A RAFT of projects in North Somerset have been handed a funding boost thanks to a government scheme.

Cash from the Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) has been handed to dozens of groups and businesses to address issues of limited access to services, poor connectivity and lower productivity.

In 2024 and 2025, the REPF funded 28 projects for 24 different organisations, totalling around £300,000 in rural capital grant funding – with around £100,000 in match funding from the organisations.

A total of 24 businesses and community groups used the funding for projects that focus on sustainability, growth and productivity, improving access, and upgrading facilities, North Somerset Council (NSC) said, including everything from installing solar panels and improving disability access to expanding local businesses and upgrading digital infrastructure.

The successful REPF recipients in North Somerset were:

• Abbots Leigh Parish Council: Installation of solar panels for the Village Hall
• Art Equals Happy: Disability access improvements
• Backwell Playhouse: Green community infrastructure upgrades
• Banwell Parish Council: Batteries to maximise savings from solar panels
• Big Nath’s BBQ Ltd: New equipment and expansion into Big Nath’s BBQ 2.0
• Bradleys Juice: Investment in carbonating technology and a bath pasteuriser
• Cadbury Alpacas: Infrastructure improvements
• Charlie’s Coffee House: Expansion of Heaven Coffee House
• Flax Bourton Hub: Community hall energy-efficient upgrades
• Ganley and Naish Cider: EV van replacement to reduce carbon emissions
• Gelato Bros (formerly Mochi Bros): Scale-up of gelato production
• Gordano RFC: Solar panels for the rugby club
• Hamilton & Hodson Traditional Upholstery: Workshop refurbishment
• Hullabaloos Lemonade: Fridge and pallet truck
• Kindaco Ltd: Food safety testing equipment to increase production output
• Long Ashton Community Centre: Modern audio-visual equipment upgrade for community group use
• Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm: Elephant and wildlife safari tractor-and-trailer ride and commercial oven for Farm Shop Café
• The Frankie Howerd OBE Trust: Community café extension with improved accessibility, commercial dishwasher and food mixer, and twin tank commercial fryer
• The Groundwork South Trust: Upgrading Goblin Combe’s residential countryside community centre
• The Woodland Warrior Programme CIC: Honey bottling equipment, following REPF 23/24 to purchase hives for community engagement
• Trethowan’s Dairy: New cleaning system for cheese production due to business needing to find a way to cope with a major change in which its milk was delivered
• Twisted Oak Brewery: Brewery infrastructure improvements and EV van
• Uncle Paul’s Chili Charity: Woodworking area project

Councillor Mark Canniford, cabinet member responsible for the economy at NSC, said: “This funding is helping local organisations become greener, more resilient, and better equipped to deliver services in their communities. The scale and diversity of the projects supported show just how much potential exists in our rural areas when given the right support.”

Applications for the next round of funding are open until noon on Friday, August 1, at n-somerset.gov.uk/my-services/north-somerset-together/rural-england-prosperity-fund-repf.

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