Wealden and Rural Rother Boost for Village Shops

Two Wealden village shops are to receive over £26,000 in grants through the Wealden and Rural Rother (WARR) Partnership to help expand their range of services to rural customers.

“Local retailers like the Upper Dicker Village Shop and the Rocks Farm Shop at Windmill Hill provide an essential service to their local residents, and not just when bad weather strikes,” said Councillor Pam Doodes, Leader of Wealden District Council and a Board member of the WARR Partnership. “By helping them expand their range of services, the European LEADER
fund money is also supporting local suppliers, and reducing the carbon footprint of the distribution industry by minimising food miles.”

“Our ethos is about local food for local people, and this project will help us to provide some fantastic food and events at our new, bigger cafe,” said Tess Flower, who runs the Village Shop.

The Rocks Farm Smallholding has been producing meat for the past three years, using the Rocks Farm Shop as a sales outlet. Now the shop needs a new chilled serving counter to store and display its range of homegrown pork, eggs, chicken, duck and guinea fowl.

“This grant is a real lifesaver,” said Terry Newman, who runs the Rocks Smallholding on an old nursery site with his wife, Jo. The grant for £3,596 will cover 40 per cent of the cost of a new chilled serving counter.

A successful farmer also received grant aid for his organic milk business. Further details can be seen in Wealden’s Business Focus magazine. A wide range of projects are eligible, including activities such as farm diversification; adding value to agricultural and forestry products; tourism; renewable energy and community projects, including projects highlighted in village action plans.

Grants are available for all of the rural Parishes in Wealden plus the market towns of Hailsham and Heathfield.

To check if your business could benefit contact Kathy Fordham, Wealden’s Rural Development Programme Project Officer on Tel: 07985 871792, email: kathy.fordham@wealden.gov.uk