Latest news with #SOSE
The National
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The National
Mel Gibson shows interest in Scottish producer's historic film
Sutherland met the Braveheart star in Ireland last weekend when he was celebrating the 30th anniversary of the movie to talk about her plans to make the film. She has offered him first look at the project and now intends to travel to Italy to secure an Italian co-producer as the screenplays are set at the time of the fall of the Roman Empire. Sutherland has also been invited to meet the Irish delegation attending the Edinburgh Film Festival from Limerick to see if there is a match with them to become involved. Niall Of The Nine Hostages is a passion project by the long-time film producer, whose film Red Rose about the life of Robert Burns gained several film festival awards and went on to be translated into 12 different languages across Europe by HBO as well as being screened in Mandarin on Chinese TV. READ MORE: 'Vital' mental health art exhibition at risk due to funding cuts Sutherland's extensive track record as a producer extends to 23 independent feature films under the banner of Palm Tree Films who she worked for as an employee director for more than 20 years. She has also directed two films and written six screenplays, including Red Rose which saw Rebecca Palmer win best actress at the Monaco Film Festival in 2004. Red Rose was made without any funding from Scottish Screen (now Screen Scotland) as Sutherland was turned down 'point blank' when she approached the organisation in 2003. However, she is hopeful she will get funding to develop her new film. Her company, Sans Peur Productions Ltd, based in Dumfries and Galloway has already received a small grant for equipment from South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE) to base filming in the region for its projects. 'The only problem with SOSE is that the next stage of company development does not exist in that they have large grants for companies creating manufacturing to employ lots of people but not structured grants for small businesses,' she said. Sutherland said it would help if Screen Scotland were to implement a surgery-style approach for filmmakers. 'For example, I got, and still can get, coaching sessions with SOSE who gave me advice on not just the grants they had but also on things I should aim for to grow my business,' she said. 'They have regular meetings on all sorts of subjects that are easily accessed.' Niall of the Nine Hostages, was a legendary, semi-historical Irish king who was the ancestor of the Ui Neill dynasties that dominated Ireland from the sixth to the 10th centuries. Legend has it that Niall made war in Europe as far as the Alps, and the Romans send an ambassador to parlay with him. He is also believed to have carried out raids on England, Wales and Scotland with much of the action taking place along Hadrian's wall. 'While Niall fought the Romans in the Kingdom of Brittany it seems Italy as well as Ireland are the places to check out cultural and financial opportunities,' said Sutherland. READ MORE: Isle of Raasay Marsala whisky review: 6 things you'll taste in the glass 'And since Dumfries and Galloway and the Borders are close to Hadrian's wall, where some of the action in Niall Of The Nine Hostages takes place, it seems fitting that the Scottish production base should be in that region of Scotland for now.' Mairi made an extensive location visit to Donegal in Ireland last year, when she visited the legendary historical site Greenan of Aichlech, the seat of the sons of Niall of the Nine hostages. If all goes to plan, a second production base in Ireland would be set up, pending further funding applications.
Scotsman
08-08-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Dumfries and Galloway College boosted by new SOSE investment to help tackle digital poverty
Dumfries and Galloway College (DGC) is proud to announce it has taken a significant step forward in addressing digital poverty and empowering student innovation, thanks to a £50,000 investment from South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE). Sign up to our Scotsman Money newsletter, covering all you need to know to help manage your money. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The funding has enabled the college to deliver a major upgrade to its wireless infrastructure and invest in a new range of modern laptops, boosting digital inclusion and enhancing learning opportunities for students across both the Dumfries and Stranraer campuses. These devices will be available to students to support their learning, drive innovation projects and explore entrepreneurial ventures. By equipping learners with the tools they need to succeed, the college aims to foster confidence, creativity and develop skillsets that align with regional and national ambitions for economic growth. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad At the same time, the upgraded Wi-Fi access points have significantly improved campus-wide connectivity, ensuring students will benefit from a digitally secure and reliable learning environment. This is particularly vital for students from rural or lower-income backgrounds, where access to high-quality digital resources can often be a barrier to success. Douglas Dickson, Principal and CEO, Dumfries and Galloway College Kirstie Scrimgeour, Entrepreneurship Lead at SOSE, said: 'SOSE is delighted to support Dumfries and Galloway College with this digital inclusion and entrepreneurial development project. 'This assistance came from our Pathways programme, which is a Scottish Government-funded pilot supporting the ambitions of new and under-represented founders across the South of Scotland. 'Pathways provided specialist coaching to 269 existing or prospective business founders across the South in 2024/2025 to help kick-start their business ideas and build business confidence. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'SOSE is continuing its efforts to work with all of our region's colleges to deliver more entrepreneurial activity this year as part of the Pathways Programme.' Douglas Dickson, Principal and CEO, Dumfries and Galloway College, said: 'We are grateful to South of Scotland Enterprise for this valuable investment. By improving our digital infrastructure and providing students with access to modern laptops, we are tackling digital poverty head-on and creating an inclusive, future-focused learning environment. 'These resources will support our students not only in their day-to-day studies, but also in developing entrepreneurial skills, testing new ideas and contributing to the economic future of the South of Scotland.'
