Three more local projects have been granted support from the latest round of LEADER funding.

The recent awards (Round 11) mean that sixty projects in the county have now secured funding over the last three years, bringing the total funding to around £1.74million.

The latest projects are:

Island Community Regeneration – Phase 2 - The project builds on the phase one LEADER project of providing part-time Community Development Officers (CDO’s) for the four most fragile islands of Orkney – Flotta, Hoy, North Ronaldsay and Papa Westray – who are working on producing island development plans, by providing them with additional support.

Creation of a Public Area at Palace Village in Birsay –This project will see the creation of a community space with parking facilities as well as a picnic and general seating area.  It is hoped this will increase tourist activity and help to sustain current businesses in the area by making the best use of the available land.

Westray Heritage Trust - This will help support the digitisation of the Westray Heritage Trust’s archive of photographic material and its subsequent link to a genealogical database.

Orkney Islands Council Convener Stephen Hagan said: “The latest round of projects has shown once again that commitment, creativity and innovation are abundant within our local community groups and organisations.

“Many of the projects that received funding in the early stages of LEADER are now nearing completion and it is a joy to see the positive effect that they have had on our communities, both for local people and for visitors.”

Alister Brown, OIC’s Development Officer for the Orkney LEADER Programme, said: “There are still some LEADER funds available, but the scheme will wind up in 2013. Projects need to be up and running by then in order to ensure they spend all of their funding by the cut off point at the end of 2014. So it’s more important than ever that anyone curious about LEADER and whether their project could benefit gets in contact soon to discuss their options.”

Anyone interested in LEADER should contact Alister Brown at the Council on (01856) 87 35 35 ext 2855 or by email at alister.brown@orkney.gov.uk, or visit the Orkney LEADER website www.orkneycommunities.co.uk/LEADER

Background information:

LEADER is part of the Scotland Rural Development Programme, a £1.6 billion package of economic, environmental, and social measures designed to help rural Scotland and it is open to applications from community groups, social enterprises, voluntary organisations, and the public sector until 2013.

The vision of Leader 2007 – 2013 is:   “By 2014 rural communities are enjoying an improved quality of life in a high quality environment, with improved access to services, in a vibrant and diversified successful rural economy.   LEADER will be a major driver in sustaining rural development and helping rural communities to prosper.”

Eligible projects include:

• entrepreneurial development (especially amongst the young and women)
• feasibility studies
• collaborative research and new product/service development
• marketing/publicity
• workshops/training (survival of old skills and development of new skills)
• development of IT systems
• knowledge transfer (including advice and mentoring)
• rural diversification (e.g. micro enterprises in new industries)
• rural transport initiatives
• providing new or developing community facilities with particular emphasis on young people and other target groups
• introducing or developing childcare provision
• remote access IT provision to training courses/materials
• improving access to areas of high environmental amenity