The best Rural Conference of the year is heading to the Western Isles this year, with the main sessions taking place in An Lanntair, the exciting new Arts Centre in Stornoway, Isle of Lewis. And delegates from all over Scotland are being offered a seriously subsidised registration package that makes travel and accommodation EASY and AFFORDABLE.
Following highly successful events in Inverness, Dumfries, Angus, New Lanark and Inverurie, we have decided to head for an island venue this time - and where better than the Western Isles, with its rich tradition of community service and partnership working?
The theme of this year's conference is Learning About Rural Services, and we are interpreting that in the broadest possible sense: the mainstream learning agenda, research into service-related issues, exchange of good practice - and plain, old-fashioned networking.
In the main session of Conference on Tuesday 6 March, our main speakers are Professor Mark Shucksmith of Newcastle University, who has a long history of research on the rural services agenda and has also been appointed as Chair of the Inquiry into Crofting; David Green, the Principal of Lews Castle College (invited), who has coalface experience of the learning agenda in rural areas; Dr Geoff Fagan of CADISPA at the University of Strathclyde; and a still-to-be-confirmed Minister from the Scottish Executive.
As well as the main speakers, we will have our very popular Short Presentations on a range of projects, some local and some from elsewhere in Scotland, and Workshops that will allow you to have your say on a range of service-related issues.
On the Wednesday morning, there will be a chance to get out and about, see a bit more of the island when you visit and hear about a range of exciting community projects.
This is the Rural Conference that the Scottish Executive and other agencies listen to, and we'll be making sure that the outcomes of your discussion are passed on to them - and that we chase them to see what they've done to follow them up!
If you're concerned about the cost and inconvenience of getting to Stornoway, we only have one thing to say: Don't be! We're offering an easy and affordable package that will allow people from all over Scotland to attend with minimum cost and inconvenience. If you don't live in the Western Isles, all you have to do is get to Inverness on Monday 5 March, and we'll take you from there, with free bus and ferry travel and two nights subsidised hotel accommodation in Stornoway. When the conference is finished, you'll be whisked back to Inverness by teatime on Wednesday 7 March. The subsidy is limited to 50 places, so please book early.
For Western Isles delegates who have to travel, the subsidised accommodation deal is still available. And if it costs you more than £50 to get to Inverness, you can apply for a further travel bursary.
The subsidy is limited to 50 places, so please book early. For more information please contact Norman MacAskill on 01463 251 731 or norman.macaskill@scvo.org.uk or for bookings please contact Helen Stevenson on 01463 732 317.
For more information go to the SCVO website
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