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

Five communities in Scotland are a step closer to receiving up to £400,000 from the Big Lottery Fund for a new enterprise venture and having their progress filmed for a BBC prime time television programme.

Lochinver in the Highlands, Catrine in East Ayrshire, Isle of Kerrera west of Oban, Eskdalemuir in Dumfries and Galloway and West Wemyss in Fife are among 28 villages in the UK who have been shortlisted for Village SOS.

The BBC Scotland radio programme Out of Doors featured a piece on rural funding on Saturday 31st October. Listeners to the weekly programme heard from two community projects, and Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisation's Rural Development Officer Sandra Hogg.

The One Stop Shop in Coalburn Ayrshire has a range of community services available under one roof including a post office, charity shop, cafe and Citizens Advice Bureau.

Do you have a successful village business? Would you like to share your expertise with others?

If so, the BBC would love to hear from you. They are seeking village champions to work with the six villages that will be chosen for their BBC1 Village SOS series that will be shown in winter 2010.

Does your village have a bright idea?

Village SOS is an exciting new initiative from the Big Lottery Fund (BIG) and the BBC. It is searching for six UK villages with ideas for successful enterprises that will help revive their communities, create new jobs and improve the quality of life of local people. The final six projects will share up to £3 million. They aim to make three awards in England and one each in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.