Great Yorkshire Show proves a success for business support

19/07/2010

Yorkshire Forward’s rural skills programme, LandSkills, launched its £1million training grant scheme at the Great Yorkshire Show, which offers training and learning activities for the livestock, arable, production horticulture, forestry and food sectors.

Over 7000 people visited the Yorkshire Forward stand over the three day event to suss out what rural business support is available in the region, with a hundred enquires for further support and grants through the seven Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) supported programmes located there. 

Two farm enterprise support programmes; Growing Routes and Farm to Share were on hand at the stand along with supply chain development programme, Farexchange, and BPEX, the British Pig Executive, who works with the regions’ pig farmers to control and reduce disease levels in pig herds.

General start up advice was available from Business Link Yorkshire who also provided information on the RDPE Rural Business Support Programme and CO2Sense Yorkshire provided info and advice on how to cut waste and emissions. 

Andy Tordoff, Assistant Director of Environment (Rural Renaissance and Tourism) at Yorkshire Forward commented; “The Great Yorkshire Show was a great success and was a hive of business activity with thousands of visitors interested in business support and many taking it further with a hundred leads for further support and grants.”

Companies which have received RDPE funding were also on hand to discuss the process of applying for a grant and the benefits of the support. The stand also presented new business opportunities with The Gluten Free Kitchen, a specialist bakery based in Leyburn North Yorkshire, which produces gluten products making new business contacts.

Owner Dave Fleming, commented; “As a result of our presence at the Great Yorkshire Show we are now in negotiations with other companies for a number of supply contracts. It was a great opportunity to trial our new Ovencrust gluten free bread and it was also nice to give something back, advising people on the RDPE process, because without it we wouldn’t be where we are today.”

Choc Affair, based in Naburn near York, makes Fair Trade Belgium Chocolate and accessed an RDPE grant to purchase new equipment. Choc Affair is a wholesale company, therefore they do not normally get to meet their customers face to face. The show allowed them to trial several new products and get feedback from their customers in terms of taste and price.

Yorkshire Fine Cheese Ltd, based in Shepley, Huddersfield, used RDPE funding to convert a former canteen into a modern dairy unit, made a number of business contacts including a stately home, a fine food outlet and various delicatessen’s in the region. Danny Lockwood, owner of Yorkshire Fine Cheese commented; “We are really pleased with the outcome. This would not have happened if we were not at the show. We also had lots of people asking us how to set up businesses and advice on making cheese. It was a great opportunity to share with others the benefits of RDPE support.”

Notes to editors:

RDPE is jointly funded by Defra and the European Union and managed by Yorkshire Forward.
Yorkshire Forward
• Yorkshire Forward is the Regional Development Agency behind the economic regeneration of Yorkshire and Humber. It aims to make a positive difference by investing in jobs, improving towns and cities, and in supporting businesses throughout the region.
• RDPE is jointly funded by Defra and the European Union (The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development: Europe investing in rural areas) and managed by Yorkshire Forward.
• For further information, images or to arrange an interview, please contact Laura Scholey, Press Manager on 0113 3949540 or email laura.scholey@yorkshire-forward.com