The ongoing economic situation is resulting in many Third Sector Organisations increasingly feeling the pinch due to funding cuts and increased competition when going for grant and Trust funding. This is particularly true for covering the core costs of organisations such as SUP to enable projects and opportunities to be developed that we hope will bring in future dividends to the South of Scotland. We have had some new members all ready this year and some very generous donations for which we are extremely grateful.

You can help by encouraging new members or patrons to join SUP www.sup.org.uk/membership

In the mean time the Whithorn Trust is threatened with closure this summer due to a funding shortfall and would welcome your support by signing the petition at www.gopetition.com/petitions/save-the-whithorn-trust.html

Broadband Events

“Our society is changing.  A key driver is information and communication technologies – the digital revolution.  Some are part of this revolution more than others.  We need a digitally inclusive society – where all can play their part in new ways to strengthen communities and where each individual can gain the benefits of being online”.

Wednesday the 1st of May saw around 20 attendees at the second of a series of events aimed at identifying solutions to the challenges that rural communities will face to stay part of the digital revolution, with a range of speakers covering everything from UK and Scottish Government initiatives to local communities digging trenches and laying their own fibre optic network it was an inspirational day.

Join us for the third and final event on the 8th May 2013 at The Cross Keys Hotel, Kelso.

Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere

With the Building Opportunity in the Biosphere project finishing at the end of March after a four day event that involved an international delegation from around the world battling with the snow to try and see some of the fantastic initiatives all ready operating in the biosphere, followed by a very successful conference attended by community groups from across the region,  we are now in what we hope is only a brief lull whilst we work with partners to secure funding to continue the good work carried out over the last two years.

We hope to have more news in early summer so until then fingers crossed !

Capacity for Change – C4C

SUP were very pleased to win a contract from D&G Leader to complete the C4C project for them following the departure of their own project officer. C4C is aimed at small rural communities who have not had any previous engagement with Dumfries and Galloway LEADER Programme, and is designed to  support them in the development and implementation of a small scale project which makes a difference to life in their communities.

We’re currently working with six communities at Powfoot, Cummertrees, Ecclefechan, Wanlockhead, Kirkpatrick Durham and Drummore. The projects are as varied as the communities involved including a Heritage Trail, a Community Garden and a celebration of Scotland highest village!

All the communities involved are also part of a research project run by SRUC to assess the contribution of C4C to community resilience, sustainability, wellbeing and regional rural development. The ultimate aim is to develop a model which will enable them to identify the social and economic outcomes associated with such targeted project investments, for the D&G communities and individuals. The framework should also help in identifying and assessing aspects of ‘change’ and adaptive capacity of communities in quantitative and qualitative ways. Evaluation of C4C will provide useful data for the development of D&G LEADER’s post-2013 strategy and business plan and may also be of interest to SUP in determining how best to direct its own resources in the future.

Destination D&G Industry Conference ’13

Over 120 delegates attended the D&G Tourism Industry Conference at the Easterbrook Hall on 23 April 2013. DD&G Chair Gordon Mann commented “It was good to see so many businesses at this year’s Industry Conference”. All of the  presentations and workshop information can now be found on the web site. Find out more.

Pine Martin Surveys

This year The Vincent Wildlife Trust, in partnership with SNH, are undertaking a distribution survey of pine martens in southern Scotland (i.e. everywhere south of the Central Belt to the border, excluding Dumfries and Galloway which were covered during a larger survey last year). We are interested in any records of pine martens in this area and I would be grateful if you could pass on any information that you are aware of.

Lizzie Croose
Projects Support Officer
The Vincent Wildlife Trust
3&4 Bronsil Courtyard
Eastnor
Ledbury
Herefordshire HR8 1EP
Tel: (0044) (0)1531 636441
Websites: www.vwt.org.uk
Follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/vincentwildlife

Registered in England  as a Charity No.1112100 and in Scotland Charity No. SC043066.  Charitable Company Limited by Guarantee Registered in England No. 05598716.   Enrolled Environmental Body No. 235743.

The Vincent Wildlife Trust – specialising in mammal research and conservation in Britain and Ireland

Explore … Scotland’s Protected Places

Scotland’s Protected Places www.scotlandsprotectedplaces.gov.uk  is a new website to encourage people to get out and explore the best of our natural and cultural heritage which is found in Scotland’s protected places.

This is a joint contribution by Scottish Natural Heritage and Historic Scotland, in the Year of Natural Scotland, to raising awareness of our protected places for nature and history and supporting socio-economic development based on sustainable use of these special places.

Go to the website’s Explore page to find some well known landmarks like the Borders abbeys, Caerlaverock Castle and National Nature Reserve or the Pentland Hills Regional Park, and more than 500 other places to visit.

We hope you enjoy the website and maybe find a few places to visit that you were previously unaware of.  If you have any comments, or suggestions for places that should be on the map, we’d be pleased to hear from you.  There’s a ‘Contact us’ form on the website.

Get involved in the Ancient Tree Hunt!

Discover how to Record ancient and veteran trees in Harestanes Country Park and the arboretum of Monteviot House

Harestanes Countryside Visitor Centre, Ancrum, Jedburgh, TD8 6UQ
9.30am to 4.30pm on Sat 22 June 2013

To find out more about the day please contact:
Clair McFarlan, clairmcfarlan@gmail.com
Tel 07986 687055

Book your free place now, places limited!

The Woodland Trust is working with the Ancient Tree Forum and the Tree Register of the British Isles, to create a national living inventory of ancient trees in the UK. Nowhere else in Northern Europe can you find as many large ancient trees and in such remarkable concentrations, which gives us a special responsibility to care for them.

Find It, Win It, Keep It

Castle Douglas Community Centre, Wednesdays 8 and 22 May 2013 (9am to 4pm)
This is Level Two training designed for companies and third sector organisations that have some experience of tendering with varying success but would like to become more proficient. The training gives practical ways to access the range of opportunities available once you have mastered prequalification and the invitation to tender process.

The training is FREE of charge. If you are interested in the workshop please register at the following link the deadline for registering is Friday 3 May 2013 at 12.00 pm. Click here to register

Businesses however must be registered with the Supplier Development Programme. Registration is easy and only takes two minutes. Log onto www.sdpscotland.co.uk for details.

Looking for The Dumfries and Galloway 

Countryside Events Booklet?

There is now  a searchable database to make finding the right event easier for you
www.wildseasons.co.uk/events/

or you can use the QR code below

Contact Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Rangers for more information Rangers@dumgal.gov.uk or 030 33 33 3000