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Scotland's Borders Region Closer to Getting Mountain Biking Innovation Center
Scotland's Borders Region Closer to Getting Mountain Biking Innovation Center originally appeared on BikeMag. The South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE) has announced plans for a Mountain Bike Innovation Center in Innerleithen that could create more than 400 jobs in the Borders region over the next decade. The multi-million pound center will require the razing of a textile mill building that dates 1788–one of Scotland's oldest industrial buildings still standing. Newer buildings had been added to the site over the centuries, and it was last used in 2011 and has been vacant since. The center will offer design and classroom space for UK and international businesses to create and showcase new mountain biking products in the 'heart of the UK's leading mountain biking destination,' SOSE said. It would also work closely with Edinburgh Napier University, which already has a robust mountain biking program. 'This is another important step forward for the Mountain Bike Innovation Centre project,' said SOSE Chair Russel Griggs, OBE. 'If planning permission is received, the new facility will allow high-value jobs to come to the South of Scotland, maximising the value of mountain biking to the area by getting more products and services designed and made here.' The SOSE has submitted a planning application for approval, and if green-lighted, the center could be operating on the site by 2027. Hope to convert the Caerlee Mill into a modern facility evaporated once structural issues and costs were determined to be prohibitive. The building would be demolished and a new center will be built on the grounds once the proposal is approved. The estimated £19 million ($25.6 million) innovation center will see Scottish, UK and international bike companies develop new mountain bikes and products. Funding is coming from the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal, a UK government program that supports economic growth and opportunities. £4 million of that total will be used for the Tweed Valley Adventure Bike Park and Trail Lab. According to the SOSE, the mountain bike innovation center is predicted to create £138 million in gross-value-added revenue and create 400 jobs in the next 10 years. It will also host cycling-related academics and research by Edinburgh Napier University. The university is already active in supporting mountain biking development and health research in the region, and hosts the Mountain Bike Centre Scotland. The university is currently hiring for a Mountain Bike Innovation Centre consultant role to interact with the region's growing mountain biking economy. 'The new Mountain Bike Innovation Centre will offer a host of opportunities to make a positive difference to the Scottish cycling sector,' said Professor Nazira Karodia, Deputy Vice Chancellor at Edinburgh Napier University. 'We are pleased to see this latest step in its journey. Edinburgh Napier University has a strong track record of cycling research, innovation and collaboration, and this facility will significantly enhance our capability in these areas. We will continue to work closely with partners to help deliver a leading centre.' This story was originally reported by BikeMag on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
Daily Record
20-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Partnership receives new funding from South of Scotland Enterprise
The Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Partnership has received a new funding package from South of Scotland Enterprise. The funding will help support a number of projects, including boosting efforts to restore nature at a landscape scale and a red squirrel conservation scheme. The partnership is aiming to deliver new pilot projects that contribute to the Scottish Government's net zero and biodiversity strategies, as well as continue its programme of community and sustainable business development – such as the biosphere certification mark and biosphere communities programme. Chairman of the partnership's board of trustees, John Thomson, said: 'The funding we are acknowledging will help to power the UNESCO biosphere through a critical time. 'We recognise the tight budgetary constraints currently facing both the public and third sectors and against that background are greatly encouraged that South of Scotland Enterprise continues to recognise through its funding support the diverse benefits that UNESCO designation and the GSAB Partnership's activities bring to the region. 'Beyond funding, SOSE has championed the UNESCO biosphere as a driver of investment in South Scotland through sustainable business and tourism, and as a key protection for the natural and cultural heritage on which this depends.' The biosphere partnership also receives core funding from Dumfries and Galloway, South Ayrshire and East Ayrshire Councils and as a registered Scottish charity also raises funds from grants, donations and legacies. A previous funding award from SOSE in 2020 allowed the partnership to raise the area's profile through programme such as the Heart of the Biosphere documentary and Merrick Scottish Blackface Knitwear. South of Scotland Enterprise chairman, Russel Griggs OBE, said: 'We are delighted to be one of the funders supporting the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere, a proven asset for the region and one with huge potential still to be explored. 'We are particularly excited for the next phase of the biosphere's work in net zero and nature recovery as part of Scotland's Natural Capital Innovation Zone, which brings such immense scope for progress not only in policy and strategy but for grassroots action through which the whole of the South can truly thrive.' Biosphere director, Ed Forrest, added: 'The support of SOSE both as a funder and as partner in the development and delivery of shared objectives within the UNESCO biosphere will be transformative in empowering our delivery programme, particularly with the renewed focus on natural capital and nature recovery. 'The value of working in partnership with the public sector, businesses, landowners and communities is integral to achieving success in our pursuit of a better future for people and nature in our UNESCO biosphere.'
Daily Record
23-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
South of Scotland Enterprise officials claim agency has created and supported 10,000 jobs
The enterprise agency was officially launched in April 2020, with grants of more than £50million provided to businesses in that time. Officials at South of Scotland Enterprise claim they have helped create and support 10,000 jobs since the body was established five years ago. The enterprise agency was officially launched in April 2020 in a bid to boost inclusive growth across Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders. And in its first five years, it's claimed it has provided grants of more than £50million to 800 businesses, with every £1 it invests resulting in more than £5 being invested in the region. SOSE chairman, Professor Russel Griggs OBE, said: 'When we launched, we made a promise to the people of the south of Scotland that we would be bold, different, ambitious and would listen. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. "We are proud of the support we have provided – from Covid-19 support to creation and safeguarding of jobs to development of entrepreneurship and innovation – and believe it highlights the importance of the south having its own dedicated enterprise agency. 'Moving forward, we will ensure we are adaptive, forward thinking, innovative and responsive to the needs of our fantastic region.' SOSE also believes it has created or safeguarded around 10,000 jobs and helped distribute more than £26million during the coronavirus pandemic. A total of 626 businesses, social enterprises and community groups were supported, with nearly 90 per cent still operating. Scotland's First Minister, John Swinney, said: 'The Scottish Government is proud to support SOSE's efforts and I look forward to seeing how the agency goes from strength to strength in the future.'
