Health and wellbeing

The Scottish Government want your views on a new draft plan to tackle loneliness and isolation in Scotland.

A public consultation has opened on the new national strategy A Connected Scotland: Tackling social isolation and loneliness and building stronger social connections.

Our friends at Rural Matters are running a Christmas campaign on mental health issues in rural areas. Take a look on their Facebook page Rural Matters and Twitter @RuralMattersSG to find out more.

A recent survey by Support in Mind Scotland (SiMS) and SRUC - Scotland’s Rural College found that 67% of respondents in rural areas had experienced depression.

Paths for All's Community Active Travel Grants scheme is now open for applications.

Grants of up to £3,000 are available to communities in Scotland to develop, deliver and promote their own community-led active travel projects. Projects must make it easier for people to walk and cycle when making short everyday journeys.

Priority will be given to projects that:

The Annual Implementation Report (AIR) of the Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP) has been published.

Covering the first three years of the 2014-2020 Programme, the full report and Summary for Citizens can be viewed on the Scottish Government website.

A mental health campaign run by the Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs (SAYFC) has won the 'Farming Hero' Award at the British Farming Awards.

SAYFC's 'Are Ewe Okay' campaign was launched in May 2016. The campaign aims to target their audience of young people living in Scotland's rural communities through raising awareness of poor mental health triggers and causes, how to recognise the signs and how to seek help if you or others are suffering.

The UK Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) has issued a public call for evidence on the economic and social impacts of the UK's exit from the European Union.  So if you have evidence you can share around the potential impact for rural communities and businesses, please send it to MAC@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk.   The call for evidence is accompanied by a note outlining some preliminary analysis of the UK labour market and other countries’ migration systems to kick-start the process.

The Scottish Government has announced further funding of £25,000 to support Rural Wellbeing - the National Rural Mental Health Forum.

The Forum is run by Support in Mind Scotland and brings together 30 rural and mental health organisations. It launched in April 2017 and campaigns to raise awareness of mental health issues facing rural communities.

Announcing fresh investment at the Royal Highland Show, Minister for Mental Health, Maureen Watt said:

Scottish Rural Action have announced their membership of the recently-formed National Rural Mental Health Forum and welcomed the focus on mental health in rural areas.

The National Rural Mental Health Forum was announced in March this year and set up as part of the Scottish Government's new ten-year Mental Health Strategy.

A walking initiative in the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park has received a Certificate of Excellence from Age Scotland.

In a new report you can get the findings of the first rural Scotland-wide survey focused on people's experiences of living with mental ill health.

In 2016, hundreds of people responded to a survey run by Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) and Support in Mind.