What is the programme?
The Central Warwickshire Villages LEADER programme aims to promote projects that bring rural communities together in parishes of Warwick District and Rugby Borough Council. The themes chosen to promote this are community growing projects, community arts projects and community events that bring villagers together.

What will the programme do?
Community and village groups in Central Warwickshire will be invited to submit ideas for for projects that broadly promote community ‘togetherness’ and which are in line with the themes. The project officers will actively aid rural communities to identify and develop projects and then support the communities to implement them. The programme will last for 3-4 years and we hope to commission a good number of small projects (£2-10,000) and a smaller number of large projects (£10,000+) that have a wider impact across parishes.

Projects should aim not only to meet the themes currently identified but also to serve the wider social aim to promoting economic activity in villages and as a stimulus to maintaining and promoting village services. An important part of the project will be linking villages and parishes in the district and borough and to stimulate demand for further work, projects and services. In this manner the LEADER programme should be seen as part of a wider process that aims to link rural communities across Central Warwickshire.

How will the programme work?
The programme aims to be flexible, accessible and accountable to community groups in the target parishes and villages. In order to achieve this we are forming a Local Action Group (LAG), which will be the overseeing body at the core of the programme. The LAG will be formed from 20-30 interested people drawn from the target areas, and who have an interest in developing projects in the project area. The LAG will commission projects on the programme themes (see above) and be responsible for ensuring that the funding is used properly. The LAG will meet more regularly to discuss project details and provide close supervision of project staff.

The LAG will be supported by a three member staff team who will be responsible for the day to day running of the programme. A programme manager will support an arts project officer and an horticultural project officer.  The project staff will help community groups to develop and implement their projects. Currently the plan is that the staff will be based and supported at Garden Organic and the Warwickshire County Council will be the accountable body.
 

How can you get involved?
Anyone in the Warwick District or Rugby Borough is welcome to take part in the programme but activities should take place in the rural parishes. At the moment you can become involved by:

1.    develop a project idea with your local community
2.    take part in the LAG (contact Gareth) or come to find out more at our update meeting
3.    if you don’t have time to become involved promote the opportunity to others within your community
4.    read the expression of interest or see how the draft strategy is developing  and comment on the proposed programme on the website or by email

How can I find out more?
To find out more about the Central Warwickshire Villages LEADER contact Gareth by email  or telephone (024 7621 77412) or come to our update meeting on 9th December at Garden Organic