Enterprise

The installation of an artificial bowling green and a community hall refurbishment are the first two projects to benefit from funding from the Orkney LEADER 2014-2020 Programme.

The Kirkwall Bowling Club will install an artificial outdoor bowling green which will allow assurances of play irrespective of the weather, extending the playing season and increasing the opportunity for members and non-members to use the facility.

Book your place at the free 'Connecting communities in rural Lanarkshire' conference to find out more about Lanarkshire LEADER.

The new £4 million Lanarkshire LEADER programme will be launched at the event in Carluke on 1 September.

It will also be a chance to find out more about the priorities and objectives against which applications for funding will be assessed.

There will be three interactive workshops and a chance learn about successful projects from the previous programme.

The search is on for Britain's best high streets and high street heroes.

The Great British High Street Awards 2016 are now open for entries, with categories including 'Village', 'Coastal Community' and 'Small Market Town'.

This year also sees the introduction of the 'Rising Star' award for high streets that are taking their first steps turning around their fortunes.

In Rural Jobs Round Up you can find out about some current vacancies in rural Scotland and jobs related to rural development.

Director of First Impressions and Customer Happiness - Comrie Croft

Do you love the working with the public, are uber friendly, good at multi-tasking and love the great outdoors? 

Comrie Croft is an eco holiday destination in rural Perthshire offering simple group accommodation, camping, Nordic Katas, mountain biking (shop, hire, trails, guiding, repairs), a farm and camping shop and a seasonal café.

Round 4 of the Coastal Communities Fund closes for stage one applications on 17 August.

The Coastal Communities Fund (CCF) encourages the economic development of UK coastal communities by giving funding to create sustainable economic growth and jobs.

The Big Lottery Fund is delivering the CCF on behalf of UK Government and the Devolved Administrations in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Angus LEADER's first funding award will help transform an old school building into a community hub.

Friockheim Community Hub Ltd will use the funding of £137,930 for their FriockHub project which will convert the old Eastgate School building to a community space providing support, facilities, spaces and services to the community of Friockheim and the surrounding rural areas.

An event report, presentations and papers from a workshop on the development of the new Areas facing Natural Constraint scheme are now available online.

The European Commission require that a new Areas facing Natural Constraint (ANC) land designation and scheme be in place by 2018. This will replace the current Less Favoured Area Support Scheme.

A new European publication focussing on 'Smart and Competitive Food and Drink Supply Chains' is now available online.

The European Network for Rural Development's (ENRD) EU Rural Review 22 looks at opportunities to improve the competitiveness of primary producers by better integrating them into the agri-food supply chain.

The publication includes examples of initiatives from across Europe including Scotland's Chocolate Trail and accessible public food contracts in East Ayrshire.