Claims training started on Tuesday 22 November for LAG staff and will run until Wednesday 14 December 2016. LARCs Claims will go live week commencing 23 January 2017.

In the intervening period between LAG staff being trained and the release date, we are exploring options to access a training environment. Information will be provided once available.

We also intend to offer additional training sessions at Scottish Government Offices outwith Edinburgh. This will be from mid-January 2017 and the dates and locations of these sessions will be notified to your LEADER teams shortly.

Priority for that training will be given to those areas that have been unable to attend sessions previously provided.

You can contact the LEADER team by emailing Leader.Queries@gov.scot or calling 0131 244 9924.

The Outer Hebrides LEADER Local Action Group announced recently that over £1 million has been awarded in grants to community groups and businesses since the programme opened for applications in April 2016.

A total of 17 community-led projects with a cumulative value of almost £3.5m have been supported by LEADER funding this year. LEADER grants of £1,036,613 have levered-in additional investment worth nearly £2.5m, which equates to over £3.30 for each £1 of LEADER grant committed.

Sam Wiaczek has recently joined the Cairngorms LEADER team as the new LAG Coordinator. Sam comes from Australia and has been living in Wiltshire/Bath area for the past five years. He has previous experience in economic development and inward investment and is very much looking forward to helping Cairngorms deliver the LEADER programme locally.

You can contact Sam at samwiaczek@cairngorms.co.uk. 

The first newsletter from Kelvin Valley and Falkirk LEADER is now available online. There's also a subscribe button so you can sign up to receive their news direct to your inbox.

An event bringing together LEADER Local Action Groups from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland highlighted the benefits of cooperation projects. The event took place in Newry, Co. Down on 8 and 9 November. Many Local Action Groups were interested in working on projects with groups in Scotland.

If you would like to know more please email Jody Fleck at jody@ruralnetwork.scot. 

European Innovation Partnerships (EIP-Agri) help farmers use new ideas to grow their business and improve sustainability.

They have created a database with information about innovation projects throughout the European Union (EU), so it is easy to find inspiration.

EU funding is also available under this programme for farmers and landowners working with others to try out new ideas and find solutions to problems. In Scotland this forms part of the Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Fund.

The 'Boosting businesses along the fisheries supply chain' event took place in Thessaloniki, Greece from 18-20 October 2016.

The event was designed to equip Fisheries Local Action Groups (FLAGS) with the tools to help local stakeholders tap into opportunities along the fisheries supply chain.

Scotland was represented at the event by Grant Course from the Dumfries and Galloway FLAG.

The European Network for Rural Development (ENRD) Contact Point is working to improve the implementation of LEADER transnational cooperation in the 2014-2020 period by producing dedicated factsheets and supporting a practitioner-led Working Group.

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