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Business Funding Available
Businesses Set To Benefit From New Funding Initiative
Businesses in Norfolk and Suffolk are being encouraged to take advantage of a new capital grant opportunity of up to £30,000. DRIVE, the Delivering Rural Investment for Vital Employment programme, wants to hear from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to grow the region’s rural economy. Launched in February 2021, the new £3m scheme is funded by the European Regional Development Fund. The programme supports local businesses to invest in new projects that benefit their growth and create new employment. Applications can be made for up to 40% of total project costs, with a minimum grant of £5,000 and a maximum of £30,000. Before an application is made, a business will benefit from up to 12 hours of mentoring from a DRIVE Business Mentor, who will provide support to create a project plan and a full business plan. Hence, the business will have the best chance of preparing a successful grant application. Councillor Graham Plant, the County Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Economic Development, said: “I’m delighted that the first projects to be awarded funding are already seeing improvements to their businesses. Norfolk and Suffolk are perfect locations for these projects to thrive and we wish them every success using their new funding.” Lee Hunton, Director of Machined Precision Components (MPC) Ltd, based in Watton applied for a grant and received funding towards a new computer numerical control (CNC) turning machine. As an outcome he will employ an additional part-time machinist at MPC Ltd. Lee said: “The Mentor interaction was very useful because it allowed us to think about the details needed for the application beforehand, so the application process was straightforward. We have already noticed the benefits of DRIVE with extra production capabilities, a reduction in lead times and the elimination of bottlenecks”. Hannah Springham, Managing Director of Farmyard Frozen Ltd, based in Easton (Norfolk Showground) submitted a DRIVE application to support their new start-up that occurred as a result of adapting their businesses. They were awarded funding to put towards a frozen food truck and kitchen equipment; they intend to add two new full-time and one part-time employees to their team.
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Machined Precision Components in Watton benefitted from a DRIVE grant recently
Hannah said: “We’re so proud of the business plan we’ve achieved with DRIVE. Our Mentor was extremely helpful. DRIVE has allowed us to fast track through our first year, enabling us to provide frozen deliveries nationally” SME business owners in Norfolk or Suffolk can find out more at: www.driveforbusiness.co.uk Alternatively, they can contact the DRIVE Team via driveteam@norfolk.gov.uk or 01603 222643. The DRIVE programme is available until the end of August 2022.
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The past couple of months have been incredibly hectic at the Charles Burrell Museum!
We had picked the 25th of July to reopen our Museum after a 20-month closure and luckily the announcement that restrictions would be lifted on the 19th meant this would be able to go ahead, so it was all systems go!!! My amazing team of volunteers didn’t let me down, cleaning, tidying and organising the Museum and our Steamer’s Cafe, often late into the evening, plus getting our Showmans engine Queen Mary ready for her boiler test. We were quietly confident that, although Queen Mary had failed her last hydraulic test, this time she would pass. However, our Mary can be quite contrary at times so it was nerve wracking to say the least. The 19th saw her pass the hydraulic test then on the 20th of July Queen Mary got steamed up for the first time in two years and passed her steam test! It was a truly wonderful sight and one that I’m not ashamed to say had me in tears. The morning of Sunday the 25th of July dawned bright and clear. Heavy rain was forecast that day but luckily didn’t appear until the evening. Queen Mary, wearing her brand new tyres which were fitted by our volunteers during our closure, rolled out of the museum to take her place in Wilko car park alongside two other full sized engines and several models. At 10am our friends from the Dad’s Army Museum platoon stood to attention while Senior Volunteer Derek Antrobus cut the ribbon, which was held across the doorway by Thetford Mayor Mike Brindle and Roy Brame, the Chairman of Breckland Council. We were open! The next highlight was the arrival of Mr Richard Parrott, one of the museum’s founders, on his 1877 Burrell engine ‘Century’, recreating a past journey he undertook 30 years ago, down Bridge Street and through the bollards to Minstergate and the museum. The day went very quickly and incredibly well and I’d like to thank all those that took the time to visit us. Having the museum buzzing with people again was just wonderful to see and proved to me that I’d kept my promise to keep it safe and get it open again. Along with my really wonderful CBM volunteer family of course. We are now open Saturdays from 10am to 3pm and Tuesdays from 10am to 2pm and more info can be found on our website:
www.charlesburrellmuseum.org.uk
Helen Whitton-Rogers CBM Manager
Charles Burrell Museum opening event Image © ‘Heritage Snapper’
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