GrowBiz Hosts European Exchange Visit
Enterprise support organisation GrowBiz Scotland recently hosted a two day peer-to-peer exchange as part of the RURACTIVE project.
RURACTIVE is a European project, funded by the European Commission and United Kingdom Research & Innovation, which aims to create better connected, prosperous, resilient and strong rural communities by identifying and finding solutions for local issues.
Each participating project region is known as a ‘Dynamo’ and peer-to-peer visits are arranged so that each Dynamo can gain inspiration from the solutions being implemented by the others. Together with our Scottish partner, The James Hutton Institute, and key stakeholders, GrowBiz has developed a Local Action Plan for North-East Scotland, known in the project as Dynamo 4.
Day 1 of the peer-to-peer exchange was organised by the regional food group Great Perthshire, and focussed on the solution of an online food marketplace—currently being developed by Blairgowrie and Rattray Development Trust—which seeks to address the challenge of making affordable, healthy, nutritious food more accessible to people in rural communities. Along with hearing about the progress of this, the delegates visited Denhead Farms to learn about the growth of their asparagus business, and enjoyed some Perthshire produce prepared by local MasterChef finalist, Sarah Rankin.
Day 2 started with a presentation from Perthshire Artisans lead and GrowBiz Enterprise Facilitator, Caron Ironside, highlighting the importance of supporting local creators and makers, and the rareness of a creative collective offering both front and back of house support—sales, marketing and visibility, in addition to business support and advice. This was followed by a fascinating visit to the studio of Linda Farquharson, a Perthshire-based lino print maker.
A walk and talk about sustainable tourism at the Hermitage with Suzanne Cumiskey, Economic Development Manager at Perth & Kinross Council, and David Smythe, Chair of the Perthshire Tourism Partnership, rounded off the visit, with an update over a picnic lunch on another solution in development, an illustrated map and visitor guide aimed at dispersing tourism across the Dynamo region in a responsible and sustainable way.
Becca Vincent, the GrowBiz coordinator for the project said: "The European delegates really enjoyed their glimpse into rural Perth and Kinross and we were proud to show them some of the amazing work and innovative ideas we have in our region.”
The next phase of the project will see further development of the solutions that have been identified for Dynamo 4, and members of the GrowBiz team who are working on the project taking a peer-to-peer trip of their own to Zagori, Greece.
ENDS
Notes for Editors
GrowBiz Scotland is a community-led enterprise support organisation for rural Scotland, based in Perth & Kinross. It is part-funded by Perth and Kinross Council, Cairngorms National Park Authority and the Scottish Government. Find out more at www.growbiz.co.uk
Great Perthshire is the Regional Food Group for Perth & Kinross, which is facilitated by GrowBiz. More information can be found at www.greatperthshire.com
Perthshire Artisans is a creative collective founded by GrowBiz Scotland as a way to support small creative businesses. It is run on a not-for-profit basis. More information can be found on the website https://www.perthshire-artisans.scot
The RURACTIVE project is a European project, funded by the European Commission and United Kingdom Research & Innovation, which aims to create better connected, prosperous, resilient and strong rural communities. More information can be found at www.growbiz.co.uk/ruractive
The James Hutton Institute is a world‑leading interdisciplinary scientific research organisation delivering excellent, open and trusted science to help secure the future for people, nature and the economy. Through multidisciplinary research spanning land, crops, water and natural resources, the Hutton delivers measurable public good by supporting sustainable land use, climate resilience, food security and community wellbeing in Scotland and across the globe. Their work—from laboratories to landscape‑scale living labs—helps society respond to the climate and nature crises while strengthening rural communities and resilient economies. They undertake research for clients including the Scottish and UK Governments, the EU and international partners. They employ just under 500 staff, support around 100 PhD students, and have campuses in Aberdeen and Invergowrie, near Dundee. Named after the pioneering 18th‑century Scottish Enlightenment scientist James Hutton, whose ideas laid the foundations of earth systems science through his understanding of deep time, cycles and the interconnectedness of natural processes, they continue his legacy of integrative, evidence‑led thinking. More information at https://www.hutton.ac.uk