Business Link Launches Free Specialist Workshops for Rural and Land Based Businesses in the South East

More than 3,500 land-based businesses across the South East are being given the opportunity to attend a series of free half-day workshops to help them develop their businesses sustainably and profitably in ever changing circumstances.

Business Link has been contracted by the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) to run the two-year programme, which aims to improve skills, business acumen and viability across all rural and land based businesses in the region. With the backing and input of both the National Farmers' Union and The Country Land and Business Association, these highly specialised workshops promise to be an invaluable source of information for all those who work on the land. Businesses in Sussex, Berkshire, Surrey, Oxfordshire, Hampshire and Kent are invited to attend.

The seven key areas to be addressed are:

• Climate change

• Planning issues

• Business diversification

• Crops for energy generation

• Water utilisation and resource efficiencies

• Energy resource savings

• Food supply chain

"This is a fabulous opportunity for the South East," said John Evans, Business Link Rural Business Advisor. "Urban businesses are generally well served by business support organisations and have many more networking opportunities to allow them to discuss new ideas. Farmers and managers of land related businesses are often more isolated and therefore get stuck doing the same things, even when they doubt they are the best way.