Vale Show provides perfect platform for Creative Rural Communities

Innovation, entrepreneurship and partnership working were on the menu at the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s annual business breakfast at the Vale Show last week.

Business leaders attending the breakfast heard a presentation from Creative Rural Communities (CRC), the Vale’s rural regeneration and economic development initiative. They were introduced to some of CRC’s current and upcoming projects, including business networking schemes, bursaries for young people and tourism projects.

Led by the Vale Council in partnership with public, private, voluntary and community sector organisations in the area, the initiative aims to help those in the rural Vale contribute to their communities and to have a say in their development by utilising funding and providing networking opportunities.

Gordon Kemp, Leader of the Vale Council, said: "I am pleased that once again the council was able to support the Vale show. This year we were able to involve Creative Rural Communities, giving them an opportunity to demonstrate projects upon which they are working and which will in due course benefit the rural Vale and its communities."

Projects highlighted at the event included the ‘Inspiring the Vale bursaries’ scheme, which offers young people the chance to apply for funding to set up their own business or community enterprise, as long as they currently live in, or intend to return to the rural Vale.

Nia Hollins, senior rural regeneration officer, said: "This is a very exciting opportunity for young people in the rural Vale. We’re already working with schools as well as organisations that deal with business start-ups, to spread the news of our bursaries and encourage entrepreneurship. If any young people are interested then they should get in touch with us."

Nia also talked about Business Networking, a project designed to establish networks between businesses in the Rural Vale who wish to work together for a common goal, share information or establish supply chains for products and services.

Other projects, such as the heritage tourism project, are taking an innovative approach to interaction with residents. A video booth was set up at the show, to allow visitors to record their memories, stories and anecdotes about the Vale. The content will now be used in the development of local media content which will be accessible at points around the Vale in the future.

Projects have received funding through the Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007-2013 which is funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

For more information on Creative Rural Communities you can visit www.inspiringthevale.com or call 01446 774634. For information on the Vale of Glamorgan Council please visit www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk