The South East Academy project that is funded by SEEDA and the project partners launched the first Academies in 2006 and on 16th October 2007 will launch the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire (BBO) Academy. The guest speaker will be Jonathan Shaw MP, whose other titles include; Minister for the South East, and Minister for Marine, Landscape & Rural Affairs.
The Academy will be based at the Vale Training Services Ltd, Marsh Hill Training Centre and will be co-ordinated by Kate Mason of Vale Training and Mark Oldham of Laurence Gould Partnership Ltd.
The Fresh Start Academy will deliver a 15-month training and personal development course in varied aspects of farm business management to people keen to enter the agricultural, horticultural and forestry industries. It will also attempt to identify opportunities to establish partnerships between the new entrants and retiring or outgoing farmers and landowners.
Those individuals would be supported in the early stages of their new business, via a Business Mentor, with the skills required on an individual basis.
This will involve:
- business planning and financial planning
- marketing advice, including advice on co-operation, collaboration and the establishment of joint ventures
- direct marketing and the role of regional food in supermarkets and catering outlets, and
- general business management advice.
The project has already helped members to establish new businesses and develop their careers moving to farm management positions. The BBO Academy is one of more than 15 Academies across the country that will be operating by the end of the year. It has received funding from SEEDA and is led by a group of industry professionals.
If you would like to book a place at the launch or are interested in the work of the academy, please contact academy coordinator Kate Mason on 01296 612201 or email kate.mason@valetraining.co.uk
The Fresh Start Academy project is a partnership between SEEDA, Fresh Start, Laurence Gould Partnership Ltd, Vale Training Group, Critchleys Accountants, MKOB Business Link, Young Farmers Clubs and TFM Readers.
