by Heather Hamilton
Several rural businesses have flourished and expanded their commercial offer after successfully applying for a Rural England Prosperity Fund grant.
The grant was made available to small and micro businesses in rural areas by Business Doncaster, City of Doncaster Council’s Economic Development team, through the Rural England Prosperity Fund, integrated into the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The team provