Funding bits and bobs

(by Tamsin Morris, published Thursday, 16 July 2009 16:17)

Here's an update on an assortment of opportunities for community groups....

The Scottish Community Foundation has a small grants programme for constituted groups undertaking social welfare and community development activities.  The grants are aimed at relatively small organisations who have an income of less than £250,000 a year and the grant needs to make up at least 25% of the cost of the project.  Grants of up to £5,000 are available which must be spent within 12 months.  For further information, see their website. 

Forward Scotland will be starting to work with community groups through their 'Sus It Out Plus' scheme in the autumn, funded by the Big Lottery Fund.  They're hoping to work with a wide range of community groups to increase awareness of sustainable development principles and develop actions plans, skills and experience.  Only limited details are available at present, but you can register your community's interest on their website. 

British Gas are looking for community energy projects to compete for a share in their Green Streets £2 million funding pot.  Projects should bring energy savings across a whole community, whether that's through increased efficiency, the use of local renewable energy sources or a combination of actions.  Project ideas should be submitted by August 31st and you can find further details on their website.    

New guidance for charity fundraising in Scotland

(by Tamsin Morris, published Monday, 06 July 2009 11:15)

The Scottish charity regulator (OSCR) and the Institute of Fundraising have published new guidance on charity fundraising in Scotland.

The guidance is in response to the Charities and Benevolent Fundraising (Scotland) regulations which came into force on July 1st, 2009.  The regulations specify how charity fundraisers must operate in terms of both the charity itself and the donating public.  The guidance covers street fundraising, door-to-door collections and telephone fundraising.  Further information on cash and goods collections is expected to be clarified in additional regulations, due for production in 2010. 

You can find further information on the new regulations and a copy of the guidance here.  

New funding strategy for BIG lottery fund

(by Tamsin Morris, published Friday, 26 June 2009 16:53)

After a fairly major consultation process (see previous article), the Big Lottery Fund has unveiled its funding strategy for the next six years. 

Included in the strategy is a pledge to give approximately 80% of their funds to voluntary and community groups.  It also sets out future priorities and specifies that future funding will be focused on projects which reduce isolation, empower communities and help people through transitions such as redundancy. For Scotland, they plan to continue with some elements of the Investing in Communities programme, but only after 'improving and re-focusing it where necessary'.  That means the programme won't be open for applications until June 2010.  In the meantime, Awards for All and Investing in Ideas will continue to take applications in Scotland for grants of up to £10,000.

You can find a full copy of the strategy here and the Scotland specific details can be found on page 17.

Knowledge and skills exchange fund

(by Tamsin Morris, published Friday, 26 June 2009 16:41)

Local People Leading are facilitating a Scottish Government fund which provides grants to certain community groups to allow them to exchange knowledge and ideas within the wider community sector. 

The fund is currently available to any member of the Development Trusts Association Scotland, the Community Woodlands Association, Community Recycling Network Scotland, Community Transport Association, Community Retail Network and the Scottish Allotments and Gardens Society.  Grants of up to £1000 are available to facilitate learning between members of these organisations and other parts of the community sector.  You can find further information by contacting any of the organisations listed above.  

Proposed crofting bill will be 'oppressive'

(by Tamsin Morris, published Monday, 20 July 2009 10:18)

That's the view of the Scottish Crofting Foundation, who have announced that they believe the draft bill is 'out of touch and out of balance'.

The draft Crofting Reform Bill was prepared in response to the recent Committee of Inquiry on Crofting (see previous article) and is out for consultation until mid August.  The Scottish Crofting Foundation have spent some time scrutinising the draft and have concluded that it adds unnecessary regulation, enforcement and costs to crofting.  They believe that the future of crofting can only be secured through incentives to encourage crofters to continue crofting; realistic payments for delivery of public goods and services and fair support to those areas that really are less favoured.  

You can read the full text of the SCF view here and find the Scottish Government's consultation document here.    

A hot day for concrete

(by Tamsin Morris, published Monday, 20 July 2009 09:34)

The base foundations for Westray's community wind turbine have been laid, despite an unexpected Orkney heat-wave.

The concrete foundations for the turbine were poured at the beginning of July, just as the mercury soared and Westray roasted.  Not ideal conditions for setting concrete, but some makeshift solutions were found with the aid of large hessian sheets and a cooling garden sprinkler.  If all goes according to plan, the turbine should be up and turning in the near future, which will mark the culmination of several years work by the Westray Development Trust. 

You can read more about the trials of mixing concrete in glorious sunshine on the Community Energy Scotland website, and admire the bright blue sky in the background!

New woodfuel network in Scotland

(by Tamsin Morris, published Friday, 17 July 2009 16:20)

Forestry Commission Scotland has established a new 'Regional biomass advice network' to help communities and businesses understand the potential benefits of using biomass as an energy source.

The network has five information officers who will offer one-to-one advice as well as organising seminars and workshops.  They'll be working to support the development of a woodfuel supply chain as well as looking at the establishment of industry standards to ensure a reliable fuel supply.  The network are also hoping to produce guidance for land managers on how to benefit from underused resources such as small, neglected woodlands. 

You can find further information about the network on their website, or by reading the FCS press release.

Common Land Rights: a citizen's guide

(by Tamsin Morris, published Tuesday, 21 July 2009 07:59)

Andy Wightman, a well-known writer and researcher in land reform circles, has just published a citizen's guide to common land rights in Scotland.

Described as the first comprehensive overview of the land rights that belong to communities in Scotland, the guide looks at the range of common land that exists within both rural and urban areas.  It also provides a how-to guide to researching common good land and provides further information on potential information sources.

You can find further information on the book, including purchase details, here.

Rural action research programme briefings published

(by Tamsin Morris, published Monday, 20 July 2009 10:55)

The Carnegie UK Trust have published a series of briefing notes produced from their Rural Action Research Programme (RARP).

The briefing notes can all be downloaded from their website and cover topics such as land and communities; building sustainable communities; involving residents in community-led planning and hosting meetings and convivial spaces.  The mix of case studies and examples seems refreshingly UK wide and each briefing note is long enough to contain some detail without veering into a thesis-esque tome.  A review of all their RARP work should be available at the end of August. 

Local People Leading supporters discuss land reform

(by Tamsin Morris, published Thursday, 16 July 2009 13:14)

A group of supporters from the Local People Leading campaign met recently to discuss ways to take the land reform agenda forward in the future. 

Angus Hardie was one of those attending the meeting and he's provided an account of the discussions.  The group have suggested various actions which they think should be taken forward by the Local People Leading campaign.  They include the simplification of the registration and re-registration process for community right to buy (as highlighted in our previous article); awareness-raising about the Land Reform Act and additional public investment in the asset acquisition process.  You can read Angus' summary of the meeting here.   

Consultation on the development of a Wildlife and Natural Environment bill

(by Tamsin Morris, published Monday, 06 July 2009 11:49)

The Scottish Government has launched a consultation to gather views on the development of a Wildlife and Natural Environment bill.

The prospective bill would modernise legislation that deals with various wildlife and environment policy areas, including deer management, game law, invasive non-native species and muirburn.  The consultation document includes a discussion of the issues; some potential proposals for reform and over eighty consultation questions. 

The consultation closes on September 4th, 2009 and you can download a copy of the document here.  

Prove and improve

(by Tamsin Morris, published Monday, 20 July 2009 12:54)

The New Economics Foundation (NEF) have updated their Prove and Improve toolkit, which contains a series of techniques that can be used to prove and improve the value of your organisation's work.

In the current economic climate, being able to demonstrate and build on what your organisation has achieved is becoming increasingly important.  The NEF toolkit talks you through some of the most common techniques used to assess your social and environmental impact.  It also covers a range of quality systems and methods to help you plan your business and social outcomes more effectively.  Techniques covered include the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme; Investors in People; Social Return on Investment and others.  You can download the toolkit and an accompanying comparison chart from the NEF website.   

Need help with property matters?

(by Tamsin Morris, published Wednesday, 08 July 2009 09:32)

The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has launched a new pro bono service called Charity Property Help.

The service is designed to assist charities and voluntary organisations in manageing their property assets more effectively.  Through the service, organisations can receive a one hour consultation with a RICS regulated member firm for free.  There's a wide range of topics that can be covered, although you'd need to work pretty hard to get through them all in one hour!  However, the sign-up process looks very simple, so the scheme could provide a useful starting point for dealing with property matters.  You can find further information and sign-up details here. 

Capture a social vision and win £750?

(by Tamsin Morris, published Wednesday, 08 July 2009 09:18)

Triodos Bank have launched a social enterprise photo competition, with a first prize of £750 for the photographer and £750 for the featured social enterprise.

Called 'Social Vision', the competition is looking for images that capture the passion, people and enterprises driving positive change.  Twelve finalists will be selected and their images will be used to create a calender for distribution with the December issue of Social Enterprise magazine.  The competition closes on September 4th, 2009 and you can find further information and entry details here. 

International project to help Scottish rural shops

(by Tamsin Morris, published Wednesday, 08 July 2009 08:59)

A project funded through the European Northern Periphery Programme has been launched to help the survival and growth of rural shops. 

The project, called 'Retail in rural regions', is a partnership between various Northern European countries, including Scotland.  The lead organisation for the project in Scotland is the Community Retailing Network, with match funding from Consumer Focus Scotland. 

As a first step, the project team will be investigating the needs of rural retailers in the Highlands and Islands.  The findings from that 'mapping' exercise will then be used to establish training and support programmes for retailers.  The project will also explore the potential for multi-functional shops which can provide a range of services as well as basic groceries.  

You can find further details about the work of the Community Retailing Network on their website.  

Online sustainable rural development course

(by Tamsin Morris, published Thursday, 25 June 2009 15:54)

The University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) is promoting a BSc degree course in sustainable rural development which is being delivered entirely on-line.  There's also a range of short courses designed for people already working in community development in rural areas. 

The course includes modules on topics such as project planning; tourism and the environment; development policy and local economic development.  Some of these modules are grouped into different awards as aprt of a short course and you can study for a sustainable development award; a social and community development award and a community participation award, amongst others. 

You can find further information on both the degree course and the short courses on the UHI website. 

Charity checklist for surviving the recession

(by Tamsin Morris, published Friday, 19 June 2009 08:37)

The Charity Commission and the Confederation of British Industries (CBI) have joined forces to produce a checklist of fifteen questions which they believe charities should consider, to help them survive the current recession.

Although the Charity Commission only regulates charities in England and Wales, the questions are pertinent to any organisation that needs to keep its head above the financial waters.  They cover strategy, governance, financial health and use of resources and are headlined as 'Big Board Talk - the conversation all charities need to have'.  You can find the questions and some pointers to further information (but be aware that some links will be England and Wales specific) here. 

Social Enterprise Investment Fund

(by Tamsin Morris, published Wednesday, 17 June 2009 07:55)

Big Issue Invest is in the process of launching a Social Enterprise Investment Fund. This will provide long-term, growth capital for social enterprises that have a clear social purpose and can demonstrate a sustainable revenue stream and growth potential.

Details of the fund are still slightly sketchy but it seems that investments will be from £50,000 to £500,000 and can be used for a variety of purposes.  Big Issue Invest hope to take a long term view of the investment and will be looking to generate returns through cash flow in a manner which doesn't jeopardise the social objectives of the business.

They will also want to be actively involved as a strategic partner in the enterprise, probably through Board representation and the provision of business mentors. The fund plans to return capital to their investors, together with a reasonable financial return which will be linked to high social and environmental returns. In this way they hope the fund will be a vehicle to grow social enterprises while demonstrating the viability of social investing to the wider investment community.  You can find further details on their website.  

Funding opportunities

(by Tamsin Morris, published Monday, 15 June 2009 08:44)

Over the last few weeks several funding operators have released details of new schemes or updated strategies for existing schemes. 

These include the publication of a new strategy for Comic Relief grants, which will guide their activities for the next four years.  Although a lot of the strategy refers to overseas grants, there are some areas which are relevant to UK groups, including news of a partnership with the Community Foundation Network to distribute grants to disadvantaged communities.  Community groups can apply for up to £10,000 to help build the skills of local people; increase community cohesion and respond to local economic needs.  You can find further information on their website.

Meanwhile, the BIG lottery fund have introduced two new schemes linked to television opportunities - Village SOS and the Secret Millionaire fund.  Village SOS is a joint initiative with the BBC, looking for six villages with a business idea that they want to develop.  To apply you need to have a voluntary or community group from a village of less than 3,000 people with an idea for a new business that could bring energy and life back to the community.  Applications need to be received by August 14th and you can find further details here.  The Secret Millionaire fund is linked to the Channel 4 programme of the same name and the Awards for All scheme.  Awards of up to £10,000 are available and applicants may also be asked to take part in Channel 4 filming.  The scheme is open until the end of the year and you can find further details here.  

SRDP review published

(by Tamsin Morris, published Thursday, 11 June 2009 12:21)

The Scottish Government has recently published Peter Cook's review of the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP).  The review was commissioned in January (see previous article) and took place before the full-scale review which is required in 2010.

The report, which can be accessed here, focuses primarily on the Rural Priorities section of the programme and on the balance between the different parts of the programme.  It's surprisingly easy to read and makes a number of recommendations, particularly in terms of the on-line application process, which has been a problem in areas without broad band.  The Government appear to be prepared to accept most of the recommendations, so there will be some changes to how the scheme is being delivered. For hill farmers, there will also be changes to the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme over the coming months.  One important change for community group applicants is the plan to increase the potential grant rate from 50% to 90% for community projects, which will significantly reduce the need to find match funding.  

The Government has also announced a review of the Single Farm Payment scheme, which will be lead by Brian Pack, formerly the Chief Executive of the Aberdeen and Northern Marts group.  He's due to report by Easter 2010, with the possibility of some early recommendations being published later this year.  

Forestry Commission launches community webpages

(by Tamsin Morris, published Friday, 19 June 2009 13:28)

Forestry Commission Scotland has just launched a series of new webpages containing information on the links between forestry and communities. 

The pages include information on the National Forest Land Scheme; a toolbox for public involvement in forest planning and further details of the Woods for health strategy.  Although there's not a lot of new information on the webpages, they do bring together some useful documents and links into one place.  You can find the pages here.  

SNH considers land sales

(by Tamsin Morris, published Thursday, 18 June 2009 14:54)

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) is considering selling or transferring some of the land it currently manages on behalf of the nation. 

A report presented to the SNH board identified areas of land which could be more efficiently managed by others and recommended considering the ownership options for around 5,000 hectares of land.  The review also identifies some areas of land which could be suitable for crofting, including the currently advertised crofts on Rum.  The SNH press release specifically mentions community groups as potential owners who may be better placed to own and manage some nature reserves.  You can read the full text of the report to the Board and see the list of sites under consideration here.

Assynt.....'absurdly lovely'

(by Tamsin Morris, published Monday, 15 June 2009 09:29)

A little more publicity for the community land sector with an article on Assynt in this weekend's (14th June) Observer newspaper. 

Much of the article covers the tourist essentials of Assynt, but it also picks up on the longer-term impacts of a community buyout and the on-going pressure for financial survival.  There are some controversial suggestions on how to produce an economic output from traditionally free pursuits, like walking - some of which may prove red rag to a bull-ish.  But it's an interesting discussion, which ties in with recent comments in the SCLN forum on the arrival of campers and tourists who may not put much into the local economy.  You can read the full Assynt article here and please contribute your views on sustainable tourism and its place in community development on the forum. 

Crofting reform bill consultation

(by Tamsin Morris, published Thursday, 11 June 2009 10:45)

A consultation has been launched on the draft Crofting Reform Bill, which will be open for comments until August 12th, 2009.

The bill has been drawn up in response to the recommendations made by the Committee of Inquiry on Crofting and has been given a cautious welcome by the Scottish Crofting Foundation.  Proposals within the bill include:

• changes to the governance arrangements within crofting;
• tightening of requirements for crofters to be resident on or near the croft and to work the land;
• an occupancy requirement for houses built on land taken out of crofting tenure; and
• granting standard security over croft tenures to allow crofters better access to financial products.

A series of public meetings have been organised by the government to provide further information on the bill.  The meetings take place during June and you can find further details here.  You can find the full text of the consultation document here.  

Isle of Rum seeks newcomers

(by Tamsin Morris, published Tuesday, 09 June 2009 15:40)

The Isle of Rum Community Trust is putting in place a range of actions to attract new residents to the island.

For starters, they've put the Tattie House, a property requiring extensive renovation, on the market for offers over £40,000. The property comes with around a quarter acre of garden ground and splendid views out across Loch Scresort.  Proceeds from the sale of the Tattie House are earmarked towards the development of a new shop and tearoom on the island.  The trust also have three newly-created bare land crofts available to let and are inviting applications from prospective tenants.  Applicants will need to supply a croft development and business plan which are relevant to working a croft on Rum and show how they intend to support themselves on Rum.

Further details of both these opportunities can be found on the following website:  www.isleofrum.com.

Climate change and communities - a need to know basis?

(by Tamsin Morris, published Monday, 22 June 2009 08:00)

A European funded partnership project is seeking views from community organisations to establish what information they may need to adapt to climate change impacts.

The project involves a range of organisations across Northern Europe and aims to provide an information, training and advice service on climate change adaptation for community stakeholders.  To make that service as useful as possible they want to find out exactly what community organisations need and so they've set up on on-line survey to gather views.  You can find further information about the project and a link to the survey, which will be available until the end of July 2009, here.

Conference promotes asset transfer

(by Chris York, published Thursday, 18 June 2009 10:08)

This year's Development Trust Association Scotland (DTAS) conference held in early June highlighted some of the opportunities and challenges of transferring assets to community management and ownership.

Alasdair McKinley, the Scottish Government's community engagement team leader, highlighted the opportunities presented by the Asset Transfer Programme which forms part of the community empowerment action plan (see our previous article).  Some of these will be taken forward by DTAS, who have recently been awarded a £250,000 grant to run a two year programme promoting asset transfer from local authorities. This programme will:

• research current good practice in asset transfer;
• deliver a series of seminars aimed at councillors, local authority officers and community organisations, and;
• support a number of demonstration asset transfers.

DTAS also gave a sneak preview of the new DVD resource which aims to inspire communities to take the leap of faith into community ownership. The DVD shines a light on development trusts from Comrie and Westray and lets the people involved do the talking.  It's definitely worth watching.

New developments in community right to buy?

(by Tamsin Morris, published Wednesday, 17 June 2009 12:56)

Following on from last month's article about the possible re-registration process for the community right to buy, we've received further information from the Scottish Government.

A slightly revised application form has been issued (you can find it here) which, importantly, is the same form that will also need to be used for re-registration of an interest after five years.  At the moment, that means the process of re-registering will be as time-consuming as the initial registration process.  However, several people sent submissions (including those on SCotLaND forum) to the Rural Affairs and Environment Committee expressing concern over the re-registration process.  In response, the minister, Roseanna Cunningham MSP wrote to the committee suggesting that she would review the suitability of the re-registration form before the first re-registration needs to take place later in the year.  It's not clear how she'll do that review, but we'll post any further information we get as soon as we can. We'll also feed any relevant discussions on the forum into the process.

The guidance for the community right to buy process has also been revised and you can find a copy here.  The crofting community right to buy application form and guidance have also been updated and you can find them here.     

New Westminster minister for the third sector (at least for now)

(by Tamsin Morris, published Thursday, 11 June 2009 11:06)

Of course, this may all have changed within a matter of moments, but, for the next ten minutes at least, the UK cabinet has a new minister for the third sector - Angela Evans Smith MP.

The MP for Basildon, she's taken over from Kevin Brennan and was previously a parliamentary private secretary.  But that's today.  By tomorrow - who knows..........

Free mentoring support for enterprising third sector organisations

(by Tamsin Morris, published Friday, 19 June 2009 15:22)

Support in the form of mentoring is available for third sector organisations who want to develop their skills. 

Supported by a range of organisations including the Scottish Government, groups can access confidential mentoring from business mentors with various backgrounds.  The assistance can last for up to twelve months and can be on a one-to-one, group or on-line basis.  To get further information and find out if your organisation is eligible, have a look at their website. 

Business review of Scottish ferries

(by Tamsin Morris, published Wednesday, 17 June 2009 08:09)

Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the Scottish Government are seeking the views of businesses (including social enterprises) on internal ferry services in Scotland as part of the Scottish Ferries Review.

They've launched an on-line questionnaire which will be available until the end of June 2009 to gather views.  The questionnaire should only take about 10 minutes to complete and asks businesses about their current use and satisfaction with the available ferry services. 

You can access the survey here.  

Another chance for TV stardom?

(by Tamsin Morris, published Tuesday, 16 June 2009 08:28)

Another TV company is looking for an innovative community that want to be part of a documentary series. 

You might remember our previous article when Ty Pennington (a US celebrity) was looking for a community makeover project.  The Langholm Initiative in Dumfries and Galloway were eventually selected to take part in that project, but another TV company are now looking to film a documentary about community projects.  Dragonfly productions are interested in capturing the progress of a project or series of projects from conception to realisation (or not), along with the highs and lows, successes and challenges of living in a vibrant rural community.  If you think your community would make a interesting case study, have a look at their website for further details.

Don't know your html from your elbow?

(by Tamsin Morris, published Monday, 15 June 2009 13:59)

Ever thought your website could be doing more for you, but not sure what?  Or are you a charity that wants to take on the challenge of Twitter, but doesn't know where to begin?  Then media company Alienation Digital may just have the answer.....

They're offering a 'Free Charity Day' where their experts will work for free with selected charities to improve their websites, enhance search engine ratings and explain the mysteries of Twitter and video e-marketing.  They've yet to decide how many charities will be able to take part, but to be considered, email workforfree@alienationdigital.co.uk, or have a look at their website for more information. 

Future Jobs Fund

(by Tamsin Morris, published Sunday, 17 May 2009 15:55)

Last month's budget included an announcement about the Future Jobs Fund, which aims to create jobs for those aged 18 - 24 who are at risk of becoming long-term unemployed.  A key element of the scheme is that the jobs created should also bring some community benefit. 

Large organisations and partnerships of groups have been invited to bid for delivering the jobs.  In response, the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations have thrown their hat in the ring, launching a consortium bid from over 70 charities and voluntary groups in Scotland.  The group's aiming to deliver jobs for 7,500 people, which would use about half of the funding pot allocated to Scotland.  You can find out more about the fund and the SCVO bid here. 

Anyone CARE for renewable energy?

(by Tamsin Morris, published Friday, 15 May 2009 16:25)

Community Energy Scotland announced at the end of April that they'd won the contract to deliver the Communities and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES).  This is the successor to a previous scheme (Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative) and the maximum grant available has now been increased by 50% to £150,000.

CARES will be open to any non-profit distributing community organisation and will provide support for a range of renewable energy technologies, but with an emphasis on generating heat.  Funding can be used for technical support, training and equipment installation. 

You can find further information on the scheme here.  

Funding for Gaelic community projects

(by Tamsin Morris, published Friday, 15 May 2009 14:43)

Funding is available through Bòrd na Gàidhlig for projects which strengthen Gaelic in local communities, but applications must be submitted soon.

Groups can apply for funding towards community-orientated projects which will strengthen learning and use of Gaelic in the home; amongst young people or in the community.  Funding can be used over a two year period, but applications need to be submitted by June 12th.  For further information, including an application form and the answers to some frequently asked questions, go to the Bòrd na Gàidhlig website.   

New Rural Priorities dates announced

(by Tamsin Morris, published Friday, 15 May 2009 14:23)

The Scottish Government has announced a further two funding rounds in 2009 for the Rural Priorities scheme, part of the Scotland Rural Development Programme.

The two rounds will take place in August and November, with deadlines for completed applications to be submitted by June 22nd for the August round and September 21st for the November round.  For future years it is anticipated there will be three rounds of funding per year.  You can find further information on the Scottish Government website. 

EU proposals to change Less Favoured Area Support Scheme

(by Tamsin Morris, published Thursday, 14 May 2009 14:47)

Last month the European Commission issued a 'communication' concerning potential changes to the Less Favoured Area (LFA) Support Scheme, which applies to over 80% of Scottish agricultural land.

At the moment, areas are classified as less favoured based on a range of criteria, which include natural problems such as steep slopes as well as socio-economic issues, such as distance from markets.  However, an EU court of auditors report has been critical of the way in which some member states designated their less-favoured areas. 

This recent communication from the Commission looks at options for changing the way in which LFA aid is targeted.  One of the proposals is to drop the socio-economic criteria, which would have a significant impact on the areas of Scottish land that could be designated as LFA. The proposals have drawn mixed reactions from the agricultural community, with the Scottish Crofting Foundation (SCF) broadly supporting them and the National Farmers Union for Scotland (NFUS) feeling less positive.

Member states how have six months to draw up maps of the areas that would meet the new criteria and submit them to the Commission.  You can read the full text of the communication here, see the SCF response here and the NFUS response here.  

Re-registering for community right to buy

(by Tamsin Morris, published Friday, 15 May 2009 10:20)

Part 2 of the Land Reform Act, which covers the community right to buy, came into force in June, 2004.  Included in the Act was a specification that successful community registrations would be valid for a period of 5 years.  That means the first registrations, which took place in April 2005, will be required to re-register shortly.  And it appears that the process of re-registration isn't going to be as simple as originally hoped.

The Rural affairs and environment committee discussed the re-registration process at their last committee meeting (you can find minutes and a video of the meeting here).  Scottish government officials believe they are constrained by the wording of the original Act.  They've suggested the re-registration process will have to involve not only a resubmission of the forms, but also new evidence of support from 10% of the community and a further opportunity for landowner comments.  That potentially means the re-registration process will be a significant headache for many community groups, despite a suggestion in the Scottish government guidance that they "do not expect the process to be burdensome."

After lengthy discussions the committee agreed to reconsider the re-registration process at their next meeting, which takes place on May 20th.  Andy Wightman has posted some further thoughts on this problem in the  SCotLaNd forum and you may have your own ideas - which you could post in our forum.  We'll then email all the forum comments directly to the committee, so they can see what the community land sector is thinking.

Social innovation camp

(by Tamsin Morris, published Friday, 15 May 2009 08:49)

There's just a few days left to submit your ideas on how to make practical use of the Internet to the Social Innovation Camp Scotland.  The  best ideas will be taken forward at the camp in Glasgow, where the participants will work with software developers to create start-up projects.

Ideas need to be submitted by May 22nd and the camp itself will run from June 19th - 21st.  Participants will group into teams to work out the exact nature of the problem the idea is trying to tackle; then create some software which will do the job and think about how to take the project forward in the longer-term.  Ideas need to "use the web to tackle stuff that matters" and should have the potential to use technology in an innovative way.

You can find out more and submit your idea online here.  

Survey of social enterprises

(by Tamsin Morris, published Wednesday, 29 April 2009 10:21)

Social Investment Scotland is conducting a survey of social enterprises to find out about their needs for investment funding. 

The survey will be available on their website until May 20th and they are hoping to get as many social enterprises as possible to complete it.  The findings from the survey will be the subject of discussions with the Scottish Government and will help to improve investment products for social enterprises.  All organisations who complete the survey will also be entered into a prize draw to win a website audit by Bannerman Technology.  The survey takes about 15 minutes to complete and all information provided will be treated as confidential. 

Wind2heat framework agreement

(by Tamsin Morris, published Friday, 15 May 2009 16:12)

Community Energy Scotland have established a framework agreement with five suppliers who are able to supply and install small wind turbines and heating systems for community projects. 

Based on experience gained from community buildings in Orkney and Shetland, the framework agreement is designed to remove the need for repetitive procurement exercises by individual community groups.  The five suppliers will have pre-arranged terms and conditions and can supply a range of turbines.  Each turbine will come with a five year warranty and Community Energy Scotland also hope to install monitoring equipment to evaluate some of the systems. 

Community groups wishing to make use of the agreement should contact Community Energy Scotland directly.  

The Hebrides - a geography of time

(by Tamsin Morris, published Friday, 15 May 2009 14:59)

Photo Hebrides are just about to publish a book by the Skye archaeologist and photographer, Donnie MacKay.  Billed as "not a cheerful story", the book reflects on the future for the Hebrides, through photos, poems and stories.

You can get a sense of the style of the book by looking at the photos on the website, many of which are strikingly beautiful, but also hauntingly bleak.  The book is a series of portraits without people, and considers whether or not this will be the future for the Hebridean islands. 

UHI seek views on sustainability courses

(by Tamsin Morris, published Friday, 15 May 2009 14:32)

The University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) is seeking views on their proposals for a new set of taught postgraduate courses, focused on sustainability.

UHI plan to introduce the courses in September 2010 and they'll be available on-line for full or part-time study.  They're hoping to address three themes - sustainable energy solutions; developing low carbon communities and developing sustainable rural communities.  To test the relevance of their proposals, they've set up a short, on-line survey to gather people's views.  You can find further information and the survey here. 

Starting your social enterprise

(by Tamsin Morris, published Friday, 01 May 2009 09:25)

Have you just started a social enterprise or are you thinking about establishing one?  Do you feel you could benefit from some extra guidance?  If so, the 'Starting your social enterprise' programme could be just what you need.

Run by the Social Enterprise Academy, in conjunction with Firstport and Scotland UnLtd, the programme is taking place in both Edinburgh and Glasgow this summer.  It's an eight day programme, spread over four two-day sessions with the first session starting in Edinburgh this month.  Sessions include understanding social enterprise; developing your social enterprise; financial issues and action planning and a final presentation of your business plan in the dragon's den.  Thanks to a subsidy from the Scottish Government, costs are capped at £100 per participant.  You can find further information and booking details here. 

University centre to research digital challenges in rural areas

(by Tamsin Morris, published Friday, 01 May 2009 09:02)

Aberdeen University has been awarded £12.4 million of funding to investigate how digital technologies can help to transform rural communities.

The funding will go towards the establishment of the Rural Digital Economy Research Hub where research will be conducted into how digital technology can improve the delivery of services in rural areas.  Researchers will work alongside public service providers including the NHS and transport provider Firstgroup, as well as with rural businesses and community groups.  The centre will also investigate how new technologies can benefit rural economies by promoting new forms of enterprise.  You can find further information on the Aberdeen University website. 

The people's millions and awards for all

(by Tamsin Morris, published Friday, 17 April 2009 15:28)

Two lottery funds are currently seeking applications - the People's Millions and the recently re-launched Awards for All. 

The People's Millions is open for applications until May 15th and will provide grants of up to £50,000 for 14 projects in Scotland.  The grant scheme has two themes - providing opportunities for people to enjoy their local area (indoors and outside) and improving local facilities for everyone to enjoy.  Final award decisions are put to the public vote through a series of short features on ITV.  For further information and an application pack, go the Big Lottery Fund website. 

Awards for All was re-launched on April 1st with a new application pack and a simpler application process.  Grants can be between £500 and £10,000 and are for projects which improve opportunities for people to take part in the arts, sport and community activities.  Further information is available on their website.  

Next Rural Priorities assessment round postponed

(by Tamsin Morris, published Friday, 17 April 2009 15:07)

The Scottish Government has announced that the next round of application assessments for the Rural Priorities scheme, originally scheduled for June, has been postponed.

No new date has been provided for the assessment meetings of the Regional Proposal Assessment Committees (RPACs).  At the February RPAC meetings a further £67 million of funding was allocated, meaning that a significant proportion of the 2009 funding has already been allocated.  You can find out the latest on the Scotland Rural Development Programme website. 

Crofters disappointed by electronic sheep tagging proposal

(by Tamsin Morris, published Friday, 17 April 2009 14:20)

The Scottish Crofting Foundation has expressed disappointment at a European Commission proposal to introduce electronic tagging of sheep.

The crofting foundation believe electronic tagging (often referred to as EID) is not appropriate to the scale of crofting and that individual tagging will add unnecessary work.  Despite lengthy campaigns against the tagging proposals by various farming organisations, it looks like changes to the rules are inevitable.  There may be some flexibility left for implementation within the different European member states, but it may not be enough to satisfy the UK sheep industry, including crofters.  You can find the crofting foundation's comments here.  

Community energy toolkit launched

(by Tamsin Morris, published Monday, 13 April 2009 14:13)

The Scottish Government has just launched a community energy toolkit, produced by Community Energy Scotland. 

