Reaseheath funding bid will help farming businesses

Reaseheath College, Nantwich, agricultural advisors are to help 50 farmers with challenged areas of their businesses following a successful bid for funding from The Prince’s Countryside Fund.

The project, which will run for 18 months, will help the businesses become more profitable and sustainable over the long term. Specialists from Reaseheath’s Agricultural Development Academy (RADA) aim to encourage efficient farm practices by providing a range of specific technical help, advice and planning.

The £48,250 funding will be spent on accessing farmers in most need and providing them with expert input, as well as managing the project from Reaseheath.  A steering group who share an interest in assisting farm businesses will be working in close partnership with the Cheshire Agricultural Chaplaincy.

The Prince’s Countryside Fund was set up by Prince Charles to tackle key issues which negatively impact on rural Britain and to secure a sustainable future for British agriculture and the rural economy. Since its launch in 2010 the fund has handed out £3.3million to projects nationwide. Reaseheath’s bid was one of just 16 selected out of the latest 290 applications.

The project is to be managed by Lesley Innes, RADA Knowledge Transfer Facilitator, who successfully handled Reaseheath’s RDPE Livestock Northwest Cheshire programme over the past four years.

RADA Manager George Fisher said: We are delighted to receive this funding.  The project will open up new doors for us to work with farmers that do not usually interact with Reaseheath and the knowledge transfer work that we do.  Most importantly, it will enable us to help farmers that are in urgent need of support and business improvement.”

For further details contact:  Lesley Innes 01270 625131  Lesleyi@reaseheath.ac.uk