Rural Innovator Awards: Voting Now Open!

Our Rent to Buy Scheme is one of four projects who have been nominated for a Rural Innovators Award under the Housing category.

A selection of our RTB projects around the Highlands.

Our spokesperson Ronnie MacRae has said “We are delighted that our Rent to Buy Scheme has been nominated in the Rural Innovator Awards 2016. The main benefits of the scheme is that it is viable in many communities and it is based on loan funding rather than grant funding making it work in any economic climate. As a pioneer of innovative housing models this is one of the ways in which we can help and support families and our rural communities to thrive”.

The Rural Innovator Awards are run by Scottish Rural Action and seek to recognise and showcase some of the most innovative and effective ways in which rural challenges can be addressed. It will be awarded to a project, person or organisation who is improving life in rural communities by tackling one of the priority challenges.

Other projects nominated in this category include:

• Argyll Community Housing Association
• The Highlands Small Communities Housing Trust-Rent to Buy Scheme
• SBHA- Rutherford Square
• Ulva Ferry Housing Project

Scottish Rural Action National Coordinator Emma Cooper said “We are very excited to be able to start accepting votes for the Rural Innovators Awards. Some incredible and inspiring projects were nominated for the awards in this category and shortlisting was a challenging task. We would encourage people to have a look at the shortlisted projects on our website and choose the project they find most innovative and inspiring. The awards will be presented at the Scottish Rural Parliament in Brechin”

You can vote online at http://www.scottishruralparliament.org.uk/get-involved/ria-2015-16/

Voting closes at midnight on the 18th September 2016.

Winners will receive a paid-for place at the Scottish Rural Parliament 2016 on 6-8th October 2016 taking place at Brechin Community Campus in Angus and will have the opportunity to present their project to delegates.