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New and existing rural businesses looking for support to grow and develop are in line for a share of more than £1m in funding from the recently-launched Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE).
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The cash – part of this year’s RDPE programme in North East England – will help micro-enterprises in rural parts of the region with elements such as start-up revenue and capital investment costs, technical and marketing support, product development, branding and design.
The funding is just one element of the RDPE’s socio-economic investment in the region, which is being managed by regional development agency One North East.
Rural business owner and One North East board member Ian Brown said: “Small businesses are a huge part of the rural economy, so this is a really important area of investment for the new RDPE programme.
“It will help land-based businesses to develop alternative sources of income, and wider rural enterprises to create new jobs and to make their operations more sustainable. It will also help promote entrepreneurship, which is absolutely key to increasing the range of businesses across different sectors in rural areas.
“We very much look forward to seeing the first investments being made.”
The RDPE micro-enterprise funding is available through the North East England Investment Centre, which works to help emerging and existing businesses to develop and grow by investing public funds in companies needing external advice and support.
Businesses wanting further information should contact Business Link on 0845 600 9 006. Business Link supports rural businesses in the region by providing access to up-to-date information and answering questions on running a rural business, from legislation to sourcing finance or funding.
RDPE is jointly funded by Defra and the European Union, with the aim of delivering targeted support to land-based businesses and rural communities. It is managed in the region by One North East, Natural England and the Forestry Commission.
Jonathan Shaw, Minister for Rural Affairs, said: "I am delighted that One North East has launched its fund to invest in making the North East an even better place for rural people to live and work in, and where rural businesses can prosper and grow. This is part of a record investment of £3.9 billion by the Government in rural development in England between now and 2013. It will help our farming, food and forestry industries to thrive and become more competitive, and enhance opportunity for rural businesses and communities."
The RDPE investment being managed by One North East combines larger projects to help many businesses in different sectors of the rural economy - including bioenergy and land-based skills, and projects adding value to agricultural and forestry products - with smaller investments to help individual businesses to start-up, grow or diversify. Rural community partnerships are shaping how at least 25% of the funding is invested themselves, using the LEADER approach.
For more information on RDPE in North East England, visit www.rdpenortheast.co.uk
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For more information on One North East, contact Claire Mason (press office) on 0191 229 6429 or 07765220755, or email claire.mason@onenortheast.co.uk
For more information on Business Link North East, contact Laura White (PR Account Manager) at Gardiner Richardson, on 0191 261 4250 or 07739126152, or by emailing lauraw@gardiner-richardson.com
For more information on Defra, contact Karen Bell (GNN) on 0191 202 3603 or email karen.bell@coi.gsi.gov.uk
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