Scottish LEADER Staff Group Meeting

The next meeting of the Scottish LEADER Staff Group will be hosted by the Shetland LEADER on 22-23 May 2018 and be supplemented by local project visits. The venue for the meeting is The Grand Hotel, 149 Commercial Street, Lerwick, ZE1 0EX.  Invites were issued this week via the Eventbrite platform – if you feel you should be attending this event, but have not yet received an Eventbrite invite, then please contact Alan Robertson, SRN Network Manager at alan@ruralnetwork.scot

The final agenda will be issued to registered attendees before the meeting however the initial draft agenda below should give a flavour:

Tuesday 22nd May

•Tea/coffee and registration from 09:00

•Welcome and introductions from LAG area

•Project presentation showcase

•Staff group items and update from eternal working groups - SRA; Chairs Group; Acc. Bodies Group; CLLD Group

•SG input

•LARCS, Comms subgroups updates and forward plans

•Local Areas – open space

•Site visit and evening hospitality - visit to Skeld on Shetland’s Westside (transport provided) followed by a buffet meal, opportunity for networking and local music with transport back to Lerwick around 9pm

Wednesday 23rd May

•09.00 tea/coffee - this session is currently in draft but likely to include “cooperation conversations” featuring Scotland-Scotland cooperations, progress with these and possibilities for newly-joining partner LAG’s and Monitoring and Evaluation session/conversation. LAG area suggestions for other themes for this slot gratefully received

•Lunch at Mackenzie’s Farm shop and café (Farm diversification project)

•13.30 – finish and onward travel

Project visits information

•Mackenzie’s Farm Shop & Café, is a LEADER funded project which provides an outlet for both produce and crafts to over 50 local suppliers right across Shetland from Fair Isle to Unst. This range of local produce has benefitted both producers and customers who come from out with the immediate vicinity to buy things which they can’t get elsewhere.

•Skeld – Skeld Waterfront Trust is a small but very active community on Shetland’s Westside - see http://www.skeldcaravanpark.co.uk/ . A buffet meal will be provided and entertainment provided by local musicians in the Skeld Public Hall - a community cafe to further develop tourism, to encourage more visitors to the area and provide an enhanced social experience for the local community. The development of the Waterfront in recent years has brought tourism to the area, however once on site there are no shops or eateries in the area. Skeld Pier Trust: upgrade of the facilities at the Skeld pier within the Skeld Waterfront area to enable the development and expansion of fishing and recreational activities.

Travel and Accommodation - The Grand is right in the centre of Lerwick. Bookings should be direct with the hotel quoting LEADER and must be made 1 month in advance to qualify for the discounted rate.

Contact details

For any general questions please contact Don Morrison at the Scottish Rural Network:

Tel: 01312440147

Mobile: 07966991883

Email: Don@ruralnetwork.scot