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Rural businesses across Stirling will continue to benefit from dedicated support after Stirling Council confirmed funding to extend the Rural Business Support Adviser role for at least another year. Delivered by STEP, the service provides one-to-one advice, funding guidance and practical support to help rural enterprises grow, diversify and build resilience.
Supporting Rural Businesses Across Stirling
The Rural Business Support Adviser role is a vital resource for rural enterprises, particularly in areas facing isolation and geographical spread, where many businesses are small-scale or run by sole traders. The Rural Business Support Adviser offers tailored business mentoring, guidance on accessing grants and funding and support across key rural sectors including agriculture, tourism and food production. Rural workshops, events and networking opportunities also help strengthen local businesses and build long-term resilience.
In the year preceding the funding extension, our Rural Business Support Adviser Traci Titterington supported 191 rural businesses including 32 new businesses start-ups. Traci’s support consisted of 889 business interactions across phone calls, one-on-one appointments and emails. Alongside this, Traci also hosted 25 rural events to support learning and networking throughout rural business communities.
Feedback from local business owners has been overwhelmingly positive, with one rural support survey participant noting, “I feel like I’ve seen more effort to get out and see us rural businesses. It’s also nice knowing Traci is on the other end of the phone if we need her.”
Upon receiving news of the role’s renewal, Traci said, “I’m really pleased that the Rural Business Support Adviser role has been renewed for another year. Rural businesses are vital to our local economy, but often face unique challenges, so it’s incredibly rewarding to support them and help connect them with the right advice and opportunities. I look forward to continuing this work across Stirling over the coming year.”
A Stirling Council spokesperson said: “We’re delighted that rural businesses across Stirling will continue to benefit from bespoke advice and guidance thanks to the work of STEP. Our rural communities require support for circumstances unique to them and local businesses in these areas are no different. We look forward to seeing more enterprises continue to thrive with Traci’s incredibly valuable support.”
Businesses across Stirling looking for support can contact our Rural Business Support Adviser Traci via the STEP Business Support website , email Ttitterington@stepscotland.co.uk or phone 01786 476 712.
Details of upcoming rural events, including monthly rural networking sessions and workshops are also available through the STEP Scotland Eventbrite page.
You can also experience a ‘Day in The Life’ of our Rural Business Support Adviser Traci on our TikTok channel.
About STEP Scotland
STEP provides advice, guidance and practical support to businesses across Stirling and surrounding rural areas. We help local enterprises start, grow and succeed, with a focus on fostering sustainable economic growth and supporting the unique needs of rural businesses.
