www.growingruralenterprise.co.uk

Seasons Greetingsfrom all at Growing Rural Enterprise

Growing Rural Enterprise Ltd

Win

ter

2013

Princes countryside Fund Benefits Local Rural BusinessesThisone-to-onebusinessmentoringandcoachingprojecthasbeenlaunchedtoassistthoserunningruralandfarm-basedbusinesses.ThePrincesCountrysideFundwelcomesapplicationsfromruralbusinessowners,whocouldgainuptothreebusinessmentoringsessions.Priority,however,isgiventoyoungpeopleandthoseinuplandareas.

JuliefromGrowingRuralEnterprisesaid,“Wearereallyenjoyingtheproject.ThePrincesCountrysideFundhasmadeahugedifferencetosomanyruralbusinesses.Someofthebusinesseswe’vementoredrecentlyincludeabasketmaker,someonesettingupafishery,severalhorticulturalcontractors,afarmtourismbusiness,acarefarmbaseonasmallholdingandlotsofothernewandexcitingventures”.

Ifyouknowofaruralbusinesswhowouldlikementoringinordertobecomemoresustainable,thenpleasegetintouchwithJulieon:julie@growingruralenterprise.co.uk.

FourNewYearTrainingSessionsAtGrowingRuralEnterpriseOfficesinSudbury.TutoredbyEmilyWhiteheadofSimplyStaffordshire.Justthreehourstomakeabigimpact-9.30am–12.30pm£35+VAT(includedscoffeeandcake)

29th january 2014Mailchimpandemailmarketing.

5th february 2014SocialMediaforBusinessPart1-Howtogetstarted.

12th february 2014UnderstandingandusingGoogle+

19th february 2014SocialMediaforBusinessPart2-forthosewhouseitandwouldliketoimprovetheirsuccess.

We’ve Bought... A MiNiBuS!Afterspendinganabsolutefortuneonminibushirelastyear,GrowingRuralEnterprisehasfinallyboughtitsown!Affectionatelyknownas‘TheChucklebus’,wehopeitwillbemoreeconomicalandflexible.

WELLiES Project

Recipe Book is Created

OneoftheprinciplesoftheWELLIESProjectiscookinghealthy,seasonalandinexpensivefoodfromscratch.OverthefouryearsthatWELLIEShasbeenrunning,acollectionofeasyrecipeshasbeendeveloped.ThankstoAwardsforAll,whohavefundedthecollation,thesedelicious,nutritiousrecipeswillbeprintedintoabookletandgiventoWELLIESProjectparticipants.

WeLLies Project evolves With a new Volunteer training courseJulieandNick,foundersofGrowingRuralEnterprise,createdtheWELLIESprojectsin2010,withtheaimofpromotingconfidenceandwellbeingthroughinformallearning.Theprojectsprovideavarietyoftherapeuticactivitiestosupportpeoplewhoarerecoveringfrommentalhealthissues.

AhugelysuccessfulWELLIESProjectatWoodhouseCommunityFarm,nearLichfield,hasrecentlyattractednearly40participantseachweek.TheprojectisfundedbyStaffordshireCountyCouncilandprovidesactivitiesusingplants,animalsandthecountryside.Thegrouphasmadebread,drivenamini-digger–andhadavisitfromNesta’sArkwithhersnakes,spiders,turtles,toads!ParticipantshavelearnttomakeChristmasdoorswags,willowstars,scotcheggs,bread,soupandmuffinpizzas–aswellasclearingtheha-ha,havingabonfireandup-cyclingfurniture.

ForthefirsttimeintheWELLIESProjecthistory,anexcitingthree-weekvolunteertrainingprogrammehasbeenofferedtopreviousparticipantswhowerereadytoprogressandsupportothers.Theprogrammeprovidesanexcellentopportunitytoexploreteambuilding,leadershipskills,safeguarding,healthandsafety,andguidanceontheroleofasupporter.

WELLIES4WORK

WeLLies taster days for derby mental health teamsTwosuccessfulWELLIEStasterdaysforDerbyMentalHealthteamswerehostedatTheWillowsFarm,Uttoxeter.ThedayswerefundedbyDerbyshireCommunityFoundationtohelptheteamsunderstandtheWELLIESProjectanditsethos.GrowingRuralEnterpriseisnowworkingwiththeteamtobringWELLIESintoDerby.

Lichfield Wire network HasItsDoorOpenToNewcomersLichfieldWomeninRuralEnterpriseNetworkwelcomesanywomanwhoisrunningabusiness,recentlystartingup–orevenjustnurturinganidea.It ’saninformalgroupwhogettogetheronceamonthonthethirdMondayofthemonth,between7.30pmand9.30pm.Theformatvariesbetweenaguestspeaker,abusinessdevelopmentactivityorgeneraldiscussion.

YvonneViggersfromBuzzardValleyWineswhoattendsregularlysaid,“WiREhashelpedmetodeveloptheconfidencetotakemyownbusinessforwardandtohelpothers.Itissociableandenjoyabletoo”.

ThenextmeetingtakesplaceonMonday20thJanuaryatKingsBromleyVillageHall,andifyou’venevercomealongbeforethisoneisagreatplacetostart!Thegroupwillbemakingvisionboardsfor2014,whichareafantasticwaytovisualiseallthethingsyouwouldliketoachieveintheNewYear.Whynotjoinusarmedwithpicturesofthethingsthatinspireyou–bothpersonally,andforyourbusiness.Stickthemontoacanvasorboardandtakethefirststepstolivingwithpurposeanddirectionin2014.

JointheLichfieldWiREFacebookpagetofindoutaboutforthcomingevents.

Women’s enterPrise day eVent at sWinfen haLL

roaring success! JulieWhitefromGrowingRuralEnterprise,JoyceBullockfromJoyceBullockGardenDesignandKarenKirbyfromGreenshootsHR,hostedaNetworkingCreamTeaon22ndNovember.TheeventwasheldintheballroomatSwinfenHallinhonourofWomen’sEnterpriseDay,aspartofGlobalEntrepreneurshipweek.Over50localbusinesswomenattendedtheevent,whichwasrunbyWiRE–theWomeninRuralEnterprisenetworkinggroup.SophieBullockwhojoinedtheeventforthefirsttimesaid,“It ’sbeenagreatexperiencemeetingandspeakingtosomanypeopletoday.It ’sareallyinformalwaytogettoknowlocalpeopleinbusiness.Ifoundthespeakersveryinspiringandinformative.Andofcoursethesconeswereanaddedbonus!.

Bewdley food hub Local food VentureJulieandNickfromGrowingRuralEnterpriserecentlyconductedsomeresearchwithlocalBewdleybusinessesandorganisationstoexplorethepossibilityofcreatingaFoodHub,whichwouldpromote,serveandretailfoodproducedinandaroundtheWyreForest.Theresearch,conductedonbehalfofThePlunckettFoundationforBewdleyDevelopmentTrust,gavelocalpeopleavoicetoensuretheproposedHubiswhattheywantandneed.

TeD Therapy Dog Trainer Project Goes From Strength to StrengthTedisa‘EuropeanTransferofInnovationProject’,fundedbyLeonardo,whichtrainspeoplewithlong-termmentalhealthissuestohandledogsusedindogtherapy.ThecourseusesinnovativeItalianpracticesandconsistsoftenmodules,eachwithitsownassessment.GrowingRuralEnterprisehasrunfourtasterdaysforthoseinterestedintakingpartinthecompletecoursestartingintheNewYear.

PartnersfromGermany,Italy,SpainandPolandmetinPadova,ItalyinearlyOctobertosharetheprojectandtheirexperiences.Eachpartnerhasbeenresearchingexistinganimal-assistedtherapyprojectsintheirowncountries,andtheemploymentorvolunteeringprospectswithinthem.ThenextstepistorunapilotprojectandcompleteathoroughevaluationtopresentatthenextmeetinginMarch,whichwillbeheldinSpain.

