Cash help for village businesses

Archived press release

Date Published: 18/11/09

AVDC is offering grants to help protect important village businesses and services

Aylesbury Vale District Council is hoping to boost the number of rural businesses taking advantage of grants available to help protect the future of everyday services.

Administered by the council, the Vital Villages grant scheme provides funding for projects such as physical improvements to premises, the purchase of equipment to enhance services, marketing activities and staff training.

Grants of up to £5,000 are currently available. Applicants must be able to show how the project benefits their community and be able to fund half the costs of the project themselves.

Councillor Michael Edmonds, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Economic Development, said: “Small businesses like post offices, village stores and pubs play a key role in rural communities. The Vital Villages programme was set up to complement the other types of grant the council provides to community groups and businesses. So, these types of rural businesses, as well as other economic-led projects run by local organisations or community groups in villages, are eligible for funding help.”

The North Marston Village Shop project and Stoke Mandeville Post Office have both recently received funding from the scheme.

A grant of £5,000 was awarded to the North Marston Village Shop Committee to help towards setting up a community shop. Residents have been without a local shop since 1984 and the nearest supermarket is some distance away.

Stoke Mandeville Post Office received a grant of £1,305 to assist with the installation of a CCTV system.

For more information about the Vital Villages grant criteria and eligibility, call Mena Caldbeck on 01296 585657, email mcaldbeck@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk, or visit www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/vitalvillages