Partners & Main Funders

Government Office for the South-East (GOSE)

Website: www.go-se.gov.uk

The Government Office for the South East (GOSE) represents central government in the South East, particularly the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister; the Departments for Education and Skills; Trade and Industry; Transport; Culture, Media and Sport; Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; the Home Office. GOSE works to influence contract and develop government programmes and initiatives at a regional and local level, by working in partnership with relevant organisations to meet local needs.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Website: www.defra.gov.uk

Defra’s target is to reduce the gap in productivity between the least well performing quartile of rural areas and the English median by 2006, and improve the accessibility of services for rural people. The evidence for poor economic and social conditions in some rural areas is both compelling and measurable. By laying solid foundations to achieve sustainable and long term regeneration in these areas, Defra provide help to rural businesses and communities which need to adapt and develop.

SEEDA

Website: www.seeda.co.uk

The South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) was established by the Government through the Regional Development Agency Act 1998, and came into operation on 1st April 1999 to take the strategic lead in promoting the sustainable economic development of the region.

Their mission is to work with our partners and make the South East of England a world class region, achieving sustainable development and enhanced quality of life as measured by:

• Economic Prosperity
• Environmental Quality
• Social Inclusion – ensuring meaningful employment for all

New Opportunities Fund

Website: www.nof.org.uk

The New Opportunities Fund (NOF) is a Lottery Distributor created in 1998 to award grants to education, health and environment projects throughout the UK. Many of their grant programmes focus particularly on those in society who are most disadvantaged.

Isle of Wight Council

Website: www.iwight,com

Action for Market Towns

Website: www.towns.org.uk

Action for Market Towns is the national membership organisation dedicated to:

• Promote the vitality and viability of small towns
• Support and assist small towns in tackling the challenges they face
• Provide a national focus for action on issues facing small towns

The Countryside Agency

Website: www.countryside.gov.uk

The Countryside Agency resulted from the merger of the Countryside Commission and the Rural Development Commission and is the statutory body working to:

• Make life better for people in the countryside
• Improve the quality of the countryside for everyone

We summarise our role as:

• Statutory champion and watchdog
• Influencing and inspiring solutions through our know how and show how
• Delivering where we are best placed to add value

The European Union

Website: europa.eu.int

The European Union (EU) is a family of democratic European countries, committed to working together for peace and prosperity. It is not a State intended to replace existing states, but it is more than any other international organisation. The EU is, in fact, unique. Its Member States have set up common institutions to which they delegate some of their sovereignty so that decisions on specific matters of joint interest can be made democratically at European level.

The historical roots of the European Union lie in the Second World War. The idea of European integration was conceived to prevent such killing and destruction from ever happening again. It was first proposed by the French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman in a speech on 9 May 1950. This date, the "birthday" of what is now the EU, is celebrated annually as Europe Day.