A new organisation has been formed to cultivate links between Lochaber businesses and the local community.

The Lochaber Business Support Group has been set up by Scottish Business in the Community (SBC) in partnership with Lochaber Enterprise with the aim of encouraging businesses and communities to form positive and productive relationships.

There are already 13 support groups in the central belt and this latest Highland addition, which will be managed locally by new recruit Judy O'Rourke, is part of Edinburgh-based SBC's move to expand into more rural areas. 

The support group is composed of representatives from business and public agencies in the Lochaber area.  The group's chair, Paul Henning from Alcan, explains how both the community and businesses will benefit from the arrangement. 

He said:  "The group aims to make available the assistance, advice and expertise of the business community to support the social inclusion agenda and promote area regeneration.  We aim to do this by working alongside the local initiatives already in place and in support of them.  The community gets access to resources and expertise locally, and businesses get the chance to engage in active citizenship, build links with the community and other businesses and increase their knowledge on the issues which affect the area in which they operate.

"The appointment of Judy as a manager will help to focus the group's efforts as she will work directly with businesses and local and national bodies to bring community issues to the fore."

Ms O'Rourke will be based in the Alcan offices in Fort William and hopes to encourage Lochaber businesses to extend their community involvement and help address the social and economic needs of the local area.

She said:  "The role of Lochaber Business Support Group will be to broker collaboration between individual businesses and community organisations, large or small, to their mutual benefit. But first we need to establish current activity as, many local businesses already invest resources in community based initiatives which are fully supported by the group. 

"Our aim is to work alongside these initiatives and develop links that are weak.  A few early ideas are being considered in the field of IT and health.  I'm gathering background information to bring to the Strategy Meeting in February where the local group members can share their knowledge and establish a focus for the initiative.

"Business people have much hard won experience and understanding, a little of which in the right place at the right time can save a lot of time and money."

This is a three-year project with a total project cost of £99,200.  Lochaber Enterprise has contributed £37,150, with the remaining funding coming from Highland Primary Care NHS Trust and the Scottish Executive Rural Challenge Fund.  Alcan has provided office premises as an in-kind contribution.

Charlotte Wright, acting chief executive of Lochaber Enterprise, said:  "Support groups are an effective way of engaging businesses in the social and economic regeneration issues in a community.  This is a valuable project, as it will help develop community strengths in the Lochaber area and promote the exchange of knowledge and skills to the benefit of all members."