Projects to safeguard Britain’s countryside receive new funding:
09 July 2012
Projects safeguarding farming and rural community hubs are among projects to receive grants from The Prince’s Countryside Fund, which aims to safeguard Britain’s rural communities and economy.
The announcements were made to mark National Countryside Week, which aims to raise awareness of the importance of the countryside to the UK and the serious issues facing our rural communities.
A National Centre for the Uplands, a York University and Duchy College collaboration and centre for excellence in training and research into hill farming and land management, and The Farm Crisis Network which assist farmers, providing both practical and pastoral support, are two of the projects receiving a share of £404,804 in grants announced today.
The Fund which was only launched in 2010 has already given away £1.5 million to 46 successful projects and is the brainchild of The Prince of Wales. The aim of The Fund is to support the people who care for our countryside by providing grants to projects, large and small, across the UK that support the sustainability of the rural economy.
Other projects to receive grants include: Growing Rural Enterprise a Staffordshire scheme which helps rural businesses make best use of their limited resources, the Tir Coed Branching Out Project which will offer 6 apprenticeships in woodland related careers and the White Horse Development Trust, creating a community centre and micro-brewery in East Anglia.
The Prince’s Countryside Fund is supported by a number of ambassadors, including model and actress Elizabeth Hurley, farmer Jimmy Doherty and former England Rugby captain Phil Vickery.
The Fund is also supported by some of the UK’s most recognisable businesses, all of which have a strong commitment to the British countryside: Asda, Barbour, Birds Eye, Booths, Dairy Crest, Duchy Originals, Ginsters, Jordans & Ryvita, HSBC, Marks and Spencer, McDonald’s, McVitie’s, Müller Dairy UK, Musto, Pepsi Co, Strutt and Parker, Barclays, Coutts, Lloyds TSB and Waitrose. Each has provided funding to finance today’s grants in return for the right to display The Prince’s Countryside Fund logo on selected products, in store or on marketing material to demonstrate their support for the British countryside.
Announcing this latest round of the Fund’s bi-annual grant awards, Victoria Harris, Director of The Prince’s Countryside Fund said, "The range of issues that these projects tackle demonstrate the diverse challenges facing our countryside today. These range from providing skills and opportunities for young people to assistance to safeguard pub and community centres and support for rural businesses. We were inundated with applications but the projects we selected all make a special contribution to safeguarding the countryside at either a national or more local level across the UK."
"With the countryside often neglected, the work of The Prince’s Countryside Fund is a vital lifeline for the countryside which, employing 5.5 million people, is so important to the whole country’s well-being and economy."
National Countryside Week was launched in 2011 by The Prince’s Countryside Fund to raise awareness of the importance of the countryside to the UK. Through National Countryside Week, the Fund aims to champion the countryside, encouraging people to stop and consider the difficult issues our countryside faces and think about how they can help.
During National Countryside Week, The Fund is calling on people to show their support for the countryside in the one of the following ways:
• Look for The Prince’s Countryside Fund logo on pack when shopping: Brands that provide financial support to the Fund can use the logo on their products in return. By buying products carrying the logo you will show supporting companies just how much their support for the countryside is appreciated. The more successful the products with the logo are, the more businesses will want to contribute to the Fund.
• Make a small donation – text PCF to 70300 to donate £3 to the Fund
• Hold an event to raise money for The Prince’s Countryside Fund – download our fundraising pack
Or simply get out in the countryside and remember how much you appreciate it and how important it is to the UK.
A wide range of activities are taking place to mark National Countryside Week. Supporters Waitrose, Booths and Asda are all running promotional campaigns. The Prince’s Countryside Fund will be exhibiting at The Great Yorkshire Show and the public will be able to vote for winner of the Great British Countryside photo competition at www.greatbritishlife.co.uk