Charity and Voluntary Sector

BIG: 28 Villages across the UK are a step closer to finding out if they will secure up to £400,000 of Lottery money to set up new community reviving enterprises and have their journey documented by the BBC for a major prime time series.
 
Village SOS – an initiative by Big Lottery Fund and the BBC to inspire UK rural revival – aims to fund 6 rural villages to develop new business ventures that will breathe new life into their areas, create new jobs and improve the quality of life for local people.  The 28 villages shortlisted will be offered a development grant of up to £10,000 to develop their business proposals.
 
The shortlisted villages span the UK - from the Cornish peninsula to the Scottish Highlands - and have plans for a diverse range of social enterprises, including community food co-operatives, cultural heritage centres and green energy schemes.  
Press release ~ List of all Village SOS shortlist projects ~ BIG: Village SOS ~ Make Your Mark ~ BBC search for Village Champions ~ CRC: Rural Economies Recession Intelligence report ~ Enterprise UK
 
FSA: The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has set out its proposals for strengthening the financial resilience of the credit union sector and ensuring that its customers are adequately protected.  The proposals aim to raise prudential standards in the sector, particularly on capital & liquidity.  The proposed regime could also help ensure credit unions are prepared for the new government legislation allowing them to carry out a wider range of financial activities.
Press release ~ CP09/27: A review of the Credit Union Sourcebook
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