£400,000 of grants awarded to essential rural projects across the UK
January 24, 2018
The Prince’s Countryside Fund has awarded £400,000 of grant funding to 12 community-led projects across the UK, which will benefit people living and working in rural areas.
The Prince’s Countryside Fund awards grants twice a year to local, grassroots organisations, and since 2010 has distributed more than £9 million in funding. The Fund’s mission is to help ensure a vibrant rural economy with a thriving and resilient farming sector at its heart, and its grant programme is a major focus of activity to achieve this.
The diverse range of projects that have been awarded grant funding will create locally-delivered solutions to the challenges facing rural areas – from improving the prospects for farm businesses, to sustaining communities through the reintroduction of essential services, to driving economic vibrancy and opportunity in the countryside by breaking down barriers to employment.
Announcing the grant recipients, Claire Saunders, Director of The Prince’s Countryside Fund said: “The applications we received for this round of funding demonstrate the breadth of challenges face by those living in rural areas, and the creativity of organisations in working together and coming up with the solutions to solve them. We are delighted to be able to help projects that will make a real difference in rural areas.
“From funding a new engine for the Bay Search and Rescue team in Cumbria, to helping villages in Somerset open community run shops allowing them access to essential services, to providing access to training for young entrants to agriculture in Powys – The Prince’s Countryside Fund is committed to improving the quality of life, in all aspects, for all people living and working in our great British countryside.”
The new grant recipients are:
Bay Search and Rescue, Cumbria
Brecknock Federation of Young Farmers Clubs, Powys
Cothrom, Outer Hebrides
Cheriton Fitzpaine Community Shop Ltd, Devon
Farmborough Community Shop Ltd, Somerset
The Farmer Network (two grants awarded), Cumbria and Northumberland
The Farming Life Centre, Derbyshire
North Devon +, Devon
Northumberland Community Development Company, Northumberland
North Ronaldsay Trust, North Ronaldsay
Roadwater Village Community Shop Ltd, Somerset
