Supported Projects

Digital Mentors
Organisation: Cosmic
Project Period: Sept 2009 to Sept 2010
Funding Amount: £30,000
Total Project Cost: £65,582
This project aims to provide ICT support to local businesses, organisation and individuals through a network of Digital Mentors. In response to a local need for improved ICT knowledge this project will deliver support across the Making it Local area through a network of digital mentors (ICT experts). These digital mentors will deliver workshops and individual training sessions. The project will develop a network of digital mentors by training volunteers. Overall it will use ICT in order to link rural areas with the market towns, to help them improve their success, sustainability, performance and engagement through ICT. 
Website: http://digitalmentors.ning.com/
 
Pilot Forestry Apprenticeships Programme
Organisation: Forestry Commission
Project Period: Oct 2009 - Jan 2012
Funding Amount: £98,539
Total Project Cost:£315,051
This project will help to develop a new two year forest apprenticeship for five apprentices in the local area. These apprentices have been developed in response to a national shortage of skilled forest workers. The apprenticeship will be delivered by the Silvanus Trust and Bicton College and the apprentices will be hosted by the Forestry Commission, Clinton Devon Estates, Forest Fuels Ltd and Kleen Kutt Ltd. A part-time co-ordinator and Neroche apprentice supervisor will be recruited to coordinate the project. This project will be one of two national pilots (the other pilot is in the West Midlands) for a new England-wide Apprenticeship Scheme developed with LANTRA.  
 
East Budleigh Community Shop
Organisation: East Budleigh Community Shop
Project Period: Sept 2009 to Dec 2009
Funding Amount:  £4695
Total Project Cost: £6708
This project will improve the facilities and promotion of East Budleigh Community Shop. East Budleigh Community Shop was set up in 2008; it is staffed mainly by volunteers and managed as a community owned business. The shop is a key place for selling local produce however the shop needs more display facilities so that it can sell more local produce. It also needs to further raise awareness of the presence of the shop across the local community, to visitors and tourists. Funding will be used to purchase and install a second display chiller as well as a marketing banner.
Website: http://home.btconnect.com/eastbudleighvillage.org.uk/page3.html
 
Building Sustainable Business Networks
Organisation:  West Devon BIP
Project Period: Oct 2009 to Apr 2011  
Funding Amount:      £77,499
Total Project Cost:  £155,000
This project aims to enable businesses to improve their prospects and long term viability by providing support in the workplace. Research has shown that there is a need for local businesses to improve their business skills. This project will achieve this by delivering business support through a combination of business networks, classes and individual training sessions in local venues. Through this support the project will help improve local business competitiveness, attract more customers, safeguard jobs, and ultimately improve profitability.
Website: http://www.bipwestdevon.biz/index.php
 
Working Our Woodlands
Organisation: Silvanus Trust
Project Period: Oct 2009 to Sept 2011            
Funding Amount:       £64,704       
Total Project Cost:    £76,904
This project aims to improve the woodland economic resource in the Blackdown Hills area. Previous research has identified that there is a need to work with local woodland owners, contractors and suppliers to help maximize their business and make better use of local woodlands as a sustainable source of fuel and timber. This project will work with local woodlands to develop a woodland network, create a database, organise publicity events, develop a woodland quality standard and improve the supply of local wood to local markets. These activities will help strengthen local supply chains and maximise business. A Woodland Resources Coordinator will be employed to deliver this. 
Website: http://www.woodbiz.co.uk/freepage.asp?ID=4

Axewoods Development Project
Organisation: English Food and Farming Partnership (EFFP)
Location:  East Devon AONB area
Project Period: January – August 2010   
Funding Amount:    £15,100
Total Project Cost: £21,700
This project aims to create a pilot cooperative organisation for the local community to enable them to access a reliable, local source of Woodfuel, whilst enhancing woodland management in small woodland areas and allowing the community to benefit from interaction with woodland. The project will create a new collaborative group who are keen to work together to source their woodfuel requirements whilst contributing to the management small parcels of woodland. 

Sustainable Shute
Organisation: Shute Community Primary School
Location:  Shute
Project Period:  February-May 2010
Funding Amount:   £23,446
Total Project Cost: £49,592
Shute Community Primary School aims to be a carbon neutral organisation by 2018. This project will help towards achieving this goal by installing 51 solar photovoltaic panels on a currently unused, raised area of land behind the school. The project will also install a weather station and computer display which will show power consumption and power generation. These new features will also be incorporated within the schools learning curriculum. In addition this project aims to raise awareness among the local community and beyond about the benefits of using renewable energy sources. Several awareness raising events will be organised for local communities and businesses.