[Rosemary]

Next meeting is on Wednesday 13th April at the Mayfield Centre in Stirling. The guest speaker is Sandy Slater from Business Gateway, who will be speaking about help available to small businesses, including Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP). With the current recession, we hope that Sandy will be able to help and encourage smallholders to realise an income from their land, enterprises and expertise. As a major supermarket chain says, every little helps 

Attendance is free to members (donations for refreshments welcome) and £5 for non-members. You can join on the night for £10 and avoid the charge 

Tea, coffee and home baking and a bit of chat as well.

Look forward to seeing old and new members and maybe some new faces 

[HappyHippy]

What time is it at Rosemary ?
I'd love to come along (maybe drag Bruce too) but need to try and arrange a cage childminder   

[doganjo]

7.30 Karen - would love to see you both there.  I have a few large dog cages - drop the kids off here, we'll stick them in with the dogs, then we can go to Stirling together.

[HappyHippy]

He he he, thanks for the offer Annie, I'm hoping my mum will take on the job 
Do you need a lift up ? I can't remember if you got your car all sorted  We can swing in past on the way if it would help ?
Oh I'm getting excited at the prospect of an evening out - best check with the mothership before I go making plans though 

[Rosemary]

It would be great if you could come, Karen (and Bruce  ) - it would be great to meet you at last!

[doganjo]

It's OK Karen, got another car, and will probably be coming with Sandy.

[HappyHippy]

It would be great if you could come, Karen (and Bruce  ) - it would be great to meet you at last!

I know ! I feel the same way lol! Finally get faces to put with the names 
My mother is being typically non-committal  So Bruce has kindly told me that if she can't watch the kids he'll stay home with them so I can come  (I'm sure there will be a price for the trade off - but hey ho  )
Directions to the Mayfield centre look fairly straightforward - so count me in for definate and I'll let you know on the day if Bruce is coming too.
Would you like me to bring some baking (I'm not bad at the ol' carrot cake muffins now ) or just turn up with a donation towards them ?
See you there ! 

[doganjo]

We usually have a lot of home bakes so just you bring yourself. x

[Rosemary]

Shameless bumping! Hope lots of you can make it 

[doganjo]

I enjoyed Sandy Slater's short talk about what Business Gateway does, and the ensuing discussions on various topics.  But perhaps he could have given more help on "how to realise an income from their land, enterprises and expertise" as you mentioned Rosemary.  Apart from what came out in the discussions and the various leaflets he left with everyone I don't think he did do that.  Perhaps I was expecting too much, and admittedly the members present represented a lot of different types of smallholding.  The folder with leaflets contained a lot of good advice and hopefully will help folk willing and with the time to read it all.