Good news for Kintyre!

Opportunity Kintyre (OK) are pleased to announce that as their pilot period comes to an end, they have been able to extend their Enterprise Facilitator's contract and secure her services to continue the grass-roots economic development project.

Since March 2007, Lynn Hammal, supported by over fifty panel members drawn from all parts of the Kintyre community, has been very effective in helping individuals turn the ideas they are passionate about into business reality.

Speaking at one of the regular panel meetings earlier this week, Funky Chicken businesswoman Lori Silvan said:

"Since I have been involved with Opportunity Kintyre as a client and a panel member, I have grown in confidence and inspiration and made useful contacts, both for my business and personally. In this time of economic instability, Opportunity Kintyre offers a beacon of hope for local people to rely on their own ideas and skills which could enhance our local community."

After announcing the extension, Chairperson Morag Duff commented:

"It's fantastic! I am really excited about Opportunity Kintyre, as we move forward into 2009 and beyond. Lynn's contract has been extended to secure her services for the great work she has been doing with businesses throughout Kintyre over the last two years. Together we can make Kintyre an even better place to live, work and play. A big thank you to all the panel members without whose support this organisation would not work."

To date, OK has assisted 8 new businesses to start up, 2 to expand and 4 to stay running. This equates to an estimated £167,110 in new sales to the area and £401,500 inward capital investment in Kintyre. 23 jobs have been created or retained, which is good going for a sparsely populated rural region.

If there are any people who would like to get involved, either as a client who needs help or as a local creative person who has enthusiasm and skills to offer, they are invited to get in touch on this the web site - "Your local community needs people like you!".

Watering Can success - "We're open for Business!"

The Watering Can is beautifully finished, inside and out, and is filled with irresistible home baking aromas and great gift ideas! Peter & Margaret Sinclair with Eilidh & Kenny McClellan make up the Watering Can team.

The coffee shop at Glenbarr Nursery "The Watering Can" is open for business. Completed by Peter Sinclair and his family towards the end of last year, it is already enjoying a roaring trade. Quality meals, often using Peter's own produce from Glenbarr Nurseries, and excellent baking, mean that the tearoom is hugely popular with visitors and locals.

Although Peter had widely researched the project before going ahead, even he was impressed with OK's support when he and his daughter, Eilidh McClellan engaged the services of Opportunity Kintyre to develop plans for expanding his family business to add more products and a coffee & farm shop. He revealed,

"[OK] did a great job for us in the early stages of the project with words of wisdom and advice... The people the panel suggested [to complete our market research were] very useful too, first to have a chat and then to listen to their experiences and get questions answered on various points."

Peter Sinclair has been a member of Opportunity Kintyre since its inception and added that he would be more than happy to speak to prospective clients to outline the benefits of the OK approach in developing local businesses.

Opportunity Kintyre wishes Peter, Eilidh and all the family every success with their new venture.

Said Maureen Johnson, a panel member from Campbeltown after a recent trip to Glenbarr,

"It's beautifully designed, with a sheltered patio for alfresco eating… The Watering Can is well worth a visit!"

And there's more: Peter also stocks a wide range of local arts and crafts and customers can enjoy browsing when they visit. Some of the artists are OK clients as well. A further venture is in the pipeline and Peter's Farm Shop will be opening in the Spring. So, watch this space....

Morag Duff heads up the Social Accounting team

Elected as Chairperson at OK's AGM on 16th. December, Morag Duff is heading up a team of four to implement our Social Accounting plan.

There is a lot more value in the work that organisations like Opportunity Kintyre do than can be expressed simply in terms of money. Social Accounting provides a structured view of the aims and values of an organisation, presenting them in a form comparable to "normal" accounts.

This year, OK is compiling its first set of Social Accounts to be published alongside its yearly Financial Accounts. The implementation team have been trained by, and continue to be mentored by, the Social Audit Network. Before they are published, the Social Accounts will be auditted under the auspices of the same organisation.

OK's directors (Morag Duff, Chairperson; Pamela Galbraith; Archie Macmillan; Katherine McGlynn; Isobel Murphy, Secretary; Trevor Oxborrow, Vice-chair; Rob Reid, Treasurer; Lori Silvan; Mary Turner) are convinced of the added value that Social Accounting gives to community-based organisations like Opportunity Kintyre.

Got a business idea? Not sure of how to get started?

If you'd like to explore your business ideas in confidence, call Lynn (Enterprise Facilitator) on 07901 550 928. New members are always welcome - send an enquiry today to get more information about joining.