FARMERS and others working in rural businesses are being offered the chance to respond to consumer requirements and become more competitive, diverse and flexible.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is once again providing free half-day business workshops on how to prepare an application for funding through the England Rural Development Programme.
The focus will be on preparing a successful business plan to support applications for grant-funding under the Rural Enterprise Scheme, the Vocational Scheme and the Processing and Marketing Grant, as well as giving an opportunity to discuss project ideas with technical officers.
Successful projects to date have included the establishment of a children's nursery on a farm, farm shops, packing lines for soft fruit, a teaching belfry on a farm and cider production.
Sally Green, DEFRA's senior rural development advisor in Worcestershire and Warwickshire, said: "We are keen to make the ERDP schemes as accessible as possible and these further workshops mean we can talk to more people directly about their ideas. We find this saves both their time and ours."
Workshops (10am) are on November 12 and December 3. More information from Steve Lund on 01905 768900.
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