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£2.4 million lifeline for Aylesbury Vale farming community
MORE than £2million which is to be invested into the local rural economy has been labelled a 'lifeline' to struggling farmers.
The funding, which comes from the European Union, will see 2.4 million handed out in grants in the Aylesbury Vale and rural Milton Keynes area over the next five years.
Farmers and foresters will be the main beneficiaries of the money, although other rural businesses and community groups can also apply.
Up to 50,000 will be available to applicants to use for a wide range of projects, such as diversification initiatives, improved training, provision of a village shop, increasing countryside tourism, and changing to renewable energy.
Speaking at the funding's launch at The King's Head in Aylesbury, Guy Bond, a farmer in Whitchurch, said he had already applied for funding.
"It is tough out there," he said. "You have to diversify to survive and add value to your product. Every farm has got strengths it needs to capitalise on.
In the longer term, he added, he was looking to provide a farmhouse bed and breakfast on his land to take advantage of a shortage of accommodation in Whitchurch.
The Leader funding will be allocated by the Aylesbury and Rural Milton Keynes Local Action Group in conjunction with the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA). A similar amount of money has also been made available for the Chilterns area to the south of Aylesbury.
Chris Jankiewicz, Leader programme manager, said: "This is fundamentally a rural development scheme with economics at the heart of it.
But he warned: "If we don't get applications we will lose the money, we must spend it or lose it.
"We are really keen to see this going to the farming community."
A judging panel will meet every eight to 10 weeks to look over the applications that have been submitted. Log onto www.ngagesolutions.co.uk/leaderprogramme for more information.
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Weather for Aylesbury
Friday 25 May 2012
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Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
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Temperature: 11 C to 22 C
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