Sport and leisure

A bid to nominate Affric and Loch Ness as Scotland’s third national park has been launched, with organisers saying the area’s globally important natural and cultural heritage deserves protection and celebration. 

The partnership behind the proposal says the area of the Scottish Highlands is one of the world’s most beautiful places, and national park status would benefit current and future generations.

A group of eight innovative new library projects designed to enrich communities across Scotland will be brought to life through a share of £106,868 support received through the Public Library Improvement Fund (PLIF).

Village halls and community hubs are often the heart of rural and island communities. They are places for people to gather, learn, access services and have fun. Making sure they are well run and maintained is an important but not always easy role, often fulfilled by committed volunteers and workers.

The Scottish Rural and Islands Parliament (SRIP) is an important opportunity for voice of rural and island communities to help reinforce the importance of local democracy and to help shape the emerging Rural Delivery Plan. The theme of this year’s SRIP was Village Halls and Community Spaces.

Priority actions to deepen and strengthen co-operation between the Scottish Government and business have been unveiled.

A new implementation plan details how recommendations from the New Deal for Business Group will be taken forward over the next 18 months to improve policy preparation and delivery and build a wellbeing economy.

Tickets are now on sale for a Farmers’ Choir concert which is set to raise people’s spirits at the start of 2024, as well as raising funds for Scottish agriculture charity RSABI and Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA).