What's New at LRS LEADER+


	What's New at LRS LEADER+ Website updated: 03 October 2007 News Forth Valley LEADER Open Day 6 October 12.30-3.00 Municipal Buildings Proposed new LAG for the Forth Valley and West Dunbartonshire Project applications awarded funding - December 2006 Last Call for Applications for Current Programme Buy Local Map Guide - Now Available Contracts and recruitment: LEADER+ projects recruiting staff or commissioning consultancy work Minutes of meetings Documents Callander Strategic Spatial Framework Map of Proposed New Forth Valley LEADER Area Community Based Enterprise Mentoring Study Full Version Community Based Enterprise Mentoring Study Short Version Response to the consultation on the Rural Development Programme for Scotland 2007-2013 Read about the lessons learnt by some of our applicants Evaluation of the Sustainable Heritage Trusts project Connecting with our Peatland Heritage presentation Callander Youth Project business plan Loch Lomond Food and Drink Festival economic evaluation Lomond and rural Stirling food and drink directory Rural apprenticeship support scheme feasibility study Feasibility study on a local produce outlet for Lomond and rural Stirling Community transport feasibility study Stirling by numbers - key statistics News Project Applications Awarded Funding at Last Round Projects awarded funding at the last round (December 2006): Forestry Commission's Biomass Study Tour - £2,000 Wifi Hotspot for Arrochar - £1,116 A Business Plan for Balfron Gathering Place - £10,000 Interactive Facility for the Walter Scott Steamship - £6,750 A Children's Library for Luss - £500 Dun Lubnaig Broch - £1,511 Bird of Prey Tourist Trail - £7,368 Carron Valley Bike Trails - £15,000 Community Trusts' Website Project - £1,653 Innovative Community Development in Arrochar - £14,747 Gartmore Community Shop Local Craft Outlet - £2,500 Buy Local Map Guide of Local Food and Drink The Buy Local Map Guide showing the local food and drink producers, eateries and stockists of local produce in and around the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park is now available from Tourist Information Centres, National Park Visitor Centre and participating businesses. The map guide is the next phase of the Buy Local campaign initiative by the Lomond & Rural Stirling LEADER+ Local Action Group, along with Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority, Stirling Council and West Dunbartonshire Council. The first "outing" of the map was at the special Tartan Week Farmers Market in Stirling on 9 April where it was well received by locals and visitors alike. To download a copy of the map, click here for the map and click here for the details of local producers, retail outlets and eateries. Last Call for Applications to the Current Programme The 2002-2006 Programme is now closed to new applications. It is possible that small amounts of funding may become available during 2007 for reallocation to new projects. However, this funding will need to be spent by December 2007. If you have a project that may qualify for this, please contact the Programme Manager. Proposed new LAG for the Forth Valley and West Dunbartonshire Discussions are well underway for the next phase of LEADER. With the Scottish Executive keen for the whole of rural Scotland to be covered under the new Rural Development Plan for Scotland, the current LEADER+ LAG has been in discussions with the neighbouring local authorities to develop a bid for Forth Valley wide LAG. This will also include the area of West Dunbartonshire that is linked to, or sits within, the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. A bid was submitted to the Scottish Excutive on this basis on 22 August 2007. A map of the proposed area can be downloaded here. If successful with our first stage bid, we will be invited to produce a local development strategy and business plan by 31 October 2007. This next phase will involve a much wider consultation with local community groups, business associations, land management groups and public agencies. A number of public meetings will be held across the area over the next few months to raise awareness about the new programme, and we will post details of the dates and venues here once they have been confirmed. We will also be looking for new members for the Local Action Group. If you think you would be interested, please complete a nomination form and e-mail it to the Rural Affairs Executive at Stirling Council. Contracts and Recruitment: LEADER+ Projects Recruiting Staff or Consultancy Work Luss Pilgrimage Centre are recruiting for a development officer. You can download the advert here Minutes of Meetings Copies of minutes to the LEADER+ Local Action Group meetings are available from the Lomond and Rural Stirling LEADER+ Secretariat Documents Response to the consultation on the Rural