The National Forest Company have launched a new Design Guide to promote best practice in sustainable tourism accommodation. The guide addresses concerns that sustainability can seem complicated and too difficult or expensive to implement, setting out seven sustainable design principles as a menu of options.
These principles encourage design in harmony with the Forest character, health and wellbeing, support for the local economy and communities, ethical and sustainable building, promotion of low carbon travel, integration with nature and water management.
Following the advice should help protect businesses from the impact of climate change, future proof the development ahead of new legislation, increase the likelihood of securing planning permission, attract new and diverse markets and deliver an improved return on investment in the long term.
The Design Guide is accompanied by a video that explains the vision for sustainable tourism in the National Forest, and a new programme of support and grants to help bring forward low carbon tourism accommodation developments. The support programme will provide flexible and tailored advice and support via email, phone or through a site visit by one of the National Forest Company's specialist advisors appointed to help develop ideas in line with the principles outlined in the Design Guide. Grants will also be available to support projects that are ready to undertake full feasibility and business case development.
To help the National Forest Company tailor its support, interested landowners and businesses located in the National Forest are asked to complete a Project Concept Form in order to gather the relevant information needed to get the best out of a site advisory visit. Forms can be submitted at any time, but the initial priority will be given to those submitted by 31 January 2022.
Copies of the Design Guide, other resources, the Project Concept Form for completion and an introductory video are available to download at nationalforest.org/tourism A recording of the Design Guide launch webinar including details of the support programme is also available to watch at https://youtu.be/iGvNAB5TyrQ
Interested landowners or businesses can also discuss their initial ideas in confidence prior to completing the Project Concept Form with Adam Gough, one of the consultants leading on the delivery of the support programme, by emailing a.gough@naturalland.co.uk
The Government has announced that organisations seeking investment for nature projects to tackle climate change, create and restore habitats, or improve water quality should apply for the second and final round of the Natural Environment Investment Readiness Fund.
The fund will provide grants of up to £100,000 to environmental groups, local authorities, businesses and other organisations to help them develop nature projects in England to a point where they can attract private investment.
Projects will be designed to provide a return on investment by capturing the value of the carbon, water quality, biodiversity and other benefits provided by natural assets such as woodlands, peatlands, catchments and landscapes.
This will create a pipeline of projects for the private sector to invest in, demonstrating the UK's leadership and action in scaling up finance for nature and climate during COP26. The opening of the application window comes after the Chancellor set out the UK's plans to become the world's first net zero aligned financial centre, welcoming commitments from private companies covering $130 trillion of financial assets that will create a huge pool of cash that could fund our net zero transition.
Full details are provided in the How to apply for a natural environment investment readiness fund grant - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Supporting a greener future
NEIRF will help deliver on commitments in the government's 25 Year Environment Plan and Green Finance Strategy, as well as supporting the Prime Minister's 10 Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution and the Net Zero Strategy.
How to apply and further information
Applicants have until 3 February 2022 to apply. Application forms and guidance can be found on Gov.uk. Further information including FAQs and case studies, are available on our dedicated NEIRF SharePoint site
£27 million for farmers to boost productivity - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Other grants will be opening later this year (Improving Farm Productivity grant) & next year (Adding value grant).
The Farming Investment Fund (FIF) provides grants to improve productivity and bring environmental benefits. FIF is made up of 2 separate funds:
- Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (for grants between £2,000 and £25,000)
- Farming Transformation Fund (for grants between £35,000 and £500,000)
Farming Equipment and Technology Fund
This fund provides grants towards the cost of equipment and technology to improve the productivity of farms in a sustainable way.
How to apply
The Round 1 application period opens on 16 November 2021 and will close on 7 January 2022.
Farming Transformation Fund
This fund provides grants towards large capital items to help businesses improve productivity, profitability, and environmental sustainability. They are:
- Water Management
- Improving Farm Productivity
- Adding Value
Water Management grant
The Water Management grant is open now for applications and will close on 12 January 2022.
The Department of Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) wants to hear views and experiences of consumers' broadband connectivity in rural and remote areas of the UK.
In addition, DCMS would also like to receive information on both the known benefits of broadband services and the current barriers to deployment and take-up.
The evidence gathered will enable DCMS to assess the options available for delivering improved connectivity to areas where the costs of delivering better digital infrastructure have so far proven to be a barrier to deployment.
This is an open call for evidence on improving broadband for Very Hard to Reach premises in the UK.
This consultation closes at 11:45pm on 11 June 2021
From: https://rsnonline.org.uk/large-scale-business-survey-to-shed-light-on-rural-resilience-during-covid
The National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise (NICRE) is asking rural and farming businesses in the North East, South West and Midlands how they are dealing with COVID-19 to explore the lesser-known area of rural resilience.
There is little research about how small firms in rural areas manage crises and how they recover so NICRE is speaking to more than 4,000 businesses over the next two months to shed light on this area.
The survey – NICRE's first – asks businesses about the strategies they have put in place during the pandemic to increase their resilience and their plans and expectations for the future.
Alongside resilience, the survey explores how firms' local networks have contributed to survival and growth, the impact of financial pressures on businesses, families and communities as well as issues around workforce, the availability of broadband, and aspects of local supply chains.
As well as rural and farming businesses in the three areas, the survey seeks the views of a comparator sample of urban firms with owners contacted at random by independent market research agency OMB Research.
