Rural Community Gateway

RURAL UPDATE: ISSUE 114
4 March 2008
Catch up with the latest news from the Rural Community Gateway
http://www.ruralgateway.org.uk/
To unsubscribe from this newswire email
mailto:editor@ruralgateway.org.uk

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EDITOR'S NOTE
On the Rural Gateway, you can always share your opinions, views and
experience with others by adding comments to articles, voting in
polls and taking part in our regular features. We've just launched
our latest Great Rural Debate on the topic of Tourism, and we want to
know what you think about the way tourist accommodation is rated. Do you
think star ratings are more about hairdryers and en-suite facilities
than the pleasure of a warm welcome?

We are also looking for your comments on the OECD review of Scotland's rural
policy and its recommendations. And you can give us your views on the
recently announced cheaper ferry fares pilot, and a scheme to
increase the number of homes to rent. You'll find more info on all
these articles below.

OUR 5TH BIRTHDAY
The Rural Gateway will be five on Monday 10th March! To celebrate,
we'll be dipping into the archives to bring you a week of special
articles. Take a look at the site next week to find out what
was making the rural headlines when we launched, what have been
our most popular stories and to share your experiences of the site.

NEWSWIRE FORMAT
If you have not received this newsletter in our new format, go to My
Newsletters and select to receive the newswires in html format.
See https://secure.ruralgateway.org.uk/cgi-bin/register.cgi?page=33

GREAT RURAL DEBATE ON TOURISM
When it comes to tourist accommodation, a warm welcome is more
important than the right number of teabags. This is the topic for our
latest Great Rural Debate.

Our two contributors are Daye Tucker, who suggested the debate, and
Chief Executive of VisitScotland Philip Riddle. Daye thinks, under the
current star rating system, tourists face an accommodation lottery
and good establishments can miss out because they don't provide
facilities like a tea and coffee tray. She gives her suggestions on
how things could be improved. Philip Riddle discusses the need for
quality in our tourist accommodation and explains how VisitScotland
measures quality.

Get involved! Read our contributors articles, vote in our poll and give us
your views. Have you visited a five star hotel only to be left cold
by the hospitality? Do you look at star ratings before booking
accommodation? What do you think about the way the quality of
accommodation is measured? Do you think star ratings act as a
benchmark and encourage quality to be improved?

To take part see: http://www.ruralgateway.org.uk/item/2170

SCOTLAND'S RURAL POLICY REVIEWED - WHAT DO YOU THINK?
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development have
published their review of Scotland's rural policy. The summary of
their assessments and recommendations makes for interesting reading,
and you don't need to know about rural policy to get something out of
it! There are recommendations for housing, tourism, enterprise, land
reform, agriculture and more. We want to know what you think about
the OECD's assessments and recommendations. Add your comments to the
article 'Scotland's rural policy reviewed'.
See http://www.ruralgateway.org.uk/item/2167

CHEAPER FERRY FARES PILOT - GIVE US YOUR THOUGHTS
The Scottish Government have announced a pilot scheme to lower fares
on ferries from the Western Isles to the mainland starting in
October. What do you think of the forthcoming scheme? Let us know by
adding your comment to the article.
See http://www.ruralgateway.org.uk/item/2168

NORTHERN HAVEN TOPS FAVOURITE PLACE THEME
We are delighted to announce that Felicity Martin's 'Northern Haven'
has taken the top spot in the 'My favourite place in rural Scotland'
theme of our photo competition. Felicity's photo was taken at
Rackwick Bay in Hoy, Orkney. Our runner up was Sarah Peters with her
stunning photo taken near her home called 'By the river'.
See http://www.ruralgateway.org.uk/item/2177

The next closing date is 29th April, for the theme 'Working away in
rural Scotland'. Subjects could include working on your rural
business, around the farm or volunteering on a community project.
We've had some great, and very different, submissions so far - and we
look forward to receiving lots more. For more info on the photo
competition see:
http://www.ruralgateway.org.uk/item/2122

Your help in promoting the competition is much appreciated. We want
to see photos from all across rural Scotland and with a range of
subjects. Please feel free to put information about the competition
in your newsletter or on your community website. If you would like me
to provide you with a short article or more info please send an email
to mailto:editor@ruralgateway.org.uk.

