Land-based businesses across the South East have the opportunity to attend a series of free half-day workshops. The workshop programme, organised by Business Link, aims to help businesses make greater use of sustainable resources, ensure they can adapt to changing circumstances and keep them up-to-date with the latest business legislation and market developments.
The programme will cover seven topics over the period to March 2010. The topics are Earth, Wind & Fire - Profiting from alternative energy; Business diversification and possible grant opportunities; Prepare to meet thy planner; Moving up the food; Water - How to harvest and optimise; Energy crops - Food or fuel?; and How to benefit from the changing climate
The programme began this September throughout the South East. Oxon held a series of workshops from September 23 at the Windmill Conference Centre in Clanfield, which will end on November 27 with a workshop on climate change.
Kent’s East Malling Conference Centre began its series with a workshop on Earth, Wind and Fire on October 1, and will hold following workshops on the Food Supply Chain on October 29, water on November 5, energy crops on November 6 and climate change on November 20.
For the Surrey area, Guildford’s Loseley Park will hold a workshop on Food Supply Chain on November 12, with dates up until December 2.
The National Farmers’ Union Office in Ardingly, West Sussex will hold workshops on November 11, 20 and 4, on various subjects within the seven topics.
As will Shaw House in Newbury, Berkshire on November 4 and 25 and December 4 and 9. Quob Stables in Durley, Hampshire will hold a workshop on diversification on October 30, followed by Prepare to Meet Thy Planner in November 18, and Food Supply Chain on November 25, with three other workshops following on December 2, 11 and 16. Bargeman’s Rest in Newport, the Isle of Wight will also hold two workshops on November 5 and 12.
John Evans, Business Link rural business adviser, said: “This is a fabulous opportunity for the South East. Urban businesses are generally well served by business support organisations and have many more networking opportunities to allow them to discuss new ideas. Farmers and managers of land-related businesses are often more isolated and therefore get stuck doing the same things, even when they doubt they are the best way. This scheme has been designed to help owners, tenants and managers to take a fresh look at their businesses, and find new ways of working that could ultimately help their businesses develop sustainably.”
No comments yet