Hope in the British countryside

Baptist churches in rural settings have been encouraged to think about hosting a new course that aims to create employment opportunity and reduce poverty 

Germinate Enterprise is a practical business start-up course designed to be run by any rural community group or place of worship.

Through a series of six pre-prepared sessions the programme aims to help participants decide whether to start a business or become self-employed, what the right business is for them, and whether their idea is viable; whilst creating a short business plan.

It has been developed by the Arthur Rank Centre, a Christian charity which supports rural churches and their communities, and which says the course aims to tackle hidden rural poverty, retain working age and young people in villages, assist in farm diversification and take advantage of high speed rural broadband as this becomes available.

It has recently won support from the the Prince’s Countryside Fund, which provides funding for rural projects, has confirmed that Germinate Enterprise is one of fifteen projects they are supporting in their latest round of funding.

A participant in a recent pilot of Germinate Enterprise in Worcestershire said, ‘The course really helped me think logically through the step-by-step process of setting up a business for the first time. I love the fact that this course is for regular people to help them better themselves.’

CEO of The Arthur Rank Centre, Jerry Marshall, said, ‘We are thrilled that The Prince's Countryside Fund is supporting this exciting new initiative. Over the next three years we plan to develop Germinate Enterprise into a recognised community franchise and bring jobs and hope to the British Countryside.'

In addition, the Arthur Rank Centre has announced it is running Germinate Leadership - an 18 month personal development programme drawing out the creative and entrepreneurial talents of rural church leaders - for a third year this autumn.