Business Grant Case Studies

With help from the Rural England Prosperity Fund, Tectonics was able to install 70 solar panels on the roof of its factory.

Emma Bennett, Business Support Manager, said: "Thanks to this grant, we have installed 70 solar panels, helping us generate clean, renewable energy on-site and reduce our environmental impact.  This investment supports our ongoing commitment to operating more sustainably while strengthening our business for the future. We’re grateful to the UK Government and the Rural England Prosperity Fund for supporting initiatives that help rural businesses take practical steps toward a greener future."

Morton Pattison, a landscape services company based in Exton, received support, from both the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and the Rural England Prosperity Fund, to help with the purchase of equipment that has reduced the cost of services for clients and improved the soil quality of the meadows that are mown.

   

Paul Pattison, Managing Director, said: "The grant project has enabled us to match fund purchase of a 140hp Kubota tractor and Ryetec flail collector, diversifying the range of services that we can offer and reducing the cost of these services to our clients. Previously we needed to hire in this equipment, with associated relatively high costs. Running our own equipment has resulted in our clients instructing more ‘cut and collect’ grassland management and less ‘cut and drop’, with a resulting positive impact on biodiversity across the sites that we manage. By removing the cuttings it reduces the nutrient content in the soil, creating conditions that favour wildflowers rather than grasses, resulting a more diverse sward and supporting a wider array of associated species.  The tractor has been usedto manage meadows, cut fire breaks on heathlands, prepare ground for overseeding and to handle large trees on landscaping schemes."

 

Will Davies, former head stonemason at Winchester Cathedral, received a grant from the Rural England Prosperity Fund, to help with the purchase of a dust extractor for his workshop.

Will is involved in a number of outreach programmes aimed at inspiring young people to become the stonemasons of the future.  With the addition of the dust extractor to his workshop, he is now able to invite groups of schoolchildren to watch him work.

   

He said: "Acquiring the Air Bench Dust Extractor has created a safer working environment for myself and for visitors to my Hampshire workshop. I have recently invited local primary schools to take part in clay modeling workshops, to introduce young people to the craft and career of stone masonry. I aim to open these sessions up to introductory stone work, and for older students reaching working age."

 

The proprietors of Farley Farm have converted one of the hangars on their private airfield into an original and popular place to stay for visitors to the area. 

      

As part of the farm's wider mission to become more sustainable, the hangar was awarded a grant from the Rural England Prosperity Fund to support the installation of solar panelling and an EV charging point for guests.

  

Alex Graham, proprietor, said: "The Winchester district Levelling up fund has had a fantastic impact on our tourism business.  As a result of the fund we have had solar panels, with battery storage fitted. We were also granted an EV charging point which is up and running successfully.
The energy generated by the panels and the energy stored in the battery have reduced our grid energy consumption by 50% to date (please note these have been winter and spring months), significantly reducing our carbon impact from the site. The EV charging point has also opened up a new market for us, allowing people with EV’s to visit our remote location and not feel restricted by ‘range’. Feedback has been exceedingly positive and has increased visitor footfall & spend in the region and city centre."

Melanie Legge, a local ceramicist, received a grant from the Rural England Prosperity Fund to purchase a potter's wheel and replace her top-loading kiln with a more ergonomic front-loading one.  

   

Melanie said: “In September 2024, I ran a pottery workshop at HMP Winchester.  The 6 participants enjoyed the session and the prison agreed in principle to allow a regular pottery session to take place once I had the new kiln installed as part of their rehabilitation journey.  The first of the regular Monday afternoon sessions took place on 3 March 2025.  Between 3/3/25 – 31/3/25, 32 prisoners have attended the sessions, creating elephants, slab-built boxes with lids, and coil pots.  It is proving extremely popular with the prisoners and there is a waiting list to join the workshops.    This is run on a voluntary basis by myself, with no funding for materials or firing costs by the prison.  I would not have been able to offer this without the Grant funding the kiln. Here is a sample of what the prisoners have created.” 

  

The sand lizard is one of Britain’s rarest reptiles.  For over 30 years, Marwell has been breeding sand lizards behind the scenes for release, to help re-establish wild populations across the south of England and contribute to the knowledge of the species’ biology. Whilst the main breeding facility will remain off-show to visitors, a new habitat was created for lizards that cannot be released, providing an opportunity for visitors to see sand lizards – something that they are not likely to do in the wild -  and showcase the conservation work Marwell is doing to safeguard their future.  

White-clawed crayfish are an important chalk stream species and the new display tank has been designed to allow visitors to see crayfish up close, with views through to the conservation breeding and rearing tanks.  

Michelle Duma, Head of Fundraising, said: “Marwell has a proud history of native species conservation, and Hampshire’s first white-clawed crayfish breeding centre marks an exciting new chapter. This dedicated space strengthens our role in protecting UK wildlife while offering guests a unique opportunity to explore, engage with, and be inspired by our conservation efforts firsthand.” 

Deputy Mayor of Winchester Sudhakar Achwal opened Marwell Wildlife’s new Native Species Zone in March 2025

Wickham Estate, one of the county’s older vineyards, planted 40 years ago, wished to make a number of improvements to its accessibility and sustainability.  With support from both the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and the Rural England Prosperity Fund, upgrades were made to the visitor accommodation and access track through the vines.

James Davies, Owner, said: “The project funding has enabled the business significantly, we have improved our accommodation both aesthetically and from an energy efficiency perspective through the fitting of new windows and doors making the options more attractive for guests.

The major part of our funding was used to replace/renew the old road at the Vineyard and this work is complete, which now means we can access the Vineyard from a second entrance. This has meant that both from an agricultural perspective for the maintenance of the Vineyard and the land we can get around the site much easier, which has been helpful when planting 5 new acres of vines, and maintaining the remaining 40 acres. More significantly visitors can now benefit from being able to drive all around the vineyard which gives a much improved and wider first impression, which in turn helps us secure bookings for weddings, events and accommodation.”