Rural Community Gateway

Young photographers competition
If you're under 18 and take great photos in rural Scotland, why not enter our competition for young photographers? You can enter under any of our six themes - including Action and Adventure in Rural Scotland - before 15th December 2008. We've already had some really good entries from photographers as young as seven! Send your photos to editor@ruralgateway.org.uk and find out more about the competition here.

Polish/Scottish Rural Gateway exchange
Our latest International Spotlight is a special report from Anna Bjerstedt on the work of the Rural Development Foundation in Poland, including their Rural Gateway website! You can read about the Polish Rural Gateway and the work the Foundation has been doing with rural communities and IT in International Spotlight: Rural Development Foundation.

Our Polish-speaking members might also be interested in our article about the Scottish Rural Gateway that appears on the Polish Rural Gateway. You'll find it here.

We're delighted to be exchanging information and articles with our Polish counterparts. Look out for an article about a Polish biodiversity project coming soon.

What's Going On?
In What's Going On? you tell us about exciting community and cultural events coming up in your area. We're interested in everything from music festivals to fundraising galas. You can get involved by sending us 100 words on an upcoming event. Remember to include where to go for more information. Or if you've been to a great event recently why not write a short review of around 250 words for us? If you've got photos even better!

Send your contributions for the next What's Going On? to editor@ruralgateway.org.uk by 21st July 2008.

Mobile phone reception - any ideas on how to improve it?
Does anyone have any suggestions or experience on how to improve mobile phone reception in a rural area, particularly one surrounded by hills? If so, Neil Paterson would like to hear your ideas. You can read more and post your comments in our Rural Answers section.

Midges, wolves, broadband and community bakeries
And don't forget we're still looking for your comments on repelling midges, the reintroduction of wolves, broadband coverage and any funding ideas you might have for a community bakery. Find out more in Rural Answers.

Your Enterprise
Your Enterprise is a new feature where people tell us about their rural business and share their experiences of being a rural entrepreneur. We're currently looking for businesses to take part in this feature, so please get in touch by emailing editor@ruralgateway.org.uk if you're interested in taking part. Check out our first Your Enterprise from the Isle of Skye Fudge Company.

Your Project
Your Project is a great way of telling rural Scotland all about your great community project. It's one of our longest running and most popular regular features. It's easy to take part, too. All you have to do is answer a short series of questions and send in a couple of photos. If you're interested drop me an email at editor@ruralgateway.org.uk.

Off the Shelf
In Off the Shelf July 2008 we highlighted the following additions to our documents library:

• Foot and Mouth Disease Review
• Conservation Framework for Golden Eagles
• Rural Business Using Renewables
• Agricultural Facts and Figures 2007

Other documents recently added to our library include an analysis of responses to the National Food Discussion, Rural Archaeology Bulletin 17 and Sustainable Seas for All - the consultation document for Scotland's first Marine Bill.

Rural Rambling
In his latest Rural Rambling, Patrick Vickery tells us about a recent trip to Inverness to road test a planning website for the Scottish Government.

Choosing our Tomorrows
What will rural Scotland be like in 2050? How will climate change have affected life in our rural areas? A new film from the Macaulay Institute offers three possible scenarios, as seen through the eyes of one farming family in East Lothian. Three sets of the family's video diaries show three different futures. It's a really thought-provoking watch and we'd be keen to hear your views on the issues raised - everything from biofuels to nuclear power. Find out more about the film here.

Fuel petition
Nearly 2000 people have signed an online petition calling for action on high fuel costs in rural areas. You can read more about the petition in Fuel petition calls for action.

Small voluntary groups - get benefits of SCVO membership for free!
The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) has introduced a new form of membership which is avaialble free to all voluntary organisations based in Scotland with an annual income of less than £25,000. Grassroots members can enjoy the benefits of SCVO membership such as free legal advice. Find out more in Free SCVO membership for small voluntary organisations.

Video of the week
Our current Video of the Week is a Scottish Government video about the trial reintroduction of beavers to Scotland. Environment Minister Michael Russell recently went on a trip to Norway to visit Dr Frank Rossell, Associate Professor at Telemark University College, who is advising on the re-establishment of the beaver to Scotland. You can check it out in our video section.

Events
Recently added events include Clearing Open Days for the Scottish Agricultural College, the Ferintosh Community Market and the annual Ruralnet UK Conference.

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.

Thank you
Thanks to Dave Stevens, Daye Tucker, Patrick Krause, Hugh Rose, Kirsteen Wood, Gerry Reynolds, Ian Harrower, Simone Nelson, Anna Bjerstedt, Evelyn Mackay, Jonathan Wordsworth, Drew Yule, Neil Paterson and more for their recent comments and contributions.

Top Stories

• Climate change and rural Scotland - new film explores possible futures
• First Marine Bill hopes to strike right balance
• Fuel petition calls for action
• International Spotlight: Rural Development Foundation Poland
• Free SCVO membership for small voluntary organisations
• Calling young photographers
• Two new arts projects want your contributions
• SRDP open day Ayr
• Off the Shelf July 2008
• Rural Rambling 15
• Rural Jobs Round Up 36

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. If you wish to unsubsribe from this newsletter go to My Newsletters.

Best wishes
Norette Ferns