03 September 2008
LAUNCH OF SHETLAND LEADER PROGRAMME
The Shetland LEADER Programme has now opened for interested potential projects. The LEADER Programme is a Rural Development Programme that will run in Shetland between 2008 – 2013. The Programme is being administered through the Shetland Islands Council’s Economic Development Unit who have appointed Jon Dunn and Sheila Keith as Programme Co-ordinators.
The Shetland programme is one of twenty LEADER programmes currently operating in Scotland, allowing the delivery of the European scheme across most of rural Scotland encouraging innovative rural development.
The Shetland programme has been allocated £630,000 of funding and focuses on the two themes of Revitalising Communities and Progressive Rural Economy. All projects being approved by the Local Action Group (LAG) will have to demonstrate how they can assist one or more of the target groups of women, young children, micro/small businesses and self employed, and social enterprises; as well as showing compliance with other conditions. The LAG will be seeking to fund high quality projects of an innovative nature.
To assist interested parties in understanding the Shetland LEADER Programme a website has been established and can be found at www.shetlandleader.org. Details can also be obtained by contacting the Project Co-ordinators at the SIC’s Economic Development Unit, 6 North Ness Business Park, Lerwick, Tel: 744940 or email: or any from a LAG member.