Paths for Communities, a new funding scheme to develop and enhance the network of Public Rights of Way (PROW) in England in order to deliver benefits to rural areas, was launched today. Local community partnerships are eligible to bid to Natural England for funds.

The aim of P4C is to encourage and support local communities to work with land owners to make improvements to the network of Public Rights of Way. In all cases P4C projects must include some element of new Public Right of Way creation.

P4C is funded by the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) so each P4C project must deliver some of its benefit in a defined rural area.

Where next?

• Visit the Natural England website Paths for Communities page which contains more information and an Expression of Interest form.

The People and Communities Fund has opened for applications this week to promote and support community-led regeneration initiatives across Scotland.

The Fund will invest in community anchor organisations that deliver local regeneration activity and promote change in disadvantaged communities. It will have a particular focus on supporting initiatives to increase people’s chances of entering employment, from progressing further in current work to helping break down any barriers people face when considering employment.

The Fund was announced by Alex Neil, the Scottish cabinet secretary for infrastructure and capital investment, who said it would “make a real difference in some of Scotland’s most deprived communities”.

Fiona Garven, from the Scottish Community Development Centre said:

“SCDC welcomes the focus of the People and Communities Fund on supporting community-led organisations to achieve the changes they want to see happen in their own communities. Community involvement must be integral to the design and delivery of local economic and social regeneration initiatives to ensure that any activities that take place within local areas accurately reflect local priorities and lead to real and tangible improvements for local people. 

“We are encouraged that the funding programme is to be targeted at organisations that are rooted in their communities and which are best placed to encourage wider involvement in local regeneration activities thus ensuring longer term impact and sustainability.”

Where next?

• People and Communities Fund application form and guidance notes.

A second round for Expressions of Interest under the Rural Community Broadband Fund (RCBF) opened today (until 6 July) and details have also been published on how to apply to the second round of the Forestry and Farming Improvement Scheme when it opens on 22 May.

Applications will be invited for grants of up to £25,000 to enable businesses to buy new machinery and develop green projects, while whole communities in the remotest areas could get superfast broadband to help transform their businesses and the wider community.

Farming Minister, Jim Paice said: “This is good news for rural communities, as many of the farms and businesses that missed out the first time around will get another chance to apply for grants of up to £25,000, which will make a major difference to how they run their business.”

Communications Minister Ed Vaizey said: “Superfast broadband has the potential to transform our most remote communities by opening up a world of new opportunities.

“The fund will back those communities working to help themselves by bringing broadband to their homes and helping businesses develop and grow.”

Defra’s £20 million Rural Community Broadband Fund is open today for applications from the most remote communities.  It complements the Government’s £530 million Broadband Delivery UK programme to provide superfast broadband to 90 percent of every county. The Rural Community Broadband Fund allows for communities in the remaining ten percent to develop projects for a superfast broadband connection.

The Farming and Forestry Improvement Scheme will fund new profit-boosting green schemes (more information on criteria and eligibility via link below). Grants will cover a maximum of half of the total cost of projects in uplands areas and at most 40% of the total cost of projects in non uplands areas.

What next?

• More information about the Rural Community Broadband Fund and details on how to apply can be found on Defra’s RDPE Network webpage http://rdpenetwork.defra.gov.uk/funding-sources/rural-community-broadband-fund.  Applications close on July 6 2012.
• Information for applicants to the Forestry and Farming Improvement Scheme is available at http://rdpenetwork.defra.gov.uk/funding-sources/farm-and-forestry-improvement-scheme; the scheme will go live on May 22 and close on July 17.

Four projects have beaten competition from towns across Wales to win recognition for their efforts to nurture thriving communities.

The winners for the Wales region of this year’s Action for Market Town awards have been announced:

• Business and Economy Category and Wales Zone Winner: Holyhead Town Centre Empty Shops Initiative
• Environment and Culture Category Winner: Old Hall Grounds Revival
• Partnership and Strategic Working Category Winner: Ruthin: Market Town of the Future
• Social and Community Category Winner: Bargoed Library (@ Hanbury Baptist Chapel)

Click on the links above to view profiles of each of the winners, photographs, and comments from Awards judges.

Several other entrants were commended by the judges:

• Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council -Church Street Regeneration
• Ceredigion County Council – Min y Ddôl Community Play Area
• Denbighshire County Council – Town Centre Shop Front Improvement Scheme
• Flintshire County Council – Summer Events – Holywell & Mold
• Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council – Pontmorlais Heritage Quarter – Merthyr Tydfil
• Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council – Neath Food and Drink Festival 2011
• RCT Borough Council – Business Mentoring in Mountain Ash & Tonypandy Town Centres

The winning project, Holyhead Town Centre Empty Shops Initiative, will go forward to be considered for Action for Market Towns’ prestigious National Award. National winners will be announced by historian and television presenter David Starkey in October at a ceremony in Kendal.

Last year’s winners (including Mold Spring Clean – last year’s overall National Awards winner) received widespread press exposure and several were even held up as exemplary projects in a Parliamentary reception.

Chris Wade, the chief executive of AMT said:

“The quality and quantity of our entries shows that innovation and creativity is at the heart of many towns across Wales. This years’ entries really raised the bar – giving judges a difficult task – and the regional winners should be congratulated for the positive effects their projects are having in their communities.

“The Action for Market Towns Awards celebrate these innovative projects and share good ideas allowing other towns across the UK to learn from our winners’ experiences.

“We are grateful to The Big Lottery Fund for their continued support for the Awards, and to specialist ethical fund manager CCLA for their sponsorship. Delivery of the awards scheme is also supported by The Welsh Government.”

Background to awards:

Action for Market Towns founded its awards scheme in 2004 to recognise and showcase initiatives that are helping our small market towns to adapt to change and flourish.

For the awards, the presence of a ‘market’ is not the determining feature – more important is the relationship between the town and its hinterland. Towns eligible to enter the awards have a population of between 2,000 and 35,000, offer at least convenience shopping and meet some weekly and specialist needs.

The Action for Market Towns National Awards are supported by the Big Lottery Fund and sponsored by specialist ethical fund manager CCLA.

If you need any information about the awards, please contact: Anne Buchanan on 01633 411732 or email, awards@towns.org.uk. Further press information is available by emailing news@towns.org.uk

Notes to editors:

1. Action for Market Towns (AMT) is a national charity committed to the vitality and viability of our small towns.

2. It offers training, consultancy, national advocacy and a range of other services to more than 400 members.

3. The awards are part funded by the Big Lottery Fund and sponsored by ethical fund manager CCLA.

Where next?

• Action for Market Towns 2012 Awards

With over 75 entries to this year’s AMT Awards the judges in each region have had a difficult task – made even harder by the widespread quality shown by all applications.

Regional category and overall regional winners have now been announced, and we are delighted for all the winning and commended entrants. Last year’s winners received widespread press exposure and several were even held up as exemplary projects in a Parliamentary reception.

The winning projects from each region go forward to be considered for Action for Market Towns’ prestigious National Award. National winners will be announced by historian and television presenter Dr David Starkey in October at a ceremony in Kendal.

You can read about the winning projects from each region by clicking on the links below.

• North Zone
• East Zone
• West Zone
• South Zone
• Wales Zone

Chris Wade, the chief executive of AMT said:

“The quality and quantity of our entries shows that innovation and creativity is at the heart of many towns. This years’ entries really raised the bar – giving judges a difficult task – and the regional winners should be congratulated for the positive effects their projects are having in their communities.

“The Action for Market Towns Awards celebrate these innovative projects and share good ideas allowing other towns across the UK to learn from our winners’ experiences.

“We are grateful to The Big Lottery Fund for their continued support for the Awards, and to specialist ethical fund manager CCLA for their sponsorship.  Delivery of the awards scheme is also supported by The Welsh Government.”

Born in Kendal where he attended (and excelled at) Kendal Grammar School, Dr Starkey’s books, history documentaries and television and radio appearances including on BBC’s Question Time have made him one of the UK’s best known historians.

(image from the National Secular Society).

What next?

• Action for Market Towns Awards 2012
• Kendal minted as AMT plans annual convention