Rural Community Gateway

Lamlash Bay on the Isle of Arran is to become Scotland’s first Community Marine Conservation Area, following work by the Lamlash Bay Working Group.

Representatives from the fishing industry and nature conservationists worked together on the Lamlash Bay Working Group, which was chaired by the Firth of Clyde Forum, an independent body.

Under new proposals part of the bay will be a marine reserve where fishing will be prohibited, while the remainder will be a fisheries management area with a focus on scallops. Students at the new Clauchlands Outdoor Education Centre will have the opportunity to study the protected marine environment.

Rural Affairs and the Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead said, "This is a fantastic example of what can be achieved when we all work together. The proposals have been community driven and that has been key to their success. The conservation area proposals in Lamlash Bay have been supported by the Scottish Government and are the first of their kind in Scotland."

Photo courtesy of bigsbadsworld on flickr.com. Link to original photo

Rape Crisis Helpline

Special article from Rape Crisis Scotland

On 11th October 2007 Rape Crisis Scotland launched a free and confidential helpline for survivors of sexual violence. The RCS Helpline operates across Scotland offering initial and crisis support and information on a daily basis between 6pm and 12 midnight. The RCS Helpline offers a freephone number for telephone and minicom, and is able to access language interpretation and translated materials on request. 

The RCS Helpline ensures that emotional and practical support is available to survivors of sexual violence regardless of when in their life it happened or where in Scotland they live.  It provides an opportunity to talk through what has happened, how the survivor has responded and the impact that it's had on their life. The RCS Helpline offers information on issues relating to sexual violence e.g. health or reporting to the police, so that callers can make informed choices.

Unfortunately RCS Helpline is unable to offer ongoing support, we can however put callers in touch with or refer to local services to help access longer term and in-person support. 

The RCS Helpline also provides support and information to the friends, relatives and workers of survivors of sexual violence. This support acknowledges the impact of sexual violence on those who support survivors. It is an opportunity to access support in their own right and to explore different ways of supporting the survivor.

If you or anyone you know requires support or information please call us on 08088 01 03 02.

Air discount scheme

The Scottish Government want to see the current Air Discount Scheme to continue beyond 2008. They have began the process of securing European Commission approval for the scheme for furtherr three years.

The Air Discount Scheme gives residents in Orkney, Shetland, the Western Isles, Islay, Jura, Caithness and North West Sutherland a 40 per cent discount on core air fares.

The Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson said, "The Air Discount Scheme is less than two years old, but it has had a very encouraging start, bringing cheaper air travel, reduced journey times and more accessibility to communities across the Highlands and Islands.

"The Scottish Government wants that to continue. For Scotland's most remote communities, air travel can at times be the only practical way of travelling.

"The ADS allows them to do that more easily and cheaply and we want to ensure families and individuals can continue to benefit in the years to come."

Current approval runs until 31st March 2008. New approval would see the scheme run until 31st March 2011.

‘The rural family matters’ is the theme of Growing Up in Rural Scotland’s annual conference to be held in Edinburgh in March 2008.

Growing Up in Rural Scotland is a Children in Scotland programme. Their conference will explore the ways in which both ‘rurality’ and ‘rural policy’ affects children, young people and families.

The conference will be chaired by Ruth Wishart, journalist and broadcaster and speakers include Dr Kate Braithwaite MBE, director of Rural Community Development Programme, Carnegie Trust and Adam Ingram, Minister for Children and Early Years.

The conference will be held on Thursday 13th March 2008 at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh. You can download a leaflet with further information and a booking form from the Rural Gateway documents library.

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