The toolkit was commissioned to help community groups develop renewable energy projects and can be found on the Government's website.  It's designed to work in three parts, so groups can navigate to the most suitable section for their needs.  It also includes case studies and information on funding and finance. 

Petra's study on the benefits of community land ownership

(by Petra Vergunst, published Tuesday, 21 April 2009 09:25)

My study of ten Scottish community projects showed that community land ownership provides environmental, economic and social benefits.  Community landlords provide local facilities and through these economic regeneration, a sense of community and empowerment, and ultimately a higher degree of self-determination. 

In its pursuit of buying business premises to create workshops for local business, Langholm Initiative aims to create local economic facilities, contributing to local economic regeneration, and enhancing its self-reliance. Likewise, Abriachan Forest Trust has developed recreational paths and a forest education centre that contributes to local employment, an increased sense of community and a heightened capacity to determine its own future.

As such, these findings endorse the Scottish Community Empowerment action plan launched last March. The action plan recognises that the ownership of assets can empower communities by providing income for community organisations, renewing a sense of pride, and increasing a sense of control over the the future of the places where people live and work.  

Even so, I found that the environmental, economic and social benefits of community landlordship were not exclusively experienced by communities who owned their assets. Communities who co-managed or lease assets, for example in a community partnership with Forestry Commission Scotland, or who developed common property such as cultural heritage, benefited in similar ways. In restoring historical sites, Kirkconnel Parish Heritage society created a more attractive local environment and thereby strengthened the sense of community and pride in the village.

Yet ownership of assets is likely to increase the sustainability of the local facilities and the community’s capacity to generate income. Legal ownership means that communities have control over the decisions in relation to their assets, and as a business plan has been part of the application for funding for the buy-out, the vision for the future management of the asset is likely to be stronger.  

The Scottish Community Empowerment action plan rightly recognises that asset ownership will not be an option for all communities. The uptake of the community right to buy has indeed been low. As the environmental, economic and social benefits of community asset management are not only experienced by those communities who own their assets, there is a need to express appreciation for those communities who want to develop co-managed and leased assets and common property too.  

You can read the full report on my website:  www.sustainablecommunitydevelopment.co.uk.

Scottish planning policy consultation

(by Tamsin Morris, published Tuesday, 14 April 2009 15:54)

The Scottish Government has published the remaining sections of the new, consolidated Scottish Planning Policy document for consultation.

At present there's a range of Scottish planning policies, but a decision was taken back in October to streamline them into one consolidated policy (see previous article).  The first sections of that consolidated document have already been published and now the remaining sections are being published for consultation responses.  These sections cover national planning policy on community engagement and sustainable development as well as specific subject policies such as rural development, natural heritage and renewable energy. 

You can find the consultation document here and responses can be made until June 24th.  There are also consultation events planned for Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness and Edinburgh - further details on these can also be found on the website. 

Community empowerment action plan launched

(by Tamsin Morris, published Friday, 27 March 2009 15:32)

The Scottish Government, in conjunction with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (CoSLA), has launched a community empowerment action plan. 

A mix of discussion and case studies, the document looks at what constitutes community empowerment and how community capacity can be increased.  There's a recognition that community empowerment often arises from the existence of locally owned, community led organisations.  Ownership and management of community assets is also highlighted:  "Communities owning their own land and buildings can have a huge impact on their empowerment.  Asset ownership won’t be the answer for all communities, depending on their circumstances and their own wishes, but it can be very powerful." 

Support for communities to own assets is highlighted as one of the actions from the plan, and there is mention of working with the BIG lottery fund in the context of their recent consultation, but there's no new sources of funding being announced. 

You can download a full copy of the plan from the Scottish Government website.  

Testing community capacity building guidance

(by Tamsin Morris, published Thursday, 26 March 2009 16:28)

The Scottish Government's Learning Connections team, in conjunction with ODS consulting, are holding events around the country to trial their guidance on community capacity building.

Each half day event will include feedback on their recent surveys as well as providing an opportunity to test out sections of the guidance.  The events take place between now and May 1st and you can get a full list of locations and dates on the Scottish Government website. 

Sutherland summit postponed

(by Tamsin Morris, published Thursday, 26 March 2009 15:53)

For anyone who was hoping to attend the Sutherland Summit on April 27th, please note that it has been postponed, as the Scottish ministers are no longer able to attend.  However, they're working with CVS North to find an alternative date during the parliamentary summer recess.  If a new date is confirmed, we'll post it in the events calender. 

New community facility on Jura

(by Tamsin Morris, published Friday, 17 April 2009 15:41)

The newly renovated Antlers Bistro opened in Craighouse on Jura earlier this month.  Incorporating a restaurant, heritage and craft centre, Antlers is the work of the Jura Development Trust.

Officially opened at Easter weekend, Antlers will feature local produce and food from Small Isles Catering as well as a heritage display and craft sales.  Around 120 people gathered for the opening ceremony, where the support of funders, designers and the builders was acknowledged.  You can find out more about Antlers on the Jura Development Trust website. 

Looking to develop?

(by Tamsin Morris, published Tuesday, 14 April 2009 11:35)

Pilotlight Scotland are offering small charities and social enterprises a free strategic planning and skills development service.

The scheme works by matching the charity or social enterprise with a team of four senior members of the business community to provide a transfer of skills and experience.  Each link up lasts for between 12 and 18 months and is designed to help small organisations take the next step in developing their work.  To apply, you'll need to be an organisation that addresses social disadvantage in the community and employ at least one full-time member of staff.  You also need to have been operational for a minimum of two years and have secured on-going core funding for at least the next six months.  You can find out further details and see some case studies here. 

Community involvement in railway stations?

(by Tamsin Morris, published Monday, 13 April 2009 14:23)

Forward Scotland has received a grant from the National Lottery to investigate the potential for community management of some parts of railway stations.

They'll be using the grant to map those stations which have the greatest potential for community involvement, which might enable the spaces within station buildings to be managed by local groups.  Some similar ventures already exist, including the charity bookshop at Pitlochry station.  You can find out more about the project on Forward Scotland's website. 

Ferries splash out

(by Tamsin Morris, published Monday, 13 April 2009 13:32)

Two community run ferry services have launched again for the summer: the Jura Passenger Ferry, owned and operated by the Isle of Jura Development Trust, and the Glenelg to Skye ferry, run by the Isle of Skye Community Interest Company.

The Jura ferry, which takes 12 passengers, runs from Tayvallich in Knapdale, direct to Craighouse on Jura.  The journey time is around an hour each way, which is significantly quicker than the circuitous Tarbert - Islay - Jura car ferry route.  This year, the ferry will be operating from April 9th through to September 29th, with two departures most days, except Wednesdays.  You can find full timetables and ticket information on their website. 

