Rural Growth Network will leave long-lasting benefits for Warwickshire

A vibrant event to celebrate the achievements of a £5m pilot project which provided advice and support to rural businesses in Warwickshire took place at Chesford Grange Hotel, Kenilworth, in December.

The Warwickshire Rural Growth Network (RGN) was one of just five pilots in the country and ran from October 2012 to December 2015, led by Warwickshire County Council on behalf of the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership. It was funded by Defra, the EU's Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE), Warwickshire County Council and partners. 

The RGN provided drop-in clinics, specialist advice, one-to-one mentoring, coaching, small business loans, grant funding and business premises. 

Warwickshire continues to benefit hugely from the RGN and its legacy. It provided a catalyst to explore new ways of supporting businesses in rural areas, linking urban and rural areas, and it has drawn together the work of a wide-range of specialist organisations and partners in support of the rural economy.

The celebration event was attended by 125 delegates, including many small businesses who had engaged in the programme. Organised by Warwickshire County Council and Pera Consulting - which managed the RGN’s Start-up support and Business Growth programmes - the popular event gave participants the opportunity to share their experiences, network and hear about the future plans for business support in the county.

Some RGN successes by September 2015 include:

• More than 790 existing businesses supported.
• 533 jobs created or safeguarded.
• 171 businesses created of which 111 were women-led.
• Rural Innovation Centre at Stoneleigh Park, developed in partnership with La Salle, has been fully occupied since the early days of the RGN programme and LaSalle are now investing in a second phase of the successful centre.
• RDPE grant programme: support for micro enterprises in the county considered so successful that additional RGN funding was allocated to the scheme. 

The economic benefits of the RGN will continue to emerge across the county, well into 2016 and beyond. WCC is also working with partners to develop a new comprehensive business support service for the county, using local resources matched by European funding. The new programme, set to be worth up to £40 million over the next three years across the sub-region, will include dedicated support and mentoring for anyone in Warwickshire looking to start their own business along with a programme of support and finance for businesses looking to grow.