Rural business

Support for rural business

• The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) provide information on a range of rural support and funding initiatives for farmers, rural organisations and businesses, voluntary organisations, nature conservation organisations, and forestry. Tel: 08459 33 55 77 (Mon-Fri: 8am-6pm) E-mail: helpline@defra.gsi.gov.uk

• Live & Work Rural Open to anyone in High Peak including those in Buxton and Glossop. This project supports people to develop ideas for business and helps existing businesses explore ways in which they can 'green' their work. Ideas could range from home-based business, social enterprises, to early stages in traditional sectors. Tel: 01629 816338; e-mail: liveandworkrural@peakdistrict.gov.uk

• Bright Sparks is a volunteer mentor scheme running until September 2013 delivered by the BRiC-work consortium. It is funded through LEADER, and covers the LEADER areas within the Peak District (this covers all of the High Peak excluding central Buxton wards, Glossop and Hadfield).

Volunteer mentors from the local community (known as Community Champions) are able to give free support to community groups and small businesses/social enterprises that are looking to grow and develop their services. For more information, please contact David Gluck, Tel: 07905 766831 E-mail: davidgluck@ruralis.co.uk

Rural & land based skills

Derbyshire Eco Centre is Derbyshire County Council’s Adult Community Education Service centre, near Wirksworth. It has taken on and expanded the work of 'College of the Peak' and it promotes and runs courses in sustainable building skills, including dry stone walking, as well is the county hub for courses and activities focusing on education for sustainable development and helping promote the climate change agenda.

The centre runs courses in a range of traditional craft and construction skills as well as sustainability and new techniques (self build renewable energies etc). The centre also delivers a range of art courses.  Address: Derbyshire Eco Centre, Porter Lane, Middleton-by-Wirksworth, Derbyshire DE4 4LS Tel: 01629 533038 E-mail: ecocentre@derbyshire.gov.uk

Rural Development Initiatives was formed in March 2005 as a social enterprise to take on the hosting of a number of forest industry projects. They have a particularly strong track record in running training and workforce development programmes for farmers, foresters and landowners including technical courses (e.g. machinery, woodfuel production) and business management (e.g. marketing woodland products).  Funding is often subsidised by Lantra and courses are run within Derbyshire. Tel: 01765 609355 E-mail: Erica.spencer@ruraldevelopment.org.uk

Useful Links
Peak Directions is a website that details over 400 links, to a range of organisations that provide support and information for businesses and social enterprises in the Peak District area.