Local Equestrian Business Benefits from recent Rural Business Development Grant Scheme

July 6, 2020

Gillian Patterson from Hagans Croft Equestrian was one of eight successful applicants of a pilot small grant programme which Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council successfully delivered before the coronavirus pandemic.

A total of £30,893.24 was awarded to the eight micro-businesses across Lisburn Castlereagh.  This scheme funded by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) was such a success that it will be announcing a second round soon.

In early 2020 Gillian received her grant for the purchase of a hot wash bay facility, to allow the bathing of their horses at a regulated temperature.  In addition, the applicant also received grant aid to purchase a solarium specifically designed around the horses major muscle groups and is used as a form of recuperation to injured horses.  It is used to dry horses after bathing and also as a pre and post exercise regime to ensure muscles are fully warmed up to prevent injury.  The installation of these funded items ensures Hagans Croft Equestrian can provide the highest standard of care to the horses in their livery.

Funded under the DAERA Tackling Rural Poverty and Social Isolation Programme (TRPSI), this 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. 

Speaking about the upcoming programme, Alderman Jim Dillon MBE, Chair of the Development Committee said: “Given the recent Covid-19 pandemic and the significant financial uncertainties within the economy, we are delighted to be able to offer a second round of this small capital grants scheme in due course.  It will allow existing local non-agricultural rural based businesses the opportunity to enhance entrepreneurship and growth while tackling poverty and social isolation within rural communities.  It is a positive chance for smaller rural businesses to get assistance who have been massively impacted by recent events.”

Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council is calling on all existing micro- businesses within rural Lisburn and Castlereagh 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 Council’s Economic Development funded programmes team ask interested organisations to register their interest in the scheme by emailing sarah.johnston@lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk or calling 028 9244 7447 for more information.