Rural Development Programme

The Rural Development Programme (RDP) is a national programme designed to bring about economic and social change in the countryside. It provides help to rural businesses and communities which need to adapt and develop.

On the Isle of Wight the RDP seeks to help Islanders regenerate the countryside outside of the comparatively large towns of Ryde and Newport.

The key aims of the RDP are to:

• Improve the rural economy and reduce levels of unemployment
• Improve the quality of life for the rural population
• Focus help on those groups in need, especially older and younger people
• Improve the environment of the rural area

Over the last fifteen years more than £15 million in rural grants has been issued and more than 1,000 jobs created on the Island.

The Isle of Wight Rural Development Programme, which funded by SEEDA, is administered through the Isle of Wight Economic Partnership. The programme started in 1994 and is due to finish March 31st 2004.

The RDP has funded – either in total or in part – a high number of projects:

• Abattoir and Retail Feasibility Plan
• All Island Foyer
• Americas Cup Jubilee Education Project
• Angel Community Radio
• Arts Away
• Arts in Healthcare
• Bembridge Community Centre Upgrade
• BMX and Skateboard Facility, Cowes
• Brading into the Millennium
• Brading Partners
• Brading Roman Villa
• Brighstone School Environmental Project
• Business Mentoring Manager
• Cadet Boats and Safety Cover
• Corf Campsite – Improvement to Facilities
• Cowes Sports Football Club Development
• Cross Street Enhancement
• Delegated Projects Fund
• Developing Northwood Playgroup
• Domestic Violence Co-ordinator
• Ferry Road
• Green Island Awards
• Island 2000
• Isle of Wight Branding Marketing Initiative
• Isle of Wight Indoor Cricket Academy
• Medina Marching Band
• North Medina Community Development Trust
• Outreach Support for Older Persons
• Playworks
• Rolling Stock Restoration Project
• Rural Deposit Guarantee Scheme
• Rural Outreach Positive Engagement Team
• Sandown Bay Young Women’s Project
• Shalfleet Community Project
• Small Business Network
• Somerton Business Park
• Soundbeam
• Stroud Toddlers Playground
• Sustainable Tourism Workshops and Conference
• Ventnor Gateway Access
• West Wight Information Centre
• West Wight Nursery Training Centre
• Wight Wheels
• Youth, Community and Crime Prevention

Abattoir and Retail Feasibility Study

This project sought funding in order to set up the farmers co-operative, produce a business plan, specification and planning application, to enable the project to attract funding for and develop an abattoir and meat-retailing unit on the Isle of Wight.

The feasibility of providing a low-throughput abattoir dealing with the local needs of farmers and consumers was checked along with the possibility of linking a farm shop on the same site.

This project was decided to be a necessary precursor of any such development.

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All Island Foyer

The Foyer provides a holistic solution to the problem of no home - no job - no home facing many young people on the Island. Opened in 2000 it gives good quality, affordable accommodation for 45 people aged between 16 and 25, and in partnership with leading organisations on the Island, provides training and access to employment for both residents and other young people across the Isle of Wight.

Many young people face difficulty in the transition from dependence to independence, with increasing numbers being forced to fend for themselves from a relatively young age.

Young people from rural areas are particularly disadvantaged, having less access to support services and, because of higher unemployment and greater deprivation on the Island, a scarcity of good role models.

A central theme for the Foyer concept is social inclusion, through a range of strategic partnerships, users of the Foyer will have access to all that is best about the Island.

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Americas Cup Jubilee Education Project

Schools and Youth organisations can have a tendency to lack self-esteem and pride in the Isle of Wight. Yachting and the marine industry as a whole play a vital part in the Island’s economy. The America’s Cup Jubilee celebration in Cowes 2001 was seen as an ideal opportunity to introduce large numbers of Island children and their families to the important and impressive role it has played.

Detailed projects have been developed by Island schools entailing literature, numeracy, science and technology, drama, music, the arts and IT to tie in with the celebrations.

In addition to this, 2001 marked the centennial celebration of the death of Queen Victoria at Osbourne House, giving a further opportunity to capture the imagination of children through local history.

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Angel Community Radio

This project provides a 24 hour radio service on the IW cable network aimed primarily at an audience aged 60+. Music and memory programmes provide therapy for those suffering from dementia, Alzheimer’s and other problems associated with brain dysfunction.

