post

Opportunity Peterborough has successfully overseen the allocation of £1 million of grant funding available for businesses and projects in the Rural Peterborough and Rutland area for the LEADER programme, a European Union and DEFRA funded scheme

In total the programme has helped 27 projects in the area which are on track to create 40 jobs and has leveraged a total of £2.5 million worth of investment into the rural economy.

The projects have shown the diversity of the rural economy and have included projects such as the construction of an equestrian centre, a farm shop and educational centre, the purchase of boats, direct drills, fertiliser spreaders and beekeeping equipment, as well as building campsite facilities right through to refurbishing village halls and converting barns into holiday lets.

Launched in 2015, the LEADER Programme set out to improve the competitiveness of farming and forestry whilst also supporting small business growth, community infrastructure, and boosting productivity in rural areas.

Throughout the process, the fund has been overseen by the Local Action Group (LAG). The LAG is made up of 13 volunteers from the public, private and third sectors who evaluated funding applications and gave approval for grants. As the funding could only partially cover the cost of a project, applicants could bid for grants worth between £2,500 – £50,000, or in exceptional cases up to £75,000.

To be successful a project had to contribute to one or more of the six LEADER priorities:

• support micro and small businesses and farm diversification
• boost rural tourism
• increase farm productivity
• increase forestry productivity
• provide rural service
• provide cultural and heritage activities

Tom Hennessy, chief executive of economic development company, Opportunity Peterborough said, “As the Accountable Body for the LEADER programme in Rural Peterborough and Rutland we’re proud to have allocated so much funding to support growth in the rural economy.

“The rural economy absolutely underpins local prosperity and this funding has really been important for future proofing a sector that’s diverse and very much evolving. Farms are still producing vital crops but are developing more robust and sustainable business models by selling directly to customers and tapping into people’s love of the countryside with campsites and educational centres. It’s also helped us preserve heritage, improve inclusivity and make vital community hubs fit for the 21^st century so they can meet residents’ changing needs.

“I’d like to thank Rutland County Council for working with us on the successful funding application to LEADER, and for their ongoing support with the delivery of the programme. A huge thank you must also go to the volunteers, past and present, who have been part of the Local Action Group. They’ve taken a very active role in the programme, providing hands on support to many of our applicants, on top of carrying out a rigorous approvals process, which has only been possible thanks to their passion for the area and advocacy for the rural economy.”

Dennis Stanley, Chair of the LAG added, “It’s been a real privilege to have worked on the Rural Peterborough and Rutland LEADER Programme. I’ve been absolutely blown away with the variety of projects we’ve seen and the tenacity of applicants who have persevered with a very rigorous application process.

“It really is a testament to the resilience of rural enterprise that we’ve been able to allocate the full £1 million. There’s a fine balance to strike with support for urban centres and rural areas so the country flourishes as a whole. I hope that the success of the LEADER programme will be used by government to develop future initiatives for boosting the rural economy.”

Cllr Peter Hiller, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Commercial Strategy and Investments at Peterborough City Council and a member of the LAG, said, “Within the Rural Peterborough area we’ve been able to allocate nearly £500,000 of grant funding to local projects. I’ve always known that our rural communities have been home to a wide variety of enterprises and my time on the LAG has really brought this to life. I’m proud to have helped 27 very different projects get funding and to see vital support going towards our rural economy.”

Councillor Oliver Hemsley, Leader of Rutland County Council, said: “We are delighted to have seen more than half a million pounds go to help a wide range of business projects here in Rutland. LEADER has shown us just how innovative and entrepreneurial our local business community can be. It’s been truly amazing to see and share details of the many various projects and people that have been supported by LEADER – from pottery artists and optometrists, to farmers, camp sites and village halls.”

The LEADER programme is part of the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) and is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

All projects are listed below. More information can be found about the completed projects online at: www.leaderfunding.co.uk

Support for Micro and Small Businesses (non-agricultural) and Farm Diversification

• New Pastures Stables – £57,600 towards construction of a new equestrian centre
• Simmons Optometrist – £40,000 to extend existing premises including an indoor ramp, additional consultation areas, new frontage, modern display units and new digital systems for enhanced customer experience.
• Ceramics by Katherine Staples -£11, 500 towards a new pottery studio and industrial kilns
• Kingsfisher Chilli – £3,900 towards automating the production line of their home made spicy condiments
• Harvest Barn -£41,000 – towards building a farm shop cafe and on-site educational centre at Bluebell Farm
• Moor Farm – £71,000 towards the expansion of the existing farm shop and educational visitor centre.

Boost Rural Tourism

• Cuckoo Farm Campsite – £50,900 towards a campsite with electric points for campervans, showers and toilets with hot water, and a new access road.
• Rutland Organics – £24,900 for the development of a farm shop and butchery equipment and a sheep handling system.
• White Hart in Ufford £49, 900 towards an additional entrance to their function rooms and conversion of outbuildings into two bedrooms.
• Sacrewell Farm – £22, 700 towards beehives, beekeeping equipment for a honey production centre, additional shower facilities for the campsite, covered outdoor spaces for volunteer-led events and a mobile forge for their blacksmith to use at shows across the country to promote the farm.
• Rutland Sailability – £23,400 towards a new rigid inflated boat and a launch and recovery vehicle to get boats in and out of the water.
• Ferry Meadows – £48,600 for new interpretation signage to improve accessibility and the purchase of an electric boat.
• Lynch Lake Kiosk – £44,800 contribution towards a building conversion of current building to create a single, multi-use space for new activities, such as running workshops, hosting local artists, and creating a new base for the park’s volunteers and staff to engage with visitors.
• MacCartney Family Trust – £12,000 towards the conversion of part of a traditional brick barn into a holiday cottage.
• The Paper Shop – £71,500 towards the expansion and improvement to the current village shop, in Ailsworth, near Peterborough.
• Fairchilds Holiday Lets – £75,000 towards the conversion of farm barns into luxury five-star holiday lets.

Increase Farm Productivity

• Pode Hole Farm – £43,000 a liquid fertiliser spreader.
• C. Morley & Sons, Parker Farms and Tyler Farms – £206,800 grant funding between three farms towards the purchase of direct drills to improve productivity and sustainability

Provide Rural Services

• Northborough Village Hall – £29,100 extension for a new meeting room.
• Maxey Village Hall – £68,300 towards refurbishing the hall. This included extending and installing a new kitchen with a doorway into the second function room, energy efficient lighting and heating system, fire alarms, and surfacing of the car parks.
• Ashwell Village Hall – £72,600 towards the refurbishment and extension of the hall to make it compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA). This will include remodelling the entrance hall, providing ramp access, and refurbishing the toilets.
• Langham Village Hall -£51,000 towards the upgrade of the hall’s roof, including tiling, steelworks and ceilings to improve energy efficiency and increase usage.

Increased Forestry Productivity

• Quercus Woodcraft- £4,600 towards a mobile sawmill and associated equipment including saw blades, trailer kit, tow board and a sharpening robot.
• Rutland Tree Care – £3,200 purchase of a Hyva Kunckle Boom Crane for the removal of wood off site.

Provide Cultural and Heritage Activity

• Clipsham Yew Tree Avenue – £11,000 resurfacing the car park and new signage with interpretive boards for visitors.