Funding announced for Scottish Rural Action

Scottish Rural Action will receive £200,000 from the Scottish Government to support the delivery of their 2017-19 Action Plan.

Scottish Rural Action (SRA) aims to be a powerful voice for the people of rural Scotland. They are a non-profit, apolitical organisation which is completely independent of Government. They have the dual purpose of developing and organising Scotland’s Rural Parliament and supporting the development of a rural movement.

Their Action Plan focusses on five themes chosen by people who took part in the 2016 Scottish Rural Parliament in Brechin. The areas are:

• digital connectivity
• local democracy
• land
• transport
• business, enterprise and employment

The funding was announced by Environment and Land Reform Secretary Roseanna Cunningham at the Royal Highland Show.

Speaking at theShow, Ms Cunningham said:

"The two Scottish Rural Parliament events to date have been successful in giving our rural communities a stronger voice. To help foster this further, I am delighted to be able to demonstrate our continued support by confirming a further £200,000 to Scottish Rural Action.

"This will support the development of an inclusive and sustainable rural movement that is rooted in Scotland’s rural communities and help support the organisation of a third Rural Parliament in 2018.

"It has been encouraging to see the progress that SRA has made since its inception in 2014, and I look forward to hearing about further successes in the future.”

Amanda Burgauer, Chair of Scottish Rural Action, said

"Scottish Rural Action is delighted to receive on-going support from the Scottish Government for our work in empowering rural communities in Scotland.

"It has become clear over the last year that there is a need for SRA to be a proactive influencer in policy and decision-making, with the driving force for this direction coming from both rural communities and wider stakeholders. Our Action Plan for 2017-19 crystalises this shift in focus to being a powerful voice for the people of rural Scotland and focuses on the themes chosen by our members at the Rural Parliament in 2016. These are digital connectivity, local democracy, land, transport and business, enterprise and employment.

"We also see the need to respond positively to the understandable concerns from rural communities about Brexit, and our conference in September this year will be focused on rural development post-2020, and continuing to develop a cohesive vision for rural Scotland."

Visit the Scottish Rural Action website to find out more.