Changes to Criminal Records Bureau checking

The new Vetting and Barring scheme, which is set to change the way organisations access and apply for Criminal Records Bureau checks, officially launched on 12 October 2009. Click here and follow the links to the CRB and ISA websites.

If you would like further information, or make use of our umbrella body services please contact David Maxwell, on 01767 626 466 or davidm@bedsrcc.org.uk

BRCC is part of an East of England rural training consortium that has made a successful bid to the Rural Development Programme for England of £4.3m. The funding, which is being administered by Landskills East, will be used to develop key skills in the following areas: livestock, arable, production horticulture, management, international trade, new entrants, leadership, the food supply chain, farm diversification and rural craft and heritage skills.

Those eligible to benefit from the funding are farmers and growers and their staff (including migrant workers)’ agricultural contractors, small scale food businesses, young people entering farming as a career and people engaged in economic activity relating to rural crafts and heritage skills, and they must be based in the East of England.

If you fit the criteria and would like to know more, please contact Anne-Marie Hamilton (Rural Training Organiser) on 01480 212772, or email her at:
Anne-Marieh@bedsrcc.org.uk

Funding for this scheme comes from the European Union and Defra, via the East of England Development Agency (EEDA).

Download: BRCC Farm Training Prospectus 2009/10 (PDF 1MB)

Funding to develop the Greensand Ridge as place for green excellence, tourism and community enterprise

BRCC is delighted to have secured a £2.4 million rural development investment fund under the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE),

Over the next 4 years, this fund will be used to invest in innovative projects which deliver against one or more of the following themes:

• ‘String of Pearls’ – Leisure and tourism
• ‘Taste the view’ - Developing the market for Greensand Ridge food and drink
• ‘Swiss army knife centres’- Supporting growth in small business and community enterprises.
• ‘Putting the green into Greensand’ - Becoming leaders in eco-business and resource efficiency.

If your innovative project has multi-beneficiaries shows collaboration between partners and can deliver social and environmental as well as economic outcomes, this may be a great opportunity for you.

You will need a robust business plan and the project must show sustainability. To help you with this and with the application process, we will supply you with a dedicated facilitator.

For further in formation contact Caron Kendall on 01767 626465 or email: caronk@bedsrcc.org.uk

Funding for this scheme comes from the European Union and Defra, via the East of England Development Agency (EEDA).

Ghost Trains on the Marston Vale Line!

Trains on the Marston Vale Line (Bedford – Bletchley) looked a little different on 30th October, as the Ghost Train rolled into town!

Also known as the Fancy Dress Express, the late afternoon and early evening trains were busy with children in an amazing variety of ghostly costumes. All children in fancy dress received a themed goody bag, and many had their faces painted.

The special service was been arranged by the Marston Vale Community Rail Partnership (in which BRCC is the lead partner) in association with London Midland. The next event in MVCRP’s 2009 programme will be the Santa Special on Saturday 12th December.

For more information on MVCRP please visit www.marstonvalecommunityrail.org.uk or contact Stephen Sleight at BRCC on 01234 832645, e-mail stephens@bedsrcc.org.uk

BRCC is part of the VoluntaryWorks consortium, which has just released a leaflet explaining its funding and development advice service, open to all voluntary organisations in Bedfordshire. You can download the leaflet here.

As part of this service, BRCC is running a free workshop on developing an Environmental Policy for your organisation, on Wednesday 25 November 2009 between 7pm and 9.30pm, at Old Warden Village Hall.

Please contact Sue Norman for further information.