Development Programme for Scotland 2007-2013 To read the response of Lomond & Rural Stirling LEADER+ to the consultation on the Rural Development Programme for Scotland 2007-2013, click here. Lessons learnt We ask our project applicants to write about the lessons they learn as they bring their projects "to life". You can read about their experiences below: VisitScotland have written about the lessons learnt and outcomes of their project to promote outdoor activity providers in the Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park. To read about their experiences, click here. Breadalbane Lifelong Learning Trust have written about the lessons learnt and outcomes of their project to deliver a virtual learning centre in the Breadalbane area. To read about their experiences, click here. Strathard Community Trust have written about the lessons learnt and outcomes of their Historic Route project. To read about their experiences, click here. Strathfillan Community Development Trust have written about the lessons learnt and outcomes of their Community Land Development project. To read about their experiences, click here. Loch Lomond Pilgrimage Centre have written about the lessons learnt and outcomes of their Internet Video project. To read about their experiences, click here. Sustainable Heritage Trusts To download the evaluation of this programme of workshops, please click here Connecting with our Peatland Heritage To download a presentation on the transnational project 'Connecting with our Peatland Heritage', click here. Callander Youth Project business plan A business plan has been produced, outlining the case for the growth of the Callander Youth Project, both in terms of its premises and the services it provides. To download a copy of the business plan, click here. Loch Lomond Food and Drink Festival economic evaluation An economic evaluation of the first Loch Lomond Food and Drink Festival has estimated the net expenditure resulting from the Festival to be £192,012 at the local level, and £50,249 nationally. It also reports generally positive feedback from visitors to the Festival, and makes recommendations for the future. To download a copy of the full report, click here. Launch of Local Food and Drink Directory The LEADER+ funded local food and drink directory was launched on 14 June 2005 by chef Nick Nairn, at Dobbies GardenWorld (Stirling). The event was attended by over 40 food and drink producers featured in the directory, who particularly enjoyed the locally grown strawberries on offer (from Briarlands Berries, Blairdrummond), drank Bouvrage - a locally produced raspberry drink - and feasted on Campbells of Callander shortbread. To download a copy of the directory, click here. Anne Thomson from Ella Drinks (Bouvrage) Nick Nairn launching the directory Rural Appenticeship Support Scheme - Feasibility Study A LEADER+ funded feasibility study examining the possibility of setting up a trades apprenticeship support scheme for young people in the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park has been completed. To download Main Report of Survey, click here. To download Annex A: Full Survey Results, click here. To download Design for a Pilot Apprenticeship Support Scheme, click here. A Local Produce Outlet for Lomond and Rural Stirling? A feasibility study on a local produce (food and drink) outlet as a way of selling more produce and reaching new markets has been undertaken in the Lomond & Rural Stirling area (and environs). To download the Final Report, click here. Community Transport Survey The National Park Transport Steering Group overseeing the development of community transport options commissioned DHC consultants to carry out the most comprehensive transport survey ever of residents of the national park. A second survey surveyed the uses and potential uses of transport by businesses in the area too. The findings have now been analysed, and recommendations on improvements to existing services and new services have been made within the final report. We expect a number of these projects to come forward for funding from LEADER+. Pictured above is Alan Smails from Strathfillan Community Council presenting Dereck Fowles, Chair of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs Community Partnership with a copy of the finalised questionnaire with fellow members of the steering group, appropriately at the Loch Lomond Shores bus stop. To download the Final Report, click here. Stirling by numbers - key statistics Stirling Council have recently published an updated version of 'Stirling by numbers', providing key statistics on social, economic and environmental issues. 'Stirling by numbers' is available in libraries, schools and local Council offices, but to access an electronic copy, click here.

For more information contact ketteridgea@stirling.gov.uk or call 01786 443123