Community development

2016 Biodiversity Science Conference - Connecting People and Environment

The relationships between people and the environment are central to both driving and addressing the major current threats to biodiversity. There is growing concern that many people are becoming increasingly disconnected from their environment.

Conserving biodiversity, and sustainably managing our environment, needs an understanding of how people interact with the environment to produce the benefits that they receive and to find ways to overcome barriers to sustainably managing the land.

The forgotten villages that were at the forefront of Scotland’s first oil rush were celebrated recently during the WAT IF? Heritage Festival, which included a week-long Heritage Exhibition, guided walks, a Farm Tour and a Festival Fun Day.

In the first scheme of its kind in Scotland, a Scottish Borders pub is working with Pub is the Hub to diversify their services to support the local community.

As part of this, the Allan Ramsay Hotel in Carlops is holding a two-day festival to celebrate the Scottish poet Allan Ramsay, marking the launch of a new cultural heritage resource centre dedicated to the life and works of the poet.

The Plunkett Foundation's Community Ownership Awards 2016 are open for entries.

Community-owned businesses in the UK and Ireland are being encouraged to enter the awards run by the national charity Plunkett Foundation.

The awards have nine geographic categories and are open to all forms of trading activity from shops and pubs to farms, woodlands and broadband projects.

Launching the Awards, Plunkett’s Head of Frontline James Alcock said:

Rural enterprise projects across the UK can apply for funding from the Prince's Countryside Fund.

The charity aims to improve the prospects of family farm businesses and the quality of life in rural areas. It has announced a grant funding pot of over £600,000 to suport rural initiatives.

Three projects have been awarded funding from the South Aberdeenshire LEADER programme.

In the programme's first funding rounds, the South Aberdeenshire LEADER Local Action Group has awarded £225,475 to the following projects:

  • Strathorn Riding School Development
  • Finzean Farm Shop Development
  • Ringlink Internship Programme

South Aberdeenshire LAG Chair Liam Smyth from Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce said:

Scottish Rural Action have revealed the winners of the national Rural Innovators Award 2015-16.

The awards recognise people, projects and organisations who are working to improve live in rural communities across Scotland. The winners have been invited to attend and present their projects to delegates attending the Scottish Rural Parliament, organised by Scottish Rural Action, in Brechin, Angus from 6 to 8 October 2016. 
 
The winners in each category are:

Help decide the winners of the Scottish Rural Parliament's Rural Innovator Awards by voting online.

People, projects and organisations from across rural Scotland have been shortlisted for awards in seven categories - and it is now down to you to help decide the winners.

Scottish Rural Action have launched a new rural manifesto ahead of the second Scottish Rural Parliament event.

The manifesto will be agreed at the Scottish Rural Parliament taking place in Brechin, Angus from 6 to 8 October. Around 400 people are expected to attend the event.

The manifesto has been created following a series of events across rural Scotland, and an online survey, with people sharing their views on the issues that matter the most to them.

Do you have a local greenspace that needs improving? Do you want to run activities in your local park or greenspace?

The Tesco Bags of Help grant scheme is now permanently open for applications from a wide range of community groups, schools, local authorities and organisations.

Bags of Help will now see the money raised by the 5p bag charge in Tesco stores in England, Wales and Scotland opened up to a greater range of projects that support community participation in the development and use of open spaces.

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