Business
AN East Garston mother and daughter have established a new business with a grant from the North Wessex Downs LEADER Programme.
AN East Garston mother and daughter have established a new business with a grant from the North Wessex Downs LEADER Programme.COSY Paws, a luxury countryside cattery, has been established by Carole Ruse. Carole and her daughter Genevieve (pictured above) offer refined feline boarding at East Garston.
Carole Ruse said: “I couldn’t believe it when I got the grant. It was as good as winning the lottery. Because it’s a family business, this means a lot, and we wouldn’t have been able to start Cosy Paws Cattery without the LEADER grant.”
The suites of cat accommodation - which have a clean, modern and sleek design - are named following an Egyptian theme.
Genevieve, who manages the cattery explained: “We wanted to echo the reverence of cats by ancient Egyptians, so you can choose from suites such as Nile, Luxor and Rosetta.”
The North Wessex Downs LEADER Programme has drawn £2.5 million into the economy of the area, and is investing free capital in a variety of rural businesses. Other successful applicants so far include farmers developing food sales and foresters adding value to their products or starting wood fuel enterprises. LEADER provides an excellent source of money for farms to modernise and diversify.
Rural revival is the mission of the LEADER Local Action Group, the local people who decide which applicants receive money.
“The action group provide a local perspective on funding priorities for the North Wessex Downs AONB,” explained Ian Ritchie, the group’s chairman.
“People volunteering on our very proactive group come from a wide range of backgrounds - farmers, business professionals, environmental conservation, local authorities – you name it. We are proud to have such a great team.”
The LEADER Fund is gaining major importance because the money presents people with opportunities for capital investments which might not otherwise take place during an economic downturn. The action group particularly welcomes applications from farmers who wish to diversify their business.
Applications are confidential, as ideas are valuable. It might be a fresh innovation for farmers’ markets or a world-changing business concept, whatever your project, the LEADER programme might be the source of the capital investment you need to make it happen.
For more details about LEADER money, please call 01488 685440 or visit www.northwessexleader.org.uk
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