Scotland: National Rural Network
Connecting Rural Scotland - Promoting Rural Growth

A series of outreach workshops will take place in 2010 to help farmers and rural businesses in Forth Valley and Fife to access funding from the Scotland Rural Development Programme's Rural Priorities scheme.

Stirling Enterprise (STEP) has secured a second year of funding from the Scottish Government Skills Development Scheme to run the events, which will equip farmers with the IT and web know-how to apply to the online grant scheme.

Eighty farmers accessed last year's pilot programme of support in Forth Valley, with around a quarter - so far - having moved forward to progress applications to the scheme.

STEP Rural & Farm Support Officer, Caroline Brown commented, "Traditionally, enterprise companies aren't an obvious choice for farmers to turn to for help in accessing grant funds. However, we felt confident we had something to offer by way of our knowledge and understanding of the Rural Priorities scheme and in our ability to offer meaningful help on the broadband, IT and web front. Combined, these factors have proved beneficial to local farmers and will continue to through the 2010 programme.

"We will be working closely with NFUS, SAC Fife and Business Gateway Fife to raise awareness of this outreach activity."

 Workshop dates

• 25th February 2010 - Rural Business Centre, Elmwood College, Cupar, Fife
• 21st April 2010 - Forrester Park Resort, Cairneyhill, Dunfermline
• 23rd June 2010 - Inchyra Grange Hotel, Polmont, Falkirk
• 29th September 2010 - The Buchanan Arms Hotel, Drymen, Stirlingshire
• 24th November 2010 - The Harviestoun Hotel, Tillicoultry, Clackmannanshire

For further information, or to reserve a place, contact Caroline Brown, Stirling Enterprise on 01786 463 416 or email cbrown@stirling-enterprise.co.uk. Please note, workshops are part-funded by the Scottish Government Skills Development Scheme - a small fee applies.