Enterprise

Expressions of Interest are currently being accepted for the Making Local Woods Work project.

Making Local Woods Work is being led by the Plunkett Foundation in partnership with other organisations to help support and grow woodland-based social enterprises across the UK.

West Kilbride has won the Village category in this year's Great British High Street Awards.

Organisers of the awards said the Ayrshire village "showed that big does not mean better. In a tough category West Kilbride shone out for transforming itself as a craft village, for supporting local artists and for turning around the village with creativity and enthusiasm". 

A mini farm shop vending machine is being trialled at Forth Valley College.

The vending machine at Forth Valley College's Stirling Campus offers a broad variety of local products from different producers including bread, vegetables and eggs.

The ten-day pilot scheme aims to connect more consumers with their local producers and, if successful, could see mini farm shops pop up across the city.

A new rural services initiative to help rural pubs diversify and provide local services in communities will launch in the Scottish Borders in January.

Pub is The Hub is launching its service in the Scottish Borders in partnership with Scottish Borders Council. It is also supported by the Scottish Government, the Prince’s Countryside Fund and Diageo.

Views are being sought on the future direction of the Cairngorm and Glenmore area of the Cairngorms National Park.

A 14-week public consultation has launched with the aim of developing a long-term strategy for the management of the publicly-owned land in this area.

Scottish Rural Action have announced that the first Scottish Rural Summit will take place on 24 November in East Lothian.

This event will bring together invited representatives from the public sector, rural communities and others to look at opportunities for rural Scotland to be empowered, connected and sustainable.