The Rural Start-Up Fund
Sophie Willingale
Sophie took over running of Bow in the Cloud Vineyard, a family start-up in rural Wiltshire, following the death of her father in 2018. Upon hearing that she had won the £5,000 award, Sophie said: “At times over the last year things have been a struggle, so having some external support and the opportunity for mentoring from Forest Holidays is something I really value as well as the financial help.
“I’ve fallen in love with the vineyard and have been learning how to manage it and develop the business – with a lot of support from local people. It’s been a great joy to bring back community harvest days, provide opportunities for others to learn like myself, and see the vineyard being used by the community. The future as a whole feels exciting and I can’t wait to see what will be achieved over the next few years.”
Jamie Bending
With a concept he began developing in 2011, Jamie Bending founded Ergrownomics—a business specialising in the production of spatially-efficient growing systems. Despite a winning product created through nearly a decade of testing, Jamie found difficulties in establishing his business. “If there was one thing we hadn’t recognised from the off, it was how isolating starting a business could be—relentless, and little in the way of a business-support network that can really empathise,” said Jamie.
With the help of mentoring support provided by Forest Holidays in the inaugural year of the Rural Start-Up Fund, Jamie was able to sharpen his business skills to give him the confidence to expand Ergrownomics. “We now have a revised brand image, a new ethos, and an entirely different plan in place for 2022, all of which we’re certain wouldn’t exist if not for the support of The [Royal] Countryside Fund and Forest Holidays,” said Jamie.
