A HEREFORDSHIRE farming community has been awarded £20,000 in funding, in a nationwide effort to support sustainable projects to preserve the future of the industry.

Herefordshire Rural Hub, who support economic, social and environmental improvements in the farming and rural businesses of the county, was founded in 2004, and regularly hosts rural business events offering advice to those in need.

The Rural hub was one of nine lucky recipients of the funding, provided by the Royal Countryside Fund (RCF), with £170,000 shared out between the worthy community groups

The RCF added that these farm support groups are trusted partners of the RCF and are embedded in the rural communities they serve. The new funding will support a range of sustainable projects to help create a successful future for farming families locally.

This RCF funding will allow the Herefordshire Rural Hub to grow the farm support group and further develop its service so that it can bring its help to more local farmers.

Keith Halstead, executive director of The Royal Countryside Fund, said that the funding is centred around powering-up family farms and giving them the support they require to survive and thrive.

"Our aim is to support rural communities across the UK, helping to sustain a living landscape of working family farms and prosperous rural life.

"Farming can be so different across the UK, so it’s important to us that we support locally-run farm support groups who are embedded in the communities they serve and therefore know what will make the biggest difference in their local area."

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“Farmers are currently facing a whole raft of challenges and we know it’s a difficult time for so many families, so it’s vital our funding goes to where it will make the most impact.

"The farm-support groups we’ve chosen to fund are truly innovative and collaborative organisations that are working with their local communities to find new and sustainable ways to build a better future.

"These are all community-led support groups which can help farmers find the right opportunities, look after their health and wellbeing, and promote sustainable, economic, social and community development.

“I want to thank our supporters and corporate partners who help us fund this change. To all these generous organisations and individuals, I want to say: thank you, your support is making a real difference.”

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Kate Speke-Adams, managing director of Herefordshire Rural Hub, said: “The support we have received from RCF as part of its Farm Support Group initiative has been transformative for Herefordshire Hub.

"Grants often don’t support core costs and development, therefore the support from RCF which allows us to invest in these integral functions has enabled us to develop our leadership, invest in our HR, finance and administration processes, bid for and deliver a wider range of projects and services. We feel our impact is growing significantly as a result.”

Founded by King Charles during his time as the Prince of Wales in 2010, the Royal Countryside Fund is the only nationwide charity which focuses on the "unique issues" facing farming and rural communities.

The Royal Countryside Fund was established in recognition of the unprecedented pace of social, economic and environmental change contributing to the countryside’s steady decline, with rural incomes falling, a loss of local services and amenities, rising costs for farmers, increasing isolation and mental health issues.

To tackle these challenges, The Royal Countryside Fund has invested over £12 million in more than 500 rural community-led projects and supported over 4,000 farming families through economic and social challenges.