NickPlattfromGrowingRuralEnterprise,whoiswritingandpilotingthecourse,said,“Thecoursehasbeenmetwithagreatdealofenthusiasm,frombothanimalandhealthcareprofessionals.Ourmainchallengehasbeenmanagingpeople’senthusiasmtoensurethatourresearchandproductdevelopmentisdoneeffectivelyandthoroughly,enablingustomakethemostoftheprojectopportunities”.Headded,“Wehavebeeninundatedwithpeoplewantingtotakepartinthepilotandarenowworkingongettingtheprogrammeaccredited”.

www.growingruralenterprise.co.uk

Our Vision•Todeliverinnovativeandmeaningfullearningopportunitiesforruralbusiness.

•Toinspireandmakeadifferencetoruralbusiness,buildingconfidence,knowledgeandskills.

What we do:•Courses&workshopsforruralbusinesses

•Onetoonecoaching,mentoringandadvice

•Manageanddeliverexternallyfundedprojectswhichhelpruralbusinessestostart,developandgrow

•Workingwithpartnerstoimprovetheruraleconomy,businesssustainabilityandviability

•Managingtrans-nationalprojectsthatinspirethoserunningruralbusinessesandsharegoodpracticewithourEuropeanpartners.

Contact usGrowing Rural Enterprise Ltd

TheOldEstateOfficeMainRoadSudburyAshbourne

DerbyshireDE65HS

Julie White

07971 666474Julie@growingruralenterprise.co.uk

Nick Platt 07767 844921

Nick@growingruralenterprise.co.uk

NickGRELtd

GrowingRuralEnterprise

Growing Rural Enterprise Ltd

LifeLong LearningProject teaches Literacy and numeracy on the farm

InOctober,GrowingRuralEnterprisehosted14guestsfromGreece,Romania,Italy,PortugalandIrelandonaGrundtvigWorkshoptoexplorewaysofembeddingliteracyandnumeracyintofarmandcountrysideactivities.TheguestsvisitedWoodhouseCommunityFarm,UpperMoretonFarm,OakTreeFarmandtheDerbyshirePeakDistrict.Mostofthoseparticipatingwerefromcarefarms,andthenetworkingelementoftheeventprovedtobejustasvaluableastheworkshopcontent.ItishopedthataEuropeanpartnershipprojectwillbeputtogetherinthenearfuture,followingthissuccessfulworkshop.

succession Planning events for farmers

TwosuccessionplanningeventswillbeheldintheNewYeartohelpfarmingfamiliesplanfortheeffectivesuccessionoftheirfarms.Botheventsprovidetrainingonthefinancialaspectsofthisprocess,andoffersupportfortheemotionalandpracticalimpactonthefamily.ThefirsteventwilltakeplaceatTheFarmingLifeCentre,Blackwell,BuxtonontheeveningofMonday3rdFebruaryandthenatLeekCricketClubonthemorningofTuesday4thFebruary.Placesarefreeofcharge-ifyouareinterestedcontactJulieatGrowingRuralEnterprise.

Target Shooting Day opens up sporting opportunity for people from all walks of lifeOnasunnydaybackinAugust,over70eagerparticipantsconvergedonWoodhouseFarmforaDisabilityShootingTasterDay.TheeventwasgenerouslysponsoredbyArmex,JackPyke,Nightsightandmanyothers,andgaveparticipantsrecoveringfrommentalillhealthandphysicaldisabilitiestheopportunitytotryanewsportinasafeandsupportiveenvironment.

Thedaywasstaffedentirelybyvolunteercoachesandtrainedshootmarshals,anditattractedcoverageinAirgunmagazineandlocalTV.NickPlattfromGrowingRuralEnterprise,whoorganisedandsupervisedhealthandsafetyontheday,said,“Forme,itwasimportanttoenablepeopletotryoutthissportinasafeenvironment–andtochallengesomeofthestigmasurroundingmentalhealth”.

ThankstoMarkClarke,MickBallandDarrenPlattwhohelpedtoorganisethedayandgetinvaluablesponsorship.for more information see www.scfdcic.org.uk.