The GREAT Project
The Gloucestershire Regenerative Environment and Agriculture Transition (GREAT) Project is a comprehensive and exciting programme, funded for 3 years by Thirty Percy until Dec 2023.
It offers free and subsidised support to new entrant and existing farmers and growers wishing to transition to more regenerative agriculture practices. Support includes free farm advice, subsidised courses, a small grant scheme, peer mentoring, and a new entrant scheme. Although the project’s offerings are free or subsidised only to those farming in Gloucestershire, many events are available at full cost to anybody.
Its three focus areas - building evidence, sharing knowledge and nurturing enterprise – are being delivered by a collaboration of organisations led by FWAG SW that comprises FarmED, RAU School of Enterprise, RuRALink, Pasture Fed Livestock Association and the Community Supported Agriculture Network.
Lots of exciting things are happening with the GREAT Project this year including a study tour, further enterprise bootcamps, development of the GREAT Zerodig Project at the Royal Agricultural University, free farm visits from FWAG SW, and the development of the New Farmers Network to support new entrant farmers and growers on the 1st and 2nd steps of their agroecological and regenerative journey. This offers:
- Connections / a Network
- Opportunities (jobs, access to land, funding tips and more)
- Information, Guidance & Advice
The project also looks to create events for 2023 that are useful to new farmers and growers. The team are encouraging people to get in touch with their needs whether it be business skills, help with funding and finance, networking events or maybe something else?
Picture Credits: Ian Boyd