Listeners are encouraged to train to become volunteer presenters and producers – putting out programmes of music and memories from 1900 – 1959.

Organisation:	Angel Radio
Project Website:	www.angelfm.co.uk
Project Leader:	N/A
Project Status:	Archived
Tel:	N/A
E-mail:	N/A
Project Start Date:	April 2001
Funding Complete:	March 2004
Funding Total:	£33,330

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Arts Away

The Arts Away project takes professional small scale touring theatre into rural areas. By shifting the co-ordination of the project further out into villages, a box office split with the village halls will allow the theatre to become a source of income generation.

The broad aims of the project are:

• To increase the numbers attending arts events and activities in rural locations
• To bring communities together for entertainment, learning and celebration
• To develop the skills of local people within rural communities
• To strengthen the role of village halls and increase the numbers using them
• To widen the age range of users of village halls
• To target young residents of rural villages
• To combat rural isolation
• To create a Rural Promoters forum
• To generate income for village halls
• To offer training opportunities for local promoters and village hall management committees

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Arts in Healthcare

The project addresses the concerns and issues of people with long-term healthcare conditions and disabilities, along with those of their carers, who live in rural areas and communities on the Island.

It has established visual arts based in a healthcare programme where a team of visual artists and craft persons in textiles and ceramics hold weekly workshops to develop creative skills in rural communities.

They are specifically targeted towards those suffering mental ill health, dementia, depression, those who have suffered strokes or who have loss of sensory abilities and physical mobility, those with learning difficulties and their carers.

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Bembridge Community Centre Upgrade

The Bembridge Village Partnership formed to conduct a series of consultation exercises which then formed the Bembridge Community Strategy. The redevelopment of Steyne Park and the community centre was given the highest priority.

This project has two broad aims:

• To improve leisure and recreational facilities in Bembridge
• To reduce vandalism and crime in the Steyne Park area

These aims were to be achieved by improving access into the centre including disabled access, as well as developing a picnic and recreational area and refurbishing the toilets. This is all designed to encourage greater use of the area by the whole Bembridge facility.

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BMX and Skateboard Facility, Cowes

The centre of Cowes and the seafront parade have a history of being ‘plagued’ by people riding BMX’s and skateboards. This project was designed to solve that particular problem by building a purpose-built facility in Northwood Recreation Ground.

This satisfies the need to increase and improve leisure facilities specifically for the youth on the Island and will provide opportunities for personal development, acquiring new skills, reducing crime and vandalism, building self esteem and building a sense of community spirit and pride in Cowes.

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Brading into the Millennium

A brief outline of what this project sought to achieve can be described as:

• Opening a Town Council Office manned by the Town Clerk to provide contact points for residents and visitors in respect of Council services
• Relocating the Heritage Centre to larger, more central premises
• Creating a ‘Town Guide’ booklet showing places of interest, local walks etc
• Providing a courtesy bus during the summer to take in outlying tourist attractions
• Creating a picnic/community area at Rowborough Playing Field
• Providing a play area for children living in the Lower Furlongs estate
• Converting Brading Station to Community Rooms for children’s parties, meetings and hostel accommodation

Organisation:	Brading Town Council
Project Website:	www.brading.gov.uk
Project Leader:	N/A
Project Status:	Archived
Tel:	N/A
E-mail:	N/A
Project Start Date:	December 2000
Funding Complete:	November 2001
Funding Total:	£1,250

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Brading Partners

A town appraisal completed in 1997 clearly showed that the residents believed that the Town Council to be inaccessible. In response to this the Town Council decided to change its working practices and to try to find premises to work from that could be open to the public. The broad aims of the project were to:

• Provide a facility where everyone in the community has the opportunity to learn, share, socialise, communicate, self improve and have fun.
• To provide a facility where everyone in the community has the opportunity to learn new IT skills and to borrow books, videos etc
• To improve a facility where the community can seek advice on a range of issues, from local to national.

Organisation:	Brading Town Council
Project Website:	www.brading.gov.uk
Project Leader:	Cathy Mills
Project Status:	Archived
Tel:	01983 401770
E-mail:	townclerk@brading.gov.uk
Project Start Date:	April 2002
Funding Complete:	March 2005
Funding Total:	£71,295

More Examples

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