Scottish Rural Leadership Programme

The most recent Rural Leaders' In Conversation event was hosted by Fergus and Alison Younger at Old Leckie Farm. Close to 30 people gathered to hear about the family farming and diversified business, its enterprises comprising of sheep, cattle and laying hens.
 
The Youngers sell meat and eggs direct, have a holiday let and run farm tours with food from their kitchen table.
 
The podcast is a recording of the conversations captured on the farm walk, it is open, honest and full of wisdom. 

Alana has a Bachelor of Communications – Public Relations and is the Communications Manager (Press and Media) for Food Standards Scotland, the public sector food body for Scotland.
 
An Aussie-lass with Scottish family roots, she decided to move to Aberdeenshire after spending time working on the Rural Youth Project and with the team at Jane Craigie Marketing.
 
When not at work, she spends her mornings, afternoons, and weekends as a professional gate opener, relief milker, and bucket filler on her husband’s organic dairy farm.
 
She is a Trustee of the Royal Highland Education Trust, a member of the Project Board for Inclusive Farm and part of the management committee for Women in Ag Scotland.
 
In this short podcast, we find out more about her transition from Australia to Scotland – be prepared to smile throughout. 

Our podcast this month comes live from the Royal Highland Show, where we caught up with Julian Pace and Julia Latto about the history of the Scottish Rural Leadership Programme and its positive impact on rural communities, as well as speaking to six Rural Leaders to find out about their journey.

Our thanks go to Ben Mardall, Donald Paterson, Caroline Hamilton, David Allison, Clare Dickson and Kevin Lesser for joining us. 

Our podcast this month comes from the Scottish Borders, speaking to Denise Walton during our recent visit. We find out more about their focus on biodiversity, regenerative agriculture, and pasture-for-life cattle, with their own on-site butchery. Why not pop your headphones on and head out for a walk as you listen, this one is sure to get you in the mood for the Scottish countryside. 

The Rural Leadership programme brings together a diverse range of people and businesses, with a shared passion for rural Scotland. Our next podcast speakers to Keith Mcelrea who runs a pharmacy business in Dumfries and Galloway. During this very honest conversation, he talks about some of the challenges he has faced, solutions identified, shared learning, and how one of his pharmacies is at the fore of cutting-edge technology. 

Catriona (Katy) Caie, was part of the 2022/23 cohort of Rural Leaders. A former army major, a keen horsewoman and a coach who wants people to be the best version of themselves, to achieve their dreams and live a fulfilled, holistic and unrestricted life. Here is an open, uplifting and extremely open conversation between Katy and Jane Craigie.  

Caroline Millar has been a champion for Scotland’s agritourism sector linking the beauty of place, strong storytelling and food. She and her husband, Ross, run a farm at the foot of the Sidlaw Hills, they run a luxury tourism business, The Hideaway Experience, focused on secluded breaks for couples.  

Caroline is forthright, she digs in, she gets things done. Over ten years she has expended “blood, sweat and tears” – with key people in the public sector, including Scottish Enterprise’s Julian Pace and Riddell Graham from VisitScotland – to put Agritourism on the map and into the Scottish Government’s manifesto. 

She is a Nuffield Scholar and has built an international perspective and network – she says that the knowledge that she has gained has given her confidence – and support. 

This is a precious insight into tenacious and effective leadership – and the highs and lows of the journey. The importance of people and the understanding that others don’t keep apace with your own ambition.  

Keesje has her heart and life centred on food and the environment, she works for Ricardo Energy & Environment as a consultant in sustainable land use, climate change and farming. 

Keesje and her family also run Burmieston, which she describes as a place to stop and learn - 'the kind of place where you can find a lot of space and a little bit of peace.'

Keesje talks about her joyous experience at the Oxford Farming Conference, and, the game that she played to overcome her nervousness of networking after years of lockdown. 

This is warm, uplifting and life-affirming listening. 

This episode is a recording of a speech given by Ryan at the Welcome Event for the 2022/3 Rural Leadership Programme. 

Ryan has always wanted to do something that makes a difference. He is the Military Matters Manager at Housing Options Scotland, a role that sees him support Armed Forces veterans and service personnel so they can find the right home.  

His compassion for helping others is inspirational, and when you hear his own personal story, you will understand why it means so much to him. Ryan was an excellent sportsman before contracting Lymes disease which changed his mobility to a lifelong wheelchair user. Not only did he have to re-think his career, but he also had to find the strength and positivity to rethink his future.  

In this episode, Jane Craigie caught up with Sascha Grierson who wears three hats, she works for SAC Consulting where she heads up the Scottish Farm Business Survey, is involved in the family’s organic farm and she consults on the diversification of rural businesses.

In this honest conversation about life, family farming and business, Sascha talks about the importance of diversifying your thinking, your business and yourself – she says that she is in her third iteration of herself! She also talks about working in a family business and how and when to use your ego.