At last

What a long Summer this has been, a harvest we would all like to forget and personnel losses. My father inlaw Colin Mason having died in mid June. Colin bought the farm we now run here at Marsh, in 1964, he was also a founder member of The Vale Training Group, from which Vale Training Services developed. He played a vital part in all our lives and will be much missed.

However, at last I am please to inform you that on Friday, we signed the SEEDA-DEFRA-Lantra contract, to enable us to deliver training under the new Rural Development Plan for England (RDPE). The project will be known as Lantra LandSkills South East. This project will allow those working for 50% or more of their time in horticulture, forestry or agriculture to claim grant toward their training costs. Full eligibility criteria available as soon as possible. The amount available for each course is dependent on the training you wish to take, and is guided by the regional policy plan. This varies from 70% to 40%, a full list of funding will be made available at a later date. We will be able deliver a wide range of training, under the project, but on a limited basis, as this time around the projects are much tighter. I also regret, that as a result of the increased level of paper work, a registration fee will be charged, to enable us to cover the increased costing and bank fees. This fee will be in the order of £10 per person per course. This fee will not be charged to unfunded trainees. When delivering projects of this nature we are not allowed any element of profit, and must be able to prove under strict audit that we have only claimed eligible costs, at acceptable levels. We will however be able to claim for assessment fees.

The project will be delivered by 24 providers, accredited by RBAT, in the South East. You are advised that you can apply for training through any of these individuals. A full list is available by visiting either the RBAT or Lantra web sites, the links are available on our web site. Providers will also be required to publicize their available training places on the Lantra course finder site, again available on our site, as below.

Funding has also been secured for the Vale Arable Group, Orion Dairy Group, and a new North Bucks Arable Group. as well as funding for the Fresh Start academy through Laurence Gould Partnership Limited.

A full list of courses, dates and course out lines are available on our web site. We will also produce the annual training book in the next few weeks.

Please note we are now able to take on line payments via pay pal. If using this facility please remember to add VAT to course fees.

I would like to thank all the staff at SEEDA, Lantra and RBAT, both past and present for the help they have given us at Vale training to get this project off the desk!!! A big thanks to Terry Bradfield, Sarah Richards, Adam Vernon and Kate Green

Regards. Kate Mason

“The Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) is funded by Defra and the EU. The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD): Europe investing in rural areas”