Land based businesses in Aberdeenshire urges to apply for training funds

The Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) is reminding land based businesses in Aberdeenshire that money is still available to help with staff training.

The CNPA, with support from the European Social Fund (ESF), has around £68,000 to give to businesses in the area towards the cost of various types of training but especially relating to health and safety issues and courses on the use and maintenance of machinery, equipment and vehicles.

Those working on estates, farms, crofts, forests, nurseries - in fact any business related to the management or use of the land - can apply to this scheme, which will part-fund a variety of training solutions.

The Land Based Business Training project is a Park-wide initiative and over 30 businesses in the Cairngorms National Park have benefited so far, adding up to over 250 individuals. Courses organised to date have ranged from ATV driving and Deerstalkers Certificate to Fire Fighting, Chainsaws, Pesticides and Team Motivation.

Furthermore, full funding is provided for courses that focus on delivering "public benefits" such as access legislation, awareness of disability, Cairngorms wildlife and geography and the management of water margins.

Kate Christie, Land Based Business Project Manager for the CNPA said: "Land based businesses are important to the economy of the Cairngorms National Park and training can help to make these businesses more competitive, adaptable and efficient.

"There is still lots of money in the pot for land based businesses in the Aberdeenshire area to help them fund training for staff and I would urge people to get in touch as soon as possible."

Invercauld Estate in Deeside has already accessed financial support for training from the scheme. Simon Blackett, Estate Factor said: "Invercauld Estates has been committed to the ongoing training of staff throughout the organisation for many years, having signed up to the Investors in People initiative some time ago.

"We think that the Cairngorms National Park Authority's Land Based Business Training project is excellent, helping to fund various courses but also encouraging estates and businesses to work together to pool resources, provide viable course numbers, exchanging information and so on. I can recommend the initiative to all land based businesses, whatever the nature of that business may be."

For more information on the project and how to access the funding, contact Kate Christie on tel: 01479 870535 or email: katechristie@cairngorms.co.uk