perth on 9 December.

During the second Scottish Rural Parliament event held in Brechin, Angus in October, delegates had the chance to propose changes to the wording and additions to the content of the manifesto before it was agreed on by those in attendance at the event.

Amanda Burgauer, chair of Scottish Rural Action, said:

The 'Boosting businesses along the fisheries supply chain' event took place in Thessaloniki, Greece from 18-20 October 2016.

The Outer Hebrides LEADER Local Action Group announced recently that over £1 million has been awarded in grants to community groups and businesses across the Outer Hebrides since the programme opened for applications in April 2016.

The SRUC Rural Policy Centre has launched its Rural Scotland in Focus 2016 report.

The report provides a fast-track to up-to-date evidence and commentary on key topics of rural and national importance, in order to inform policy, practice and research.

Rural Scotland in Focus 2016 is the fourth report in the series, and was launched at an event in Edinburgh on 29 November attended by over 90 people.