Scotland: National Rural Network
Congratulations to the Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust who recently won the UK Gold Award at the Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy. It's a well-deserved win for an inspiring project! You can find out more about the awards, and watch a video about the Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust, in Eigg gets gold at Ashden Awards.
The Crofting Reform Bill was passed by the Scottish Parliament on 2nd July, on what Environment Minister Roseanna Cunningham called a 'monumental day'. The Scottish Crofting Federation have said that the new legislation will not be the panacea for crofting, calling the bill a double-edged sword. You can find out more in 'Monumental day' for crofting as reform bill is passed.
The Scottish Government last week announced a new one million Euro Rural Broadband Challenge Fund that rural communities can bid into. The fund is being delivered through LEADER, so if you're interested in applying get in touch with your the LEADER programme in your area. You can find out more in Rural Broadband Challenge Fund announced.
And if you're interested in a community broadband project, it might be worth taking a look at the Community Broadband Scotland website which we came across this week. The website is intended as a guide for communities that have no, or limited, broadband connectivity at the moment. It has been set up as a resource for communities needing assistance, advice and information on setting up their own Broadband networks.
If you're looking for inspiration for a broadband project, why not take a look at our latest Featured Project? In it, the Rankinston Broadband Project share their story - what successes they've achieved, the challenges they've faced and their top tips for others. Find out more in Featured Project - Rankinston Broadband Project.
New animal health working group set upA new short-term working group has been set up to look at partnership approaches to animal health and welfare in Scotland, with a focus on exotic diseases. You can find out more in Animal Health Forum to look at partnership approaches.
A series of summer roadshows are taking place in July as part of the Scottish Government's Housing: Fresh Thinking, New Ideas discussion. Housing Minister Alex Neil wants to hear from home-owners, tenants and housing professionals. You can find out more in Summer roadshows for housing discussion. You can download the Housing: Fresh Thinking, New Ideas discussion document from our library.
Kristen Miller, Empty Homes Coordinator, tells us about the newly formed Scottish Empty Homes Partnership in a special report. The project aims to help councils and their partners, including housing associations, developers and property owners to bring private sector empty property back into use. Find out more in Special report: Creation of new Scottish Empty Homes Partnership.
Small groups of young people aged between 14 and 16 are invited to take part in an International LEADER Youth Seminar being held in Estonia in August. The deadline for registration is 22nd July. Each LEADER Local Action Group can send five young people and a youth worker. Find out more in Young people invited to International Youth LEADER Seminar in Estonia.
LEADER funding for five Dumfries and Galloway projectsFive projects in rural Dumfries and Galloway received a funding boost from D&G LEADER recently. Projects funded include £7970 toward a new community base in Eastriggs and £100,000 towards the development of the tourism product of Dumfries & Galloway by Destination Dumfries & Galloway. You can get more information in LEADER funding for five D&G projects.
You can the latest news from D&G LEADER in the summer edition of Rural House News available to download from our documents library.
We've had a thought-provoking comment in our 'Does core funding stop organisations from being entrepreneurial?' discussion topic about funding, social enterprise and entrepreneurship. What do you think? You can share your views by joining the discussion.
A list of opportunities for transnational cooperation has been published on the UK National Rural Network website. Projects looking for partners cover a wide range of themes from tourism to women in business to farming. There are opportunities to work with partners in other parts of the UK and further afield in a range of European countries. Find out more in Opportunities for transnational cooperation.
A recent round of approvals from the Heritage Lottery Fund includes seven projects in Scotland awarded grants from the one-off Skills for the Future programme. You can get more information in Heritage Lottery funds Skills for the Future.
In our Documents Library, you'll find a range of documents from reports to consultation papers to newsletters. Recently added are the Community Retailing Network's Annual Report 09 and the latest newsletter from the St Bride's Centre in South Lanarkshire. If your organisation, community or project has a document you'd like to share in our library send it to editor@ruralgateway.org.uk for inclusion.
In his latest Rural Ramblings, Patrick Vickery reflects on coalitions. Find out more in Rural Ramblings 34: Coalitions and chocolate hobnobs.
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