WILTSHIRE RURAL HUBS

Supporting rural communities to strengthen services, grow businesses, and invest in what matters.

What was it?

The Rural Hubs Programme was designed to support the small but mighty businesses, social enterprises and community ventures that power Wiltshire’s rural places. Farms and fields, local cafés, wellbeing services, nurseries, shops, community hubs, and more.

Funded by Wiltshire Council through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, this initiative helped people in smaller villages build businesses that matter, to them and their communities.

Who was it for?

This programme supported founders, business owners, and community leaders based in Smaller Rural Places – any area outside Wiltshire’s 14 main market towns.

We worked with:

  • Social enterprises running village cafés, shops or therapy services
  • Local business owners bringing new services to rural communities
  • Founders with a vision for social impact or place-based enterprise

1:1 Strategy Support – bespoke business planning, marketing, or funding guidance

Hands On Workshops – delivered in rural areas and shaped by local needs

Grant Funding – to improve spaces, extend services, or invest in community benefit

Real Stories, Real Change

Take The Mind Tree Café in Rowde — a mental health hub built by two counsellors who saw a gap in their community.

With our support, they accessed a grant to transform a disused building into a low-cost counselling space, café, and community venue. Now they’re not just supporting clients, they’re creating work opportunities, partnerships with local housing, and collaboration with other community groups.

80+ rural businesses and community organisations supported

Across the villages and smaller places of Wiltshire.

£265,000+ in grant proposals submitted for review

Funding that helped remove real world barriers and turn ideas into action.

18 grant applications approved

Average grant size: £15,000, focused on what matters most to the community.

STAY IN THE LOOP

The Rural Hubs programme has now closed, but its impact lives on in the businesses and community projects it supported. If you’re running a rural business or community venture and want to be the first to know about future support opportunities, register your interest below.