GrowBiz exhibits at rural parly in Stranraer

Perthshire-based enterprise support organisation GrowBiz is exhibiting and contributing to a workshop on creative care at the Rural Parliament meeting in Stranraer this week.

The Scottish Rural Parliament is organised by Scottish Rural Action and brings together people from rural communities with decision-makers. Participants examine a wide-range of issues affecting rural communities through a series of workshops and events and make recommendations for change.

The theme of this month’s event, which takes place from Wednesday, November 14 to Friday, November 16 and is free for people from community organisations to attend, is‘taking action’.

The Scottish Government’s minister for rural affairs and the natural environment, Mairi Gougeon, will give the keynote speech at the opening of the three-day long event, and Michael Russell, the Scottish Government’s cabinet secretary for government business and constitutional relations, will deliver the closing session.

The Creative Care project, which is run by GrowBiz and was short-listed in the building rural communities category of the Rural Innovators Awards last month, will be the focus of a workshop on delivering social care for Scotland, run in collaboration with the Scottish Islands Federation.

The session will look at how the innovative Creative Care project is addressing the needs of a growing older population in rural communities, ensuring that everyone gets the care they need.

GrowBiz CEO Jackie Brierton is looking forward to the event.

She said:“It’s been a busy six months for GrowBiz – we’ve facilitated more than 60 events for entrepreneurs at all stages in their business journey in rural Perth and Kinross.

“We think that is something worth celebrating and what better way to do that than at the Rural Parliament, which is taking place during the annual Global Entrepreneurship Week celebrations.”

Global Entrepreneurship Week is run by the Global Entrepreneurship Network which has helped millions of people set up and develop new businesses.

Organisers say that around 35,000 events and competitions will take place during this year’s Global Entreprenuership Week, connecting nearly 10 million participants to potential collaborators, mentors and investors.

Jackie added:“This year, the four themes of Global Entreprenuership Week are women, youth inclusion and eco-systems, all of which GrowBiz embraces on a day to day basis.

“We know that women in particular can be a catalyst for huge economic growth in rural areas and young people are also very important to the potential of rural economies.

“At GrowBiz we pride ourselves on providing a professional and inclusive service working with businesses of all sizes and in all sectors.”

For further information on GrowBiz, please see the website go to www. growbiz.co.uk