The Skye crossing from Glenelg takes approximately 20 minutes and there are crossings throughout the day, seven days a week.  Further details and ticket prices can be found on their website.  

Free PR guide

(by Tamsin Morris, published Thursday, 26 March 2009 16:09)

The Abbey financial services company have just published a PR guide for charities, community groups and the voluntary sector. 

Prepared by the Abbey Charitable Trust, the guide covers the fundamentals of writing press releases, photo calls and media alerts.  It also gives advice on how to get hold of journalists; how to work with corporate partners and ways in which you can evaluate your PR activities.  The guide is free to download and you can access it here. 

UnLtd Awards

(by Tamsin Morris, published Friday, 20 March 2009 12:58)

UnLtd is a charity which supports social entrepreneurs and they're currently offering Level 1 awards to help people get their ideas off the ground. 

The awards are aimed at people and informal groups who have an idea which they think will benefit their community and who need assistance to get the idea up and running.  They offer between £500 to £5000 to people who can show that there is a need for their idea and have given some thought as to how to deliver it.  Their website provides further details and an eligibility questionnaire, so you can work out if your idea is suitable. 

(Very) small grants for environmental projects

(by Tamsin Morris, published Friday, 20 March 2009 12:46)

Small grants are available to community groups for environmental projects taking place between now and 31st July 2009.

Groups can apply with up to three projects for £50 per project, and for projects linked to their Local Biodiversity Action Plan, they can apply for a separate £250 grant.  The grants are being provided by a partnership of Community Service Volunteers, Morrisons Supermarkets and Scottish Natural Heritage.  Although it's not a huge sum of money, they do promise a response within 3 weeks and it's a relatively simple application form.  You can find further information and an application pack here. 

A chance to win £2,500?

(by Tamsin Morris, published Monday, 16 March 2009 15:52)

The Edinburgh based insurance brokers, Keegan and Pennykidd are offering UK charities and voluntary organisations the chance to win £2,500 in cash or one year's insurance cover up to the value of £2,500. 

To enter, you just need to complete a short form on their website before May 1st and the winners will be announced at the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations Third Force News awards in June.  No purchase is required to enter the draw.

The art of income generation

(by Tamsin Morris, published Tuesday, 24 February 2009 16:32)

Has your group thought of organising an event based around an arts, culture or heritage theme? Would you like to know more about how to maximise your benefits from such an event? What about collaborating with groups in other areas on themed projects?

We hope to post more information shortly about a seminar for directors and project officers working in the community land and asset sector. The seminar is in the very early stages of development, but will be held in September and will look at ways of generating income through events based on the arts, heritage or culture.

In the meantime, take a look at the Hi-Arts website which has lots of useful information – from tip sheets about audience development; to the bulletin board where you can list your event; to guides about venues, groups and events across the Highlands and Islands.

Renewable energy students visit Uist and Barra

(by Tamsin Morris, published Monday, 23 March 2009 11:04)

An international group of renewable energy students from the University of Flensburg in Germany have been carrying out practical research on the islands of Uist and Barra.

Part of a study visit organised by Community Energy Scotland, the students have been working in two groups with Barra and Vatersay Community Ltd and Stòras Uibhis.  The first group have been looking at sustainable energy opportunities for Barra and Vatersay - including heating solutions in Castlebay and biomass and wind power options for local houses and businesses.  The group working with Stòras Uibhis having been looking at how to make Lochboisdale a carbon-neutral village.  The results of the studies were presented to both local communities at the end of their visit.  

You can read more about the students' work on the Community Energy Scotland website.  

Forest leasing proposal dropped

(by Tamsin Morris, published Saturday, 21 March 2009 17:08)

Environment minister, Roseanna Cunningham MSP has confirmed that the government does not plan to press ahead with its controversial suggestion to lease parts of Scotland's national forests to private companies. 

Instead, she's asked the Forestry Commission to look at other options to raise the money required for tree planting on a scale that will contribute to climate change targets.  Suggestions made include looking at how to make the Scotland Rural Development Programme more effective in encouraging woodland creation; investigating tax incentives and continuing the process of disposing of surplus land.  You can read the full text of the minister's press release here. 

From the watery depths to the Skye above?

(by Tamsin Morris, published Monday, 16 March 2009 17:38)

Pressure from the Sleat and Camuscross communities on Skye has persuaded Scottish Water to postpone selling off the Allt Duisdale reservoir whilst locals register a late interest under the Land Reform legislation.

Residents only became aware of the plan to sell the reservoir when it was advertised in the local paper.  Now surplus to Scottish Water's requirements it was due to go under the auctioneer's hammer at the end of February, but was eventually withdrawn from the sale.  The community now has two months to register their interest in the site.  Local community groups, including the Camuscross Community Initiative, Sleat Renewables and Sleat Community Trust are considering a range of possible uses for the reservoir, including further investigations into its potential for generating renewable energy.

You can find out more about the reservoir and the community's plans on the Sleat Community Trust website and the Camuscross Community Initiative website.

Harris supports national park plan

(by Tamsin Morris, published Friday, 20 February 2009 14:37)

A vote amongst Harris residents has shown support for a plan to turn the island into Scotland's third national park.

About 1450 ballot papers were circulated to the islanders and results returned in late February showed that 311 had voted against the plans and more than 730 had voted in favour.  Those who support the plans say it will help to bring jobs and new residents to the islands, whilst those against believe it may restrict economic development. 

The Scottish Government now has to decide what to do about the plans.

Hot air over forest leasing

(by Tamsin Morris, published Thursday, 19 February 2009 11:28)

The debate over the Government's controversial plans to offer long term leases on parts of the national forest estate has continued to heat up over recent weeks.

In a slightly ill-tempered debate at Holyrood on January 29th, Sarah Boyack MSP proposed a motion that the proposals be re-considered and dropped from the Climate Change Bill.  Whilst the Labour, Lib Dem and Green MSPs supported her, the Scottish National Party and Conservative MSPs were against her suggestions.  You can find the full text of the parliamentary debate here.

Now that Michael Russell has been re-shuffled to the office of the First Minister, it'll be up to his successor, Roseanna Cunningham, to steer a way around this political hot potato.

Community assets make Guardian headlines

(by Tamsin Morris, published Monday, 23 March 2009 09:38)

In the present financial climate, the Guardian newspaper's money section might be the last place you'd expect to find good news.  But the whole of this weekend's (21st March) front page was devoted to community companies which are successfully running local assets like shops, pubs and petrol stations.

