Local Origins Rural Network - LORN Sustainable living in North Argyll

Are you interested in supporting and improving our local sustainability in the Oban and North Argyll area ?

If yes then please consider helping Local Origins Rural Network.

There are plenty of things we need to be doing, but we need your help.

Some things are involved in the running of LORN, some in promoting the message and the produce, and others are technical skills you may have.

We are delighted to say that some of our posts are now being filled and we look forward to hearing from more of you with your own special skills and talents.

Our AGM is coming up fast -- Saturday 5th February 2011 -- and we are delighted to say we have the following Committee posts and volunteers so far.

• Chair : Cath Thomson
• Secretary : Jill Bowis
• Treasurer : Steven Greener
• Membership Secretary : Varinia Greener
• Market Organiser : Tim Bowis
• Development Officer : John Connolly
• Marketing : Website : Janice Stewart
• Marketing : Promotional materials : Louise Macbrayne
• Crafts Liason : Ada Daly
• Constitution and Legal : Corryne MacLean

• We still have plenty more work to offer any volunteers, whether you take on a specific role, or just help everyone else.
• Press promotions - there are lots of stories, events, and information that LORN members and supporters could be sharing in our local press but we need someone who can find them and write them up appropriately.
• Website technology - Drupal - this site is run on Drupal - if there is anyone who can help us learn more of how this works to get the best out of it for LORN, you will be welcome.
• Local Business Forum : to organise the regular local business forum meetings - arrange topics and talks, let folks know what is happening
• Special Market events : helping to organise the MEGA Markets -- Spring Fayre - Woolfest - 3rd Birthday - Apple Day - Children in Need - Christmas Fayres
• Social networking - LORN now has a Facebook and Twitter presence, again, there is plenty to share, but we need help in making best use of these, and encouraging members to get involved.
• Schools - both Farm to Plate and Traditional Skills are important lessons for the next generation to learn, it would be great to emulate the work of the Royal Highland Education Trust and others in this area, as well as developing our new relationships with initiatives like the Crofting Connections with the primary schools in the area.
• Fundraising - working on our business plan and researching and completing fundraising applications. There is a lot of money out there that our community and our members could be benefitting from.
• Newsletter Editor - despite all the online means for people to find us, our Friends and supporters have enjoyed the newsletters - we need someone to put together something every season to keep our friends in the community informed, engaged and interested.
• Recruitment - we have a strong business membership, but we need more, the more of us are working together, the better the network becomes at effecting powerful change in our local economy.
• Community CoordinatorAs we develop all our community activities it would be great to have someone who is able to steer growing connections and facilitate the ideas.
• Islands Liaison someone who has good knowledge of the extra issues involved with living on our local islands to ensure that this perspective is never lost.
• Skills Liaison liasing with the skills business members : theraputic, practical and technical to bring to the networks attention any relevant issues, as well as creating connections between appropriate outside networks and organisations to benefit our community.
• Food Liaison - liasing with all the food businesses - from land and sea to plate, collating food regulations, developing the opportunities, connect with local and national organisations.
• Farming Liaison liasing with farm businesses - there is massive change in the offing in agriculture, there is plenty to work on - training, diversification, finance, welfare; developing strong communication with all relevant organisations.
• Events Coordinator - the stalls can be taken to other events, like the Games and the Agricultural Shows, but these need to be organised well in advance, and then coordinated through the summer
• Share what you know - or find out - - as you rumble around the internet, or read the newsletters from your specific interest groups - let the rest of us know what is going on - the LORN community site has plenty of topic groups to share information

  If you can think of any other ways you can help -- you will be most welcome !
  This is not an exhaustive list, and as we grow in our breadth of Sustainable Community activities there will be plenty of opportunities to share your expertise to help us all.