This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Rural Voices competition winners
25/03/2003
Successful bids to the Rural Voices: Action Research competition were announced today.
Around £90,000 will be made available to rural communities to enable them to gather information on local services, Deputy Rural Development Minister Allan Wilson said.
The Scottish National Rural Partnership selected the following projects for funding:
- Garelochhead and Portincaple Community Trust Youth Project for young people aged 12 - 17 to produce a community youth action plan for their localities - Argyll & Bute and Helensburgh (£1,166)
Redevelopment and future sustainability of Collieston Village Hall - Aberdeenshire (£6,500)
Social and recreational activities for young people in rural communities of Pathhead, Roslin, Birkenside & Rosewell - Midlothian (£9,314)
Improving external funding and project management advice for communities in Annandale and Eskdale - Annan (£30,000)
Combating rural disadvantage on Mull & Iona by indentifing gaps in services for the elderly, young people, single parents and the homeless - Argyle, Mull & Iona (£10,810)
Looking at development aspirations for renewable energy production on Unst and Westray (£8,575)
Project to investigate current health, education, and leisure services in Strathfillan and how they can be improved - Perthshire (£5,223)
Invergordon Murals - local consultations to find ideas for three community murals - Ross & Cromarty (£7,559)
- Explore Restructuring Disability Shetland to ensure that it is fully user-led and meeting the needs of disabled people in Shetland - Shetland (£8,210)
Meigle Youth Development Survey undertaken by young people themselves to look at services they want - Perthshire (£2,000)
- Badenoch's Research into Lifelong Learning (BRILL) project - Kingussie, Inverness-shire (£1,960)
At Inverary Mr Wilson said:
"Rural communities are themselves best placed to assess their own needs from rural services, and this funding will help these areas develop services which properly meet the needs identified by local people.
"I have been very impressed by the proposals submitted to the Rural Voices competition. This certainly shows the wealth of ideas and initiative across rural Scotland.
"We recently launched the Rural Gateway website to help rural communities come together, access information on rural issues, and share good practice. The progress of each of these projects can be followed on the website over the coming months."
The Rural Voices: Action Research competition is at pilot programme stage. A decision on future funding as a mainstream programme will be taken according to the outcomes of this pilot, which should be completed in 12 months time.