MORE than £2 million has been committed to 58 rural community and business projects as part of the Forth Valley and Lomond LEADER programme.

The LEADER programme aims to help innovative, locally driven, bottom-up projects that will support the local community and develop the rural economy.

The key objectives and successes for Forth Valley and Lomond LEADER have included the creation of new quality jobs; the safeguarding of jobs; setting up new businesses and the creation of new product.