Highlighting the number of pubs and post offices that are closing across the UK, the Guardian's story profiles four community who've successfully taken on business ventures, including the Fisherman's Arms in Birgham in the Scottish borders and the Applecross filling station.  A common theme running through all four profiles is the dedication and enthusiasm of local volunteers who've joined together to ensure the survival of what were previously ailing assets.  And the accompanying text points out a possible benefit from the credit crisis as property prices slump and landlords begin to think about selling up.

To read the full article go to the Guardian website.  

Tenth anniversary celebrations at Knoydart

(by Tamsin Morris, published Saturday, 21 March 2009 16:53)

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the Knoydart Foundation's buy-out of the Knoydart estate.  To celebrate, the Foundation are planning a whole host of events over the next few months.

The events will kick off on March 26th with a celebration of the buy-out and an evening of music and dancing on March 28th.  Then Knoydart's 10 Music festival gets underway on April 17th and 18th - you'll find further information including ticket sales at www.thebooth.co.uk.  Later in the year there's a choice of:

• a James Hawkins art exhibition;
• the big rhodie bash;
• a week of activities on renewable energy in July and
• a 10k run in October. 

RBS SE100 index

(by Tamsin Morris, published Friday, 20 March 2009 13:57)

Social Enterprise magazine and the Royal Bank of Scotland have recently launched the SE100 index, which aims to demonstrate the growth of social enterprises.  They want to help both the social enterprise sector itself, and the wider public, gain a better understanding of what these organisations are actually achieving.

Each month the index will profile a different segment from within the social enterprise sector.  During the month, they'll highlight the top five organisations in the index for that segment.  In March 2010 the 100 highest growth organisations from throughout the year will be published and have the chance to compete for prizes worth up to £50,000.  You need to register your organisation to have a chance of being included and you can enter the necessary details on the SE100 index website.  Of course, some people might feel there's a slight irony in the RBS involvement at the present time.......

Friends of the islands

(by Tamsin Morris, published Tuesday, 24 March 2009 10:59)

Following the Harris residents' vote in support of seeking national park status, a new group called Friends of the Islands is in the process of being established. 

One of the main aims of the proposed new group is to lobby for the creation of a national park of the Scottish islands.  For more information on the group, see their new website. 

Rousay turns on the heat

(by Tamsin Morris, published Monday, 23 March 2009 11:48)

A community hall in Rousay has just installed a unique system which combines a small wind turbine with the existing radiator and hot water system to provide heating and power for the building. 

The Rousay Manse building in the Orkney Islands is used by various community groups for meetings and events and the combination of a new turbine with the existing radiators should reduce running costs for the building.  The system was installed by local electrical engineers and, as a new approach, includes several data loggers and sensors so that it can be analysed in the future.  Hopefully the findings from that evaluation will enable the system to be adapted and used in similar buildings elsewhere. 

To find out more about the Rousay system, visit the Community Energy Scotland website.  

Free laptop and a year's broadband?

(by Tamsin Morris, published Saturday, 21 March 2009 15:23)

The BT community connections scheme is currently taking applications from community groups who could extend their work with a free laptop and a year's broadband connection.

There are over 1,000 award packages available for groups who can demonstrate the difference an award would make to their work.  Any community or charitable organisation working in the field of community benefit is eligible to apply to the scheme.  The first round of awards closes in early June and you can find out further details and download an application form from their website. 

HISEZ conference report from snowy Aviemore

(by Claire Hannah, published Friday, 20 March 2009 16:01)

In early March, the Highlands and Islands Social Enterprise Zone (HISEZ) conference attracted over 120 delegates and around 20 exhibition stands to a snowy Aviemore.  The delegates were a mix of social enterprises from all over the Highlands, with representatives from many public sector and supporting organisations also in attendance.

The day began with an address from Antonia Swinson of the Scottish Social Enterprise Coalition, followed by a talk from Willy Roe, chair of Highlands & Islands Enterprise (HIE), explaining HIE's new remit within ‘Strengthening Communities’.  He also made it clear to his audience that the economic downturn would seriously affect public spending over the next 10 years, and that much more creative thinking would be required to source funding. 

The other key speaker was Artur Steinerowski, a PhD student at the University of the Highlands and Islands, who presented his findings on barriers to developing social enterprises within the Highlands and Islands.  The key message delivered, and what could have been the theme for the day, was finance, and the huge strain that a lack of finance puts on Social Enterprises. This message was also reinforced by Brian Weaver, head of HISEZ, later in the day.

An added benefit of the event was, as ever, the networking opportunity, which was encouraged at all points through the day. The only downside to the conference was that it had to be cut-short due to the adverse weather conditions. To see the presentations from the day go to www.hisezconference.co.uk/slides.

Community consultation exercise

(by Tamsin Morris, published Tuesday, 17 March 2009 14:18)

The Stanley Development Trust is inviting consultants to tender for a community consultation exercise that they want to undertake in their area.

The recently established Trust hopes the exercise will allow them to find out more about the local population's aspirations for the area and their views on a range of topics as well as establishing what activities are already taking place amongst local clubs and associations.  They also want to determine demand for a potential future community fuel co-operative.  The consultation exercise is expected to take place in late spring / early summer 2009. 

For further details, please contact Munro Gauld at info.sdt@tiscali.co.uk

Community Land Unit publicity

(by Tamsin Morris, published Monday, 16 March 2009 15:30)

The Community Land Unit (CLU) at Highlands and Islands Enterprise have just published a new leaflet that gives information on the services they provide.  As well as a pointer to this website, it includes case studies on some recent community land initiatives.

The leaflet gives a bit of background to the Community Land Unit as well as setting out how they can get involved in community land projects.  The case studies covered include the North Harris Trust and their recent feasibility study into the proposal to apply for national park status.  Other community groups featured are the Knoydart Foundation, the Milton Community Woodland Trust and the Isle of Skye Ferry Community Interest Company. 

You can download a copy of the leaflet here.  

A community company for Arisaig?

(by Tamsin Morris, published Tuesday, 24 February 2009 16:43)

The community of Arisaig in Lochaber has taken the first steps toward forming its own community company, after listening to the views of Sleat Community Trust on Skye.

A public meeting to discuss the suggestion took place in mid February, where 12 local people volunteered to be part of a steering group to take the proposal forward.  During the meeting they heard from Sleat Community Trust secretary Henry Mains, who described the work undertaken in Skye over the past few years. 

The Arisaig group hope that their first project will be to complete the 25 year lease for the local playing fields followed by reseeding and landscaping them later in the year.  The group also hopes to look into other projects, including the development of alternative energy sources in the village and the possible creation of some allotments.  The steering group will be chaired by Ann Martin, a local resident, who hopes they can hold their first meeting as soon as possible.