Rural Businesses showcased at Balmoral

22/05/2013

Rural Development Minister Michelle O’Neill has said the Rural Development Programme continues to deliver tremendous support to the agri-food industry and rural communities.

Speaking during a visit to the LEADER Marquee at the Balmoral Show, the Minister revealed that from an overall budget of £500m, several thousand projects have been supported by the Programme creating new business and new employment opportunities in rural areas.

The Minister said: “The NI Rural Development Programme is revitalising our local economy with financial support, encouraging and inspiring new projects. Structured across 3 axes, it brings together a wide range of support schemes and programmes for the farming, forestry and primary processing sectors.  Rural enterprise, business development as well as diversification, village renewal and rural tourism are all beneficiaries also.”

The Minister revealed that over £73million has also been committed to almost 1,500 projects under Axis 3, assisting over 290 farm businesses to diversify. Additionally investments have supported 241 micro-enterprises and created almost 308 new jobs providing further economic and quality of life stimulus in rural communities. “Strategic projects too have given the rural north a real boost, providing vital investment in our rural areas, with over £15.9m committed – a figure I would see rising considerably in 2013/14,” she added. 

More than 30 businesses from across the north featured in the LEADER exhibition during the three-day show.

Download the LEADER 'Investing in our Rural Future' brochure which was published to coincide with Balmoral Show 2013.  

View our Flickr page for more on Balmoral Show 2013

Pictured with the Minister in the LEADER Marquee are Emma Stubbs (GROW South Antrim Local Action Group), Joyce McMullan, Teresa Canavan and Aileen Donnelly (Rural Network for Northern Ireland). 

 

Notes to editors:

1. The Rural Development Programme (RDP) is aimed at improving the economic, social and environmental conditions in rural areas throughout the north. It brings together a wide range of support schemes and programmes for the farming, forestry and primary processing sectors, rural enterprise and business development, diversification and rural tourism. It includes measures to support and encourage rural communities and delivers initiatives for local innovation in rural areas.
2. Business projects exhibiting under the RDP banner at Balmoral Show are:

Farm Diversification

Clementsmount Fun Farm - www.clementsmountfunfarm.co.uk

DISCO (Paul Donnelly trading) - www.hurricanegaragesystems.com

Foyle Hovercrafting & Leisure - www.foylehov.com

East Coast Adventure Ltd - www.eastcoastadventure.com

Embroidery NI - www.embroideryni.info

GH Engineering - www.ghengineering.info

Glendale Tree Services - www.glendaletreeservices.com

Homecraft Revival - www.homecraftrevival.com

Kearney Vintage Tractors - www.kearneyvintagetractors.co.uk

M&K Units, Hillsborough

Oddball Engineering Solutions - www.oddballengineering.com

Sullivans Engineering – www.sullivansengineering.co.uk

Tullyveery House Weddings - www.tullyveeryhouseweddings.co.uk

Westwinds Wind Turbines - www.westwindturbines.co.uk

Willowtree Cottage Timber Products - www.willow3.com

 

Rural Business

Ardclinis Outdoor Adventure - www.ardclinis.com

Clerk Coatings - www.facebook.com/clerkcoatings 

Elite Granite - www.elitegraniteni.com

Fourds Blinds - www.blocblinds.co.uk

H2 Engineering - www.h2engineering.co.uk

Linton Solutions - www.lintonsolutions.com

Saint Maren - www.saintmaren.com

Signstik Ltd, Crumlin

 

Rural Tourism

Aquaholics - www.aquaholics.org

BlokartFun - www.blokartfun.co.uk

Friends of Lissan House - www.lissanhouse.com

Hillmount BBQ Academy - www.hillmount.co.uk

 

Display only exhibits:

Antrim Hills Spring Water - http://antrimhills.com

Autism NI - www.autismni.org

Belle Isle Estate - www.belle-isle.com

Deepa Mann-Kier Fine Arts

Graceys Barn - www.graceysbarn.co.uk

Tots Pots - www.totspotsceramics.co.uk

Lorraine McGonigle Bridal - https://www.facebook.com/lorraine.mcgonigledressmaking

Railway Preservation Society of Ireland - www.steamtrainsireland.com/

Victoria Glenn Textiles - www.victoria-glenn.com

Whitewater Brewery - whitewaterbrewing.co.uk

 

1. The Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 (NIRDP) is part financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and over this period is worth £500million to the north.
2. All media enquiries to DARD Press Office, telephone 028 9052 4619 e-mail pressoffice.group@dardni.gov.uk  Out of hours, contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 076 9971 5440, and your call will be returned.

---

Send To A Friend »