The Prince’s Countryside Fund launches three-year strategy in NI

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Kindly hosted by the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, and supported by Lanyon Group, the PCF introduced local businesses to their activity and ambitions to support more farming and rural communities across Northern Ireland and the UK.

Janet McCollum, Trustee of The Prince’s Countryside Fund said: “We were so thrilled to be joined by such an amazing group of businesses here in Northern Ireland’s food heartland. The Prince’s Countryside Fund has ambitions of supporting 10,000 farming families and investing over £500,000 in rural community projects and we’re excited to increase our support to those living and working in the Northern Irish countryside.

“We want to highlight the work we do locally with farming families and rural communities and look at how we can work collaboratively with business partners and charitable organisations. Together we can make a difference and help those who really need our support to create a sustainable future for our countryside.”

Left to right: Oliver McAllister (Dale Farm), John McCollum (McDonald’s Franchisee), Janet McCollum (PCF), Terry Acheson (Foyle Food Group), Keith Halstead (PCF), Roger Wilson (Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council) and Trevor Lockhart (Fane Valley)

The Prince’s Countryside Fund was set up by HRH The Prince of Wales in 2010 and is the only UK-wide charity that empowers family farms and rural communities to ensure their future.

“Over the past decade, the PCF has invested more than £10 million in over 400 projects working across the UK to improve service provision in rural areas, support farming businesses and rural enterprises, and provide training opportunities for young people, as well as supporting nearly 1000 farming families to take charge of their business through The Prince’s Farm Resilience Programme, and working with our Farm Support Group Initiative, helped countless others to access local support when it’s needed most.

The Prince’s Countryside Fund wishes to see a thriving countryside – a living, breathing, working place, so that it is there for everyone.

It leads initiatives, such as The Prince’s Farm Resilience Programme which offers free environmental and business skills training to family farms across the UK.

To find out more about the work of The Prince’s Countryside Fund and how you can get involved visit www.princescountrysidefund.org.uk.