Herald - Issue 396

8th October 2020 • The HERALD • Page 51 v SAY YOU SAW IT IN THE HERALD v Helen Sparks Mortgages & Financial Services Offering professional advice since 1985 Mortgages Residential Life Time Equity Release Buy to Let – first time landlords Property Portfolios Help to Buy Insurance Buildings & Contents Insurance Life Assurance Critical Illness Income Protection Private Medical Insurance YOUR PROPERTY MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS This firm usually charges a fee for mortgage advice. The amount of the fee will depend upon your circumstances and will be discussed and agreed with you at the earliest opportunity. Some forms of buy to let mortgage are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. 023 8084 4108 helensparks@btconnect.com Helen Goodall T/A Helen Sparks Mortgages & Financial Services is an appointed representative of PRIMIS Mortgage Network, a trading name of First Complete Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority ASK A PROFESSIONAL e New Forest Rural SME fund seeks to support the Solent economy by providing grants to rural small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) with potential for economic growth, leveraging in private sector investment, creating or protecting jobs and assisting the rural sector. e New Forest Rural SME Fund is a competitive fund managed by Natural Enterprise on behalf of the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP). is fund is for New Forest based rural SMEs that require capital investment to progress their project which will enable their business to expand and grow and is designed to continue the positive work of LEADER, supporting the New Forest rural economy. e rst round of funding (£82,000) will be committed by 31st March 2021 . e fund is looking to support the strongest bids which return best value for money, jobs and leverage in the rural economy and generate sustainable growth. Grants are available between £2,500 and £50,000 and need to create or safeguard jobs to be eligible. ose projects that can create or safeguard a higher number of jobs will be prioritised. All projects must also demonstrate a bene t to the rural economy. Grants from round 1 need to be claimed by September 2021 and jobs created by December 2022 . If you believe you have the potential to grow your business or safeguard jobs, but require some extra funding to do so, you may be able to bene t from the fund. Who can apply To be eligible, applications must meet the following criteria: • e bid must be for between £2,500 and £50,000 of New Forest Rural SME support. • e bid needs to demonstrate it will create or safeguard jobs. Priority will be given to applications creating higher numbers of jobs. • e bid must raise private investment, whether through the company’s own resources, investors or borrowing. e fund can provide up to 50% of your total project costs, up to a maximum grant of £50,000. is means the bid must lever in at least £1 of private investment for every £1 of New Forest Rural SME support. Successful bids tend to exceed this. • Bids must come from a wholly private organisation such as a limited company. • Bids must come from SMEs from the rural sector based in the New Forest. • Bids must come from SMEs able to demonstrate how their project will bene t the rural areas. • Bids from third sector organisations, charities and community interest companies are eligible for consideration. • Bids must not involve the delivery of a public sector project or service. New Forest Rural SME Fund