Scottish Rural Action are running an ongoing survey to better understand response and recovery in rural communities across Scotland. Round 1 of the “Rural Communities Survey on COVID-19 – Response and Recovery” was undertaken in May 2020, and the findings have now been published as a report. Read our summary, or click here to read the Read more…
30th June 20, Rural SEN Notes
30/6/20 notes – Rural social enterprises and support agencies connected virtually at the Rural SEN meeting at the end of June. People joined the meeting from as far west as Uist, and as far east as Brechin, to share ideas, peer learning and highlight areas for action and collaboration. As always, a number of learning Read more…
Kintyre Recycling Ltd works towards reopening its shop
As businesses begin to cautiously reopen, they are working hard to make sure they comply with government guidance and keep their staff and customers safe. This is especially true for social enterprises, who often rely on the income of their shops to assist with community benefit costs. As organisations start to think about the next phase and reopening, many have concerns about reaching the Read more…
CARES Funding Available
The next round of the Scottish Government’s Community and Renewables Energy Scheme (CARES) is now open. Communities, public sector organisations and rural businesses looking to effect long term environmental change are encouraged to apply. As Scotland begins to emerge from the COVID-19 crisis, there is a focus on a green recovery, which will prioritise economic Read more…
Arrochar and Tarbet Community Development Trust
Arrochar and Tarbet Community Development Trust have initiated a community-wide meal drop of prepared soup and sandwiches, home baking, grocery items, and drawings and notes from local schoolchildren to elderly and isolated households. Goodie bags are delivered regularly by groups of volunteers who transport and deliver the supplies to isolated households. The main course meal Read more…
Kintyre Recycling
Kintyre Recycling are happy and proud to be able to offer a monthly Recycling Service in Kintyre, the only area in Argyll & Bute to provide this. After an initial halt to all waste management services across the area, liaison with Argyll and Bute Council resulted in Kintyre Recycling (KRL) continuing to deliver household kerbside Read more…
ShopperAide
ShopperAide provide support services for older people in South Kintyre, including shopping services. Since the start of lockdown, they have seen a significant increase in demand for their services and have doubled the amount of people they deliver shopping to. They reached capacity after the first month, and with staff and volunteers working flat out, Read more…
Jura Community Shop
The Jura Community Shop has been working hard over the last few weeks and months to keep up with the constantly changing situation which we all face from COVID-19. The Community run shop initially struggled to keep up with increased demand for orders of fresh fruit and veg, bread and milk at the start of Read more…
South Islay Development
South Islay Development Covid Response Since the end of March 2020, the role of South Islay Development has been entirely diverted into coordinating the day to day response to the COVID-19 pandemic on the Isle of Islay in the southern Hebrides. Prior to COVID-19, South Islay Development’s (SID) focus of work was delivering community benefit in Read more…
Rockfield Centre
The Rockfield Centre in Oban is a cultural hub and social enterprise which acts as a home for different groups, enterprises and organisations. During the Covid crisis, the Rockfield Centre has continued to support the community and has become a local community anchor organisation for the Scottish Government Supporting Communities Fund and are supporting a Read more…
Hope Kitchen
Hope Kitchen is a social enterprise based in Oban, which serves Oban, Lorn and the Isles. The enterprise comprises of two parts: New Hope, the community hub, cafe and kitchen, and Green Shoots, the community garden. Essential Supply Packs Hope Kitchen started their response to Covid19 on 12th March by stepping up their supply of Read more…
Exploring the Geographies of Social Enterprise in the Highlands and Islands
Research conducted by Ailsa Higgins, a student at the University of Glasgow, explores the geographies of social enterprise in the Highlands and Islands region of Scotland. Social enterprise activity is known to be particularly dense in the Highlands and Islands, where growth conditions have been described as “fertile context” for the uptake of social enterprise Read more…
The impact of Coronavirus on rural Scotland
A series of blog posts by the Social Economic and Geographical Sciences Group at The James Hutton Institute looking at the research evidence on: Community resilience and social innovation. The impact on Scottish agriculture. How the virus may open up opportunities and technological change that could lead to positive changes in rural Scotland. Click here Read more…