Health and wellbeing

The Scottish Rural Network will be supporting Scottish Government Just Transition policy colleagues to engage directly with rural and island communities this summer.

A series of community workshops will be undertaken in July and August to engage directly with rural and island communities across Scotland, which will help shape and inform our approach to the Land Use and Agriculture Just Transition.

In recent weeks monitoring by NatureScot and partners, including the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), RSPB Scotland and the National Trust for Scotland, has revealed worrying signs that more seabirds may be succumbing to the virus.

In particular there has been a rise in reports of dead kittiwakes, black-headed gulls, herring gulls, terns and guillemots being washed up on the east coast of Scotland, stretching from Wick in Caithness to St Abbs in Berwickshire.  

A forest for the future, designed to help in the fight against climate change, a young farmer mixing trees and pigs, and a community woodland in a country park were all honoured at the Scotland’s Finest Woods Awards 2023.

Social Care Minister Maree Todd joined the first of a series of events where people can co-design the new National Care Service.

The event at Stirling’s Albert Halls allowed carers, people who access and deliver care, including the workforce, and anyone with an interest to contribute to how a new National Care Service could work.

The Scottish Government has published its first steps towards developing just transition plans for three key sectors of the Scottish economy, with discussion papers published for Built Environment and Construction, Land Use and Agriculture, and Transport.

The Community Led Local Development (CLLD) fund for rural Ayrshire and the islands has just launched for its second year.