YOUNG PHOTOGRAPHERS PRIZE
We've had some really good submissions for our special prize for
young photographers. Young people under 18 can enter under any of our
six themes before 15th December 2008 to be in with a chance of
winning this prize. First prize is a 50 pounds Amazon voucher.
See http://www.ruralgateway.org.uk/item/2122 

EVENT REPORTS
I've been to two major conferences recently, and both were great
opportunities to meet folk who use the Rural Gateway. The Village
Halls Summit in Aviemore was a great success, attracting around 250
enthusiastic people to discuss challenges facing our community
buildings, and possible solutions. The Rural Housing Conference in
Dunkeld on 29th February, saw an important announcement from Minister
for Communities and Sport Stewart Maxwell on a new Homes for Rent
scheme. For my event reports on these conferences see
http://www.ruralgateway.org.uk/item/2164
And
http://www.ruralgateway.org.uk/item/2175

VILLAGE OF THE YEAR - OPEN FOR ENTRIES
The Rural Gateway is delighted to be supporting the Calor Village of
the Year Awards 2008. These awards are now open to any village or
community with a population of less than 5000. You can find more
information here:
http://www.ruralgateway.org.uk/item/2160

YOUR PROJECT
Mike Small tells us about a one year project called the Fife Diet
Project in our latest Your Project. Mike is looking for help and
advice on how to get in touch with farmers in Fife. Can you help?
See http://www.ruralgateway.org.uk/item/2157

PROJECT SCOTLAND VOLUNTEER
If you are aged between 16 and 25 and would like to gain some great
work experience on the Rural Gateway, then take a look at our Project
Scotland placement. You'd get 55 pounds per week living allowance and
travel expenses to the placement in our Inverness office.
See http://www.ruralgateway.org.uk/item/2129

AWARDS FOR PUBLICATIONS
Do you know of awards for community publications? Sarah is looking to
enter their community publication for an award, she is not looking
for funding. If you can help, go to Rural Answers and add a posting.
See http://www.ruralgateway.org.uk/item/2163

EVENTS
In our events calendar you will find details of the 'Dogs Allowed'
event coming up in Lauder, and an event in Findhorn looking at
positive responses to climate change and peak oil. Don't forget to
send details of your event - large or small - to
mailto:editor@ruralgateway.org.uk for our calendar.
 
FUNDING NEWSWIRE
If you need to know about funding, sign up for our very popular
Funding latest newswire, produced by Sandra Hogg, our resident
funding expert. Remember to select to receive them in html format.
See https://secure.ruralgateway.org.uk/cgi-bin/profile.cgi?page=1

THANK YOU
Thanks to UHI Millennium Institute, Sarah Ade, Rosemary Williams,
Daye Tucker, Lindsey Mowat, Philip Riddle, VisitScotland, Bridget
Paterson, Jane Brewster, Mike Small, Shirley Kirbey, Claire Hannah,
Felicity Martin, Christine Metcalfe and Sarah Peters for their
recent comments and contributions.

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TOP STORIES
Great Rural Debate on Tourism
See http://www.ruralgateway.org.uk/item/2170

Homes for Rent scheme announced at housing conference
See http://www.ruralgateway.org.uk/item/2175

Scotland's rural policy reviewed
See http://www.ruralgateway.org.uk/item/2167

Northern Haven tops favourite place photo competition
See http://www.ruralgateway.org.uk/item/2177

Rural round up 90
See http://www.ruralgateway.org.uk/item/2169

Your Project - Fife Diet Project
See http://www.ruralgateway.org.uk/item/2178

Cheaper ferry fares to be piloted
See http://www.ruralgateway.org.uk/item/2168

Village Halls Summit success
See http://www.ruralgateway.org.uk/item/2164

Announcement: SRDP events
See http://www.ruralgateway.org.uk/item/2166

Announcement: Countdown to e-Day
See http://www.ruralgateway.org.uk/item/2165

Rural jobs round up 33
See http://www.ruralgateway.org.uk/item/2162

Invitation to join the UHI Foundation
See http://www.ruralgateway.org.uk/item/2161

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CONTACT US
We are always happy to hear from Rural Gateway users, so please feel
free to email editor@ruralgateway.org.uk with any comments or
suggestions.

Best wishes
Norette Ferns

Copyright 2008 Rural Community Gateway. The Rural Community Gateway
is a Scottish Government initiative, designed and developed by online
community specialists Sift with content and editorial services
provided by the Rural Communities Team of the Scottish Council for
Voluntary Organisations.

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