Community transport project launched
THE LAUNCH of Argyll Food Producers’ project to develop and pilot a unique community transport scheme was attended by an impressive range of local businesses and community representatives, during Argyll Enterprise Week’s food and drink day at the Loch Fyne Hotel.
A grant from the Prince’s Countryside Fund will allow Argyll Food Producers to create a communications network that raises awareness of the availability of transport between communities.
The system will mainly operate on an ad hoc basis co-ordinated initially by a telephone helpline with the development of an app or similar knowledge transfer platform being explored.
The Prince’s Countryside Fund will provide funding to recruit and employ a project manager and provide the resources to build on the survey work that has been supported by Argyll and Bute Council.
This funding has been made possible thanks to the Players of People’s Postcode Lottery.
Virginia Sumsion, co-coordinator for AFP, said: ‘Argyll Food Producers are very grateful for the support received from the Prince’s Countryside Fund and People’s Postcode Lottery for this project and hope that its results will be of benefit to food producers and other transport users throughout the area.’
Argyll and the Isles landscape of sea lochs, islands, hills and glens is one of its greatest strengths but poses major problems when transporting goods and people throughout the region.
The region offers a huge range of high quality produce and it is those food producers that offer a potential solution to Argyll’s transport challenges. Both the traditional and, if feasible, digitally-based ‘peer to peer’ service delivery will link with existing transportation links, enhance community inclusion, improve access and transport links for people and lead to a signicant reduction in carbon footprint.
In an area where there is a high level of self-employment and micro-businesses, there is a one dividing line between community and business. The project will combine the needs of businesses with the needs of the community in its widest sense.
Argyll Food Producers is a co-operative organisation trading as Food from Argyll. It aims to raise the profile of Argyll and the Isles as a good food producer area and a good food destination, creating greater market opportunities for its members to assist its financial growth and business development.