APPENDIX 1 – Examples of Projects Pursued under the 2017-13 Leader Programme Case Studies 3.1 INCREASING FARM PRODUCTIVITY 3.1.1 Modernising Dairy Facilities at Park Farm Park Farm, a dairy farm of 550 cattle was given the chance to improve its energy efficiency by installing a Vacuum on Demand pump. The vacuum pump can run at slow speeds, only speeding up when extra vacuum is needed. The vacuum pumps are used to produce sufficient air flow to operate the milk harvesting equipment and represent 80% of the energy used by the milking equipment components. The pump enabled the dairy to lower its energy consumption and energy emissions, as well as significantly reducing noise in the dairy shed. The LEADER grant also enabled the dairy to purchase a heat exchanger, which uses the heat from the milk refrigeration units to heat water which in turn is used to wash the milking plant. To improve the efficiency of the dairy further, the grant paid towards an automatic dipping and flushing system. The milking clusters automatically spray teat dip on the teats and then wash themselves between cows to prevent cross infection, this significantly aids the animal health and welfare and also improves the efficiency of the dairy. Bob Ives, owner of the business explained why the funding was so important, "The energy saving items will not only utilise electricity more efficiently, but have helped the business maintain margins during low milk prices and the animal health items have had great welfare benefits which have also led to financial savings". 3.2 INCREASING FORESTRY PRODUCTIVITY 3.2.1 Firewood Processing Equipment for Greywell Estate The Greywell Hill Estate has been awarded £6,425 as a 40% contribution towards the purchase of a new pto driven firewood processor, log splitter and 4 tonne trailer. This equipment will not only provide a safer way to cut and split logs (the processor comes with a hydraulic log lifter), it will also provide the means to transport it to local homes (within 5 miles of the estate). The woodlands are managed under the England Woodland Grant Scheme (administered by the Forestry Commission) for their biodiversity value. Much of the woodland is designated a SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) The woods are under a rotational coppice cycle as well as other forms of silvicultural management. This project aims to make economical use of the arisings from the management of the woodland. Wood that cannot be sold as timber or usable coppice material can be sold as firewood, which is a low carbon source of energy to heat homes. Local students often come to work on the estate and the project will provide more work and learning opportunties for those wishing to discover more about working in forestry management. It provides an income to the estate and a environmentally sustainable way to use a by-product from woodland management and a low carbon fuel source for local people, meaning low fuel miles. 3.2.2 Firewood and Coppice Merchant – boosting business A firewood and coppice merchant based at Crondall near Farnham was the first business to win funding from the previous Loddon and Eversley LEADER Local Action Group (LAG). A grant of more than £4000 made to firewood and coppice merchant Mark Howard has enabled him to buy a new machine to process firewood. Production of firewood accounts for up to 65% of his business. Upon receiving his grant, Mark Howard said: “The funding has certainly helped my business, it has allowed me to up date my firewood processing machinery and invest in a larger tipping trailer, so effectively I can now deliver more orders more quickly and consistently throughout the year.” Mark explained the need to update his machinery: “The increased demand for wood fuel has developed because consumers are looking for a green or carbon neutral alternative to fossil fuels, or to supplement their heating bills by installing log burners. As a result our firewood business has grown by almost 100%. We promote our business as ‘local wood for local people’, as all our timber is sourced from local estates either from managed forestry or coppiced woodland”. Mark is also a hazel hurdle maker and coppice product supplier. His business supplies thousands of pea sticks to London which are used primarily to support herbaceous plants, as well as hurdles, pea sticks and bean rods. He also offers woodland and countryside conservation services, including hedge laying, coppicing and tree and hedge planting. Mark summed up: “Supplying hurdles from coppiced woodland and converting locally grown timber into woodfuel means every customer is helping to conserve Hampshire’s ancient woodland heritage, which is a prime motivator behind our business!” 