Community Shares Practitioner Meet-up (Highlands, Scotland)

This free event is open to all practitioners and those who work in an advisory capacity, interested in hearing more about community shares in Scotland.

The day will hosted across two venues: Ekopia in Findhorn and Loch Ness Hub in Drumnadrochit. We will hear from three societies at different stages of their community shares adventures, with a broad theme around community-led tourism. 

We will be arranging carpooling or shared transport from Inverness on the Friday morning. 

Agenda

• 8am: Depart from Inverness (exact location TBC)
• 9am: Arrival, presentations and tour of Ekopia

Ekopia Social Investements have been operating in Moray since 2001. They have raised over £2 million in community shares and have over 300 members. Their projects include affordable housing, renewables schemes, a business park, shop and cafe and most recently, a community arts centre. 

• 12pm: Lunch at the Phoenix Café and Bar and networking
• 1pm: Travel to Drumnadrochit
• 2.30pm: Presentations from Loch Ness Hub and Glengarry Community Woodlands

Loch Ness Hub work alongside the Glen Urquhart Rural Community Association. They raised £110,000 in community shares in 2020 to take over the visitor centre in the village. They now run the tourist information centre, a baggage transfer business and an active travel hub for the Great Glen Way. 

Glengarry Community Woodlands established in 2016 to take ownership of their local woodlands. They recently raised £279,000 in community shares to develop their eco-tourism business to create a sustainable income source for the Development Trust to continue developing woodland crofts and affordable housing. 

• 4.30pm: Wrap up and return to Inverness for central belt trains departing at 5.26pm.

Venues

Ekopia, Findhorn Hive

The Park, Findhorn, Moray, IV36 3SH

Loch Ness Hub

Visitor Information Centre, Village Car Park, Drumnadrochit, IV63 6TX

Getting there

You are welcome to make your way directly to the venues or take public transport to Inverness where we will arrange shared transport. 

Accommodation 

The team will be staying in Inverness on the Thursday night before and any attendees are welcome to join us. We are hosting this in the shoulder tourist season so accommodation and transport should be more affordable.

Registration is mandatory for this event so we can manage numbers and transport.

This event is free to attend. If you have any questions about the event, please contact Isla McCulloch, [email protected].