Any business interested in giving their views should contact Prof Roper at Stephen.Roper@wbs.ac.uk
Results from the survey will be available in the autumn.
For more information about NICRE email nicre@newcastle.ac.uk or follow @NICRErural on Twitter
From https://rsnonline.org.uk/uk-gigabit-voucher-launch
Announced on 19 March as part of the wider £5bn 'Project Gigabit' programme, the UK Gigabit Broadband Voucher will provide micro grants of up to £1,500 for households and £3,500 for businesses in the hardest to reach rural areas (with current speeds of less than 100Mbps) to support the cost of installing new gigabit-capable connections when part of a group scheme
Since they were first introduced in 2018, Vouchers have been a key tool in incentivising and encouraging suppliers to connect some of the hardest to reach premises in the UK. To date, the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme has committed over £137m to support gigabit connectivity to more than 72,000 households and small to medium sized businesses.
The UK Gigabit Voucher will build on the success of the Rural Gigabit Voucher Scheme, enabling those in the hardest to reach parts of the UK to benefit from lightning-fast next generation broadband. It will hone in on supporting people in those areas least likely to be included in the commercial plans of broadband suppliers without the incentive of public subsidy, nudging the UK closer to nationwide gigabit connectivity.
To help raise awareness and drive uptake of the UK Gigabit Voucher, the voucher website has now been updated and refreshed. It includes a new premises level postcode eligibility checker that enables people to establish their eligibility for the UK Gigabit Broadband Voucher, and information on other support that may be available. This can be accessed here:
https://gigabitvoucher.culture.gov.uk/.
Two weeks left for nominations to Everards Community Excellence Fund which sees £40,000 available to support community projects this summer!
Do you know of a community project that could do with a little funding? You could help.
Everards are delighted to announce that with the support from The Everard Family Foundation and Carling once again, nomination open on April 5th 2021 for their Everards Community Excellence Fund which sees £40,000 available to support community projects within a 20 mile radius of an Everards pub.
This is all made possible thanks to the funding from The Everards Family Foundation and Carling.
Previous year's fund saw an array of entries and helped to set up a number of brand-new community groups, replace very old chairs in a village hall, install a fire door at a library, buy a wheelchair for a basketball club and support a local trust who provide canal boat trips for the elderly and vulnerable, to name just a few.
If you know of a project that is struggling to get off the ground, equipment that needs replacing or a community space in desperate need of renovation get your nominations in and your community could get a share of the £40,000 fund pot.
All you need to do is complete a nomination form online at https://www.everards.co.uk/communityfund/
Nominations open Monday 5th April 2021 and will close on Friday 30th April 2021. All entries will go through a judging panel in May and the winners will be notified at the end of May with projects hoping to be started in June.
Read the stories of the communities who have already benefit from previous campaigns at https://www.everards.co.uk/communityfund/
The Department of Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) have launched an open call for evidence on improving broadband for Very Hard to Reach premises in the UK.
This consultation closes at 11:45pm on 11 June 2021 and as many residents and businesses as possible are encouraged to complete this.
Through this call for evidence, the Department of Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) wants to hear views and experiences of consumers' broadband connectivity in rural and remote areas of the UK. In addition, DCMS would also like to receive information on both the known benefits of broadband services and the current barriers to deployment and take-up.
Additional evidence, either from the UK or abroad, on technology availability, maturity, capabilities and costs, from suppliers and vendors is also welcomed.
The evidence gathered will enable DCMS to assess the options available for delivering improved connectivity to areas where the costs of delivering better digital infrastructure have so far proven to be a barrier to deployment.
Details of how to respond available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/improving-broadband-for-very-hard-to-reach-premises
DCMS is launching their "UK Gigabit Voucher" scheme today. This was announced on 19 March as part of the wider £5bn 'Project Gigabit' programme. This new voucher scheme builds on the Rural Gigabit Voucher Scheme and is aimed providing micro grants of up to £1,500 for households and £3,500 for businesses in the hardest to reach rural areas (with current speeds of less than 100Mbps) to support the cost of installing new gigabit-capable connections when part of a group scheme.
To help raise awareness and drive uptake of the UK Gigabit Voucher, the voucher website includes a new premises level postcode checker that enables you to establish whether you are eligible for the Voucher, and information on other support that may be available.
To qualify for a business voucher you will be asked to self-certify that you are an Small or Medium size Enterprise (SME)
- Up to 249 employees and annual turnover no greater than £36 million; and/or
- An annual balance sheet total not exceeding £18 million.
You will also be asked to:
- provide evidence of your status as a SME or sole trader.
- self-certify that you will have received less than 325,000 Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) in public grants over any period of three fiscal years including the current year, including the voucher contribution (this includes all coronavirus-related grants)
It's also worth noting that not-for-profit and charity SMEs are eligible for the vouchers.
Defra has launched a second phase of Future Farming Resilience Funding to provide support to farmers and land managers to help them prepare for the Agricultural Transition period that is taking place from 2021 to 2027.
The Interim Phase is now open for applications for grants to deliver this support between August 2021 and March 2022. A maximum total of £9million will be available to fund projects during this period and we are looking to target up to 9,000 farmers and land managers.
Applications should be made through Bravo, Defra's e-Sourcing Portal, by 23:59 on 7th May 2021. If you aren't registered on the Portal, please click on this link and follow the instructions for how to register. A detailed specification of requirements is available here.
If you have any queries on the application process or the specification please submit them through the Bravo system.
