Firms benefit from Rural Grant Scheme

Eight micro-business across the council area were allocated a total of £30,893.24.

This Tackling Rural Poverty and Social Isolation Programme (TRPSI) was piloted across all council areas and was funded by the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA). The Department is planning on funding a second round of this programme shortly, so please keep an eye on our social media.

Lynne McCabe from Lisnacurran Country House B&B was a successful grant recipient in early 2020 and she is looking forward to being able to reopen from 3rd July. Her business received funding for the purchase of a ceiling mounted audio visual system, to allow their expansion within the conferencing market sector. In addition, Lynne also received grant aid for other items of capital equipment including fixed catering equipment and vintage style external lighting at her B&B premises.

The TRPSI scheme provides micro businesses with a capital grant capped at £4,999 at a match-funding rate of 50% from DAERA and 50% from participating businesses. Micro businesses are those with less than 10 full time employees. Eligible businesses must be able to demonstrate they are an existing non-agricultural business based in a rural area.

Alderman Jim Dillon MBE, Development Committee Chairman said: “Given the recent Covid-19 pandemic and the significant financial uncertainties within the economy, we are delighted to get another opportunity to offer this small capital grants scheme to local businesses. It will play an important role in enhancing entrepreneurship and growth while tackling poverty and social isolation within rural communities. I would encourage all smaller rural businesses in the Lisburn Castlereagh area to consider this great opportunity to get assistance, especially if you have been impacted by recent events.”

Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council is calling on all existing micro-businesses in its area to consider applying to the next round of the Rural Business Development Grant Scheme expected to launch in August 2020. While we await further details from DAERA, the Programmes Team in Economic Development would like interested organisations to register their interest by emailing [email protected] or calling 028 9244 7447 for more information.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper whenever you are able to do so.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper when you can safely.

You can also enjoy unlimited access to the best news from across Northern Ireland and the UK by subscribing to newsletter.co.uk

With a digital subscription, you can read more than five articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Thank you