Launching the Heart of Wessex Local Action Group

• Do you want to sustain the high quality of life in your area?
• Are you passionate about improving the rural economy?
• Do you want to support opportunities for growth and employment?

If so, we need your help!
The Heart of Wessex Local Action Group (LAG) has recently received £1.74m of European Union funding to invest in rural businesses and community initiatives to improve the rural economy throughout the LAG area. Come and help us celebrate the opportunities that this funding programme offers at:

A Launch Event
Wednesday 17th June 2015
Cheese & Grain, Market Yard, Frome, Somerset BA11 1BE

Hear how the programme works, how you can get involved through the Local Action Group and help decide where the money is invested, and how projects can apply for funding.  It’s an open meeting, so everyone is invited!
The Local Action Group forms the central part of the programme, it’s an open group, and all the members have a fair and equal say on which projects should be supported, as well as giving overall guidance on the direction of the programme.  The Local Action Group will officially launch at the 17th June meeting.  Don’t miss it!
The funding will be available from June 2015 to the end of 2020.  It is really important that the programme makes a real difference – leaving a legacy that everyone benefits from, this means the programme needs to be very focused on what it wants to achieve.
Your Interim LAG Executive Committee continues to work on achieving this focus to ensure the programme gets off to a flying start.  The Interim Executive Committee is made up of a range of key organisations and individuals from across the Heart of Wessex area, all who have been working really hard over the last few months on your behalf! Decision making powers are delegated to this Committee and formal elections to form the Executive Committee will be held at the launch event. If are interested in standing for election on the Executive Committee, please get in touch.

Timings

There will be refreshments from 6pm onwards and the meeting will kick off at 6:30pm.  There is plenty of parking at the Cheese & Grain and it’s free after 6pm!  If you know you are coming, please book your place; it will help plan for catering.

We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday 17th June.
To book your place, please use the Eventbrite link below:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/launching-the-heart-of-wessex-local-action-group-tickets-16081569407

be part of your Local Action Group

We’re getting started ….be part of your Local Action Group.

The proposed Northern Dorset Local Action Group (NDLAG) will be supported by Defra to distribute European Funding across North and East Dorset, and around Sherborne and Christchurch through the LEADER approach.  LEADER is a well established method of delivering rural development funds through community participation.  Unfortunately we cannot launch the programme or call for projects until after the General Election in May – but it is essential that the Local Action Group is ready to select the first projects for funding in the summer.  To do that we need local people to be part of the Local Action Group.

The Local Action Group relies on the experience and interest of its members.  We will work with you to ensure that you have the knowledge to support, develop and select projects that come forward for funding.  You will decide where financial support would make the most difference to the economic, social and environmental development of the LAG area.
Come along to one of the first meetings to find out how you can:

• Register to join the Local Action Group and make a difference
• Help identify and select strong projects from local communities, organisations and businesses applying for grants;
• Offer advice and support to applicants at an early stage and assess the relevance of their proposals against our priorities;
• Monitor the performance of the Local Action Group (LAG) and discuss each year’s priorities at the Annual Forum;
• Stand for election to the LAG's Executive Committee - decision making powers are delegated to this Committee and elections will be held at our next meeting;

The meetings are:

• 11th March at Horton and Chalbury Village Hall 7-8.30pm, booking and information at  http://ndlaghorton.eventbrite.co.uk
• 16th March at The Exchange, Sturminster Newton 7-8.30pm, booking and information at  http://ndlagsturminsternewton.eventbrite.co.uk

If you are not able to book online contact Sarah Harbige 01305 228699 to book your place with a real person.  The meetings are the same so there is no need to attend both ... unless you really want to!

Contact Details:

Sarah Harbige
LEADER Programme Manager | Tel: 01305 228699 | Mob: 07825 072963
Dorset's Local Action Groups: Northern Dorset LAG | Southern Dorset LAG

Web: www.dorsetlocalactiongroups.org.uk  (website under development)
Twitter: follow@DorsetLAG
News: Sign up for Newsletters to hear about LAG events, news, projects and funding opportunities: Northern Dorset | Southern Dorset
Post: c/o Economic Development, Environment and Economy, Dorset County Council, County Hall, Dorchester, DT1 1TE

Funding available to support rural jobs

LEADER is a community-led European funding programme that supports rural development.

In the last LEADER programme (2007-20013) the AONB was covered by the Sowings SEEDS Local Action Group (LAG).   The LAG enabled £1.6m investment in 35 projects including community shops, renewable energy, butchery and wood processing initiatives.