3.2.3 Adding Value to Wood Products by boosting timber processing JDB forestry contractors near Eversley boosted their business when they received a LEADER grant to purchase a new tractor and rotating wood splitter. This meant that the biomass production side of the business could grow, by enabling a more efficient and powerful tractor to operate their chipper, boosting production of woodchip whilst saving energy and road miles. The wood splitter enables the processing of much larger wood, reducing waste from forestry operations. LEADER has helped the micro-business to thrive and two years later, the business was ready to expand further having boosted income from the woodfuel. Paul said, "This grant has really helped our enterprise to grow and has made such a difference to our income, we have even employed an extra hand to support us from the local area". The business benefited from subsequent LEADER funding, purchasing a mobile saw mill and firewood processor. Paul continued, "We are now able to process the timber and create a usable material, selling sawn timber from our yard. We have already identified a market for bespoke sawn timber products such as large gate posts and other garden timber. By processing the timber, we have significantly added to its value". 3.3 GROWTH OF MICRO AND SMALL ENTERPRISES 3.3.1 Increase Production Capacity for Tunworth Cheese Producer Hampshire Cheeses is a local business based in Herriard near Basingstoke and produces artisan cheese. It was set up in 2003, and in 2006 commenced production of Tunworth cheese. This is an unpasteurised mould-ripened soft cow’s cheese and has won several awards. The dairy was only able to produce around 230 cheeses per day and demand had far outstripped this, so the need to move to larger premises was necessary in order to meet the expansion requirements of the business. Stacey Hedges of Hampshire Cheeses explained: “We still produce each cheese by hand, and they are matured slowly in order to allow the flavour to develop. We also hope to develop a new cheese over the next few years using the same delicious unpasteurised milk and traditional methods of maturing.” Tunworth, a creamy brie-like cheese, was awarded Supreme Champion at the 2006 British Cheese Awards, beating over 840 other entries, and also won a gold at the World Cheese Awards in 2007. Total grants awarded for this project were £97,000 and contributed to the cost of refurbishment of new premises to create a new larger dairy and the purchase of new equipment and refrigeration. These new, larger premises will enable production to increase to 750 Tunworth cheeses a day, will enable the employment of more staff and increase supply to local outlet businesses. It will also benefit the local farm where the milk comes from and provide a learning facility for school children and colleges and an opportunity for work placement to support career development. Although this was not a normal LEADER grant as the maximum is usually £50,000, the Loddon and Eversley team funded the extra amount due to the significant outcomes the project was able to achieve. Update! Hampshire Cheeses recognised at international awards Hampshire Cheeses was one of the earliest recipients of a LEADER grant in the Loddon and Eversley area, receiving funds towards the expansion of their operations and moving into new premises. Already renowned for its quality, the business wanted to maintain their artisan techniques yet operate on a much larger scale to cope with the demand. The funds and the planning process they undertook in order to make the application helped greatly towards their success. They can now firmly place themselves as one of the top cheese producers in the world after being winners in the world cheese awards held in Birmingham recently. Competition was very tough with thousands of entries from all over the world. Out of 2,781 cheeses entering the competition from 30 countries, only 50 cheeses are awarded a Super Gold medal. Hampshire Cheese’s Tunworth Cheese won a Super Gold Award. This is the latest accolade for the cheese which has previously been awarded the Supreme Champion British Cheese. In addition, Jamie Oliver has chosen Tunworth, with four other British cheeses, to go head to head with the best five French cheeses in his new Channel 4 series Food Fight Club which begins on Thursday December 6th at 9pm on Channel 4. Of course Tunworth won! Stacey Hedges, owner of Hampshire Cheeses said: “I am delighted by this prestigious award. It is a tremendous achievement for such a small company and to be picked by Jamie Oliver to represent Britain against France was fantastic. We had great fun making the programme. It’s not every day that you get a congratulatory hug from Jamie Oliver.“ 3.3.2 Pasteurising locally produced milk for Cheese Producer Artisan cheese maker Two Hoots Cheese has received funding to increase the volumes of their production.