Funding available for North Warwickshire-based rural businesses

The LEADER Funding Programme aimed at boosting the rural economy across the North Warwickshire and Hinckley & Bosworth area, is now calling for a new round of grant applications.

Since the launch of the LEADER programme in 2015, 10 projects have received over £162,000 of grants, with further applications currently being considered.

But new applications are now being encouraged from a number of sectors, especially those businesses involved in tourism, which can enhance the visitor offer and develop high quality services for visitors. This includes businesses involved in cultural and heritage activity. Grants for this type of project range from £2,500 to £35,000. 

Other sectors that are eligible to apply for grants include farming and forestry businesses as well as small and micro enterprises.

The deadline for outline applications is 1 May.

Iain Neville, who is the Programme Manager, said: “The 10 projects we have supported so far are all very different. We have supported a range of existing businesses to grow such as a bakery, post office and café. A new photography business has also been helped to start up, while social enterprises and registered charities have been given assistance to develop their services for children and young people in the rural area.

"The programme is funded by the European Union and therefore there is now an element of urgency to ensure the money is used before Britain leaves the EU. The Government has confirmed that it will honour all projects that have signed contracts up until the point of British exit.”

Examples of projects that have been supported so far:

The owner of the Lauren Marie Photography in Atherstone was successfully awarded a LEADER grant at the end of 2016 to start a new-born baby photography business and is delighted with what it has enabled her to do: “I have used the grant to create a photography studio, build a website and purchase all essential items that are needed for the perfect new-born baby photographs. I know there will be challenges ahead, as setting up your own business is not easy, but I am passionate about this work and the grant will allow me to become self-employed, and doing something that I love.”

This project joins the successful application from Bosworth Marina to develop a café on the first floor of the marina building in Market Bosworth. The work on this project is currently taking place and the new café will be open in spring 2017.

St Mary’s Church in Atherstone has also received a grant to undertake work on the Youth HQ building which sits at the rear of the church. The grant will enable the redevelopment of this much-used community building and also install a disabled toilet so that the numbers of people who use the facility can increase.

A free workshop is being held on 29thMarch to help businesses in making applications to both LEADER and the new Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) Growth Programme which provides grants to larger projects. The workshop will also provide the opportunity to discuss possible projects with both the LEADER Team and the RPA’s Rural Development Team which administers the RDPE grants.  Find out about  this at EVENTBRITE