Hindon Community Shop – Copyright Carolyn White, Barn near Sixpenny Handley – Copyright Mike Boss, Artisan Produce, Salisbury Farmers Market – Copyright Carolyn White, Woodland Industry, Barford St Martin – Copyright Stephen Ward

The next LEADER programme will start in January 2015 and LAGS will be able to award grants to suitable projects that support economic growth. The AONB will be covered by three LAGs in the coming programme covering Wiltshire and Somerset, Dorset and New Forest.
Please contact the LAG that covers your area if you have any questions, if you’d just like an informal chat about an idea for a project or about joining the Local Action Group.

Each LAG is currently drafting its bid to secure the funding.  Please take the time to look at the draft bids when they become available for consultation on the LAG website and let the programme mangers know if have any comments.

Wiltshire

The Heart of Wessex Local Action Group, area incorporates the high quality environment of south Wiltshire, south Somerset, and parts of Mendip. It includes the settlements of Wilton, Tisbury, Mere, Wincanton, Bruton, Castle Cary, and Crewkerne. It also includes the larger town of Frome. 
The main aim of the Heart of Wessex of Wessex LAG is:
“To act as a catalyst for supporting the development of vibrant, independent and interdependent rural communities based upon strong economic growth.”

It will do this by:
•    Generating a diverse and sustainable rural economy and support entrepreneurial activities(targeting micro and small businesses, farming and farm diversification, forestry and woodland and rural tourism enterprises)
•    Realising the benefits from the high quality natural environment, culture and heritage
•    Sustaining community facilities and services

The Heart of Wessex LAG provides an opportunity to stimulate economic growth at a local level and make wide ranging and sustainable changes within the area.

Website: www.heartofwessex.co.uk  
Contact:  Sarah Dyke –Bracher, Heart of Wessex Programme Manager
Tel: 07826 907361
E mail: sarah@heartofwessex.co.uk

Dorset

The Northern Dorset Local Action Group covers North and East Dorset and the Sherborne area.
Contact: TBC

Hampshire

The Hampshire part of the AONB is covered by the New Forest Local Action Group
Website: www.newforestleader.org.uk  
Contact: Sally Igra, New Forest RDPE (Leader) Programme Manager
Tel: 023 8028 5588
E mail: sally.igra@nfdc.gov.uk

Helping others to make a positive change in their community - Resource

Big Lunch Extras is a three-year programme to help individuals across the UK create positive change within their communities. Funded through the Big Lottery it is all about bringing communities together, reducing loneliness and isolation and helping to make a difference locally which is at the heart of the Big Lottery Fund’s mission.

The Fund is therefore delighted to invest Lottery funding into Big Lunch Extras, which  builds on the success of The Big Lunch, to support individuals who want  to make a positive change in their communities. Big Lunch Extras will inspire and support people to tackle issues that are important to them. This will strengthen neighbourhood networks, create a greater sense of community cohesion improve the lives of communities across the UK.

The website is a very useful resource with lots of case studies demonstrating other projects. So if you're looking for ideas or advice on what to do next in your community, you’ll like our resources. We’ve created a growing collection, which includes:

• activities and project to try yourselves, with clear instructions
• inspirational stories from neighbourhoods around the UK
• simple guides that help you get to grips with big ideas

There is an online community forum which is also a brilliant place to start discussions and gain important insights from others who may be experiencing the same challenges.
Worth a look.  http://www.biglunchextras.com/content/join

 

Help secure funding for rural communities

We need your help!

The recent 5 year RDPE  (Rural Development Programme for England) of which the Sowing SEEDS Local Action Group (LAG) funding was part, has now ended. A number of projects in the AONB benefited from this funding including Hindon Village Shop, Semley Shop, Chalke Valley Community Hub, Mere and Tisbury Chambers of Trade, Stourhead Kindling,  Kingston Lacey Glasshouse project  and the AONB Sustainable Tourism Project - Discover Nadder.

Every LAG in the UK is now in a period of transition (2014) where we have the opportunity to develop a bid for future funding from the next RDPE which is expected to start in January 2015. There is no guarantee of further funding! We need your help to secure funding to support new projects from 2015 to 2020.

The photo below shows when and where forthcoming meetings will be held.  We really do need to show that many, many people are involved in Local Action and most importantly that we want it to continue into the next programme period. This is your chance to say what the priorities are for your area and to put forward project suggestions.

Please forward to your friends, colleagues and contacts and encourage them to come along and support the LAG.

We very much appreciate your support in helping us to secure these vital funds and we look forward to seeing you at one of the upcoming meetings