Orkney LEADER funding for six projects

Six projects to benefit Orkney's communities and economy have secured support from the latest rounds of Orkney LEADER funding.

So far, the current Orkney LEADER programme has awarded grant funding of over £460,000 to eight community driven, innovative projects, with a total value of over £1 million of project investment.

The latest six projects to be awarded funding are:

• Birsay Community Association has secured funding to create a community play park in the site surrounding the Birsay Hall. The park, which will be installed by volunteers, will see traditional play equipment blended with natural imaginative play opportunities, and will include a sensory garden and picnic area
• Stromness Community Council has secured funding for a new multi-purpose community space in the grounds of the Stromness Town House, which will be used by festivals and events, as well as being open to the public as a space to relax in the town centre
• Digital Media Orkney will provide a platform for enhanced digital communications activity, promoting Orkney’s tourism, food and drink, creative industries and energy sectors, coupled with promotion of Orkney’s communities and activities, demonstrating to the wider world that Orkney it is an excellent place to live, work, study, do business and visit
• The Ness of Brodgar Development project will see the appointment of a full time Manager for the Ness, to concentrate on developing the full potential of the site as an excavation of world importance, as an educational resource and to explore the potential to be a sustainable visitor attraction for the benefit of the Orkney economy
• Orkney Historic Boat Society gained funding to complete feasibility study to help determine the viability of establishing a Boat Haven, which it is hoped would incorporate interpretation of Orkney's maritime heritage and would serve as a base for a boat building training programme and boat restoration
• Westray Development Trust’s community growing project will provide professional greenhouse structures, built specifically to withstand the local weather, to enable the growing of a small but experimental range of produce to sell to the local community, creating two jobs in tending the produce.

Councillor James Stockan, Chair of the Development and Infrastructure Committee said:

"I’m delighted to once again see the commitment within our communities to developing projects that will have widespread benefits. The energy and enthusiasm shown by these groups is incredible and I congratulate them on their success."

The Orkney Islands £2.5 million LEADER Programme offers funding for small scale, pilot projects led by the local community, or that are in the local community's interest, with the aim to promote economic and community development within Orkney.

The programme remains open to applications, with projects for Round 4 currently being considered. The deadline for Round 5 is 22 March 2017.

For more information on the programme visit the Orkney LEADER website. You can also contact the LEADER team direct at Orkney Islands Council on 01856 873535 ext 2811.

LEADER is part of the Scotland Rural Development Programme, which funds economic, environmental and social measures for the benefit of rural Scotland.

More about LEADER across Scotland

You can find out about LEADER across Scotland in the LEADER section of our website, where you can also submit an Expression of Interest form if you have an idea for a project.

And watch our short film below to find out more about six inspiring projects that received funding in the LEADER 2007-2013 programme.

Scottish LEADER programme from ScottishRuralNetwork on Vimeo.