Nurturing And Supporting Regeneration In The Rural Vale

Creative Rural Communities (CRC), the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s rural regeneration initiative, are inviting people to come forward with innovative ideas that have the potential to take communities and enterprises in the rural Vale in new, exciting directions. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Creative Rural Communities work with local people to develop innovative projects and ideas that will create long term social and economic benefits for the Vale of Glamorgan. By working with communities, CRC hopes to empower individuals to become actively involved in the future of their county. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The CRC team can support and develop your ideas by helping you build new partnerships, and help you trial and learn from your experiences. Your idea may require multiple kinds of support, including research, feasibility studies, one to one advice, business advice, networking, and development. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Your proposed idea must contain elements from the following criteria: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

An ‘Attractive Vale’ encompasses piloting new tourism initiatives, or projects that develop the local identity: making use of local heritage assets, (developing new activities in the Vale’s countryside or coastline, for instance), or exploring new ways of using local food and drink, or arts and crafts, and other resources. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

No matter what industry you are in, you may have ideas about trialling new products or processes and creating new networks that benefit your local business community; your ideas may help to simplify a process, innovate the way things are done, or increase productivity. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The theme ‘Evolving Communities’ includes ideas that meet the needs of the community, and support local demands with innovative solutions for everyday issues. If you can do this, and also identify the energy needs and opportunities in the community, you would also be hitting the ‘Green Community Energy’ theme. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Finally, you may need support to make the most of digital opportunities in your community or business, or have a challenge that may be solved with a digital solution. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Supported by the Welsh Government, this initiative makes up part of the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, the Welsh Government, and by the Vale of Glamorgan Council. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

If you have an idea for a project that meets the criteria, please contact a member of the team to discuss your idea on 01446 704226, or create@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk. Alternatively, you can catch the team attending a number of events in the rural Vale throughout September, including Penfest, Peterston-Super-Ely Village Market, Amelia Trust Harvest Festival Fun Day and Dyffryn Garden Open Door. They will also be holding workshops under each of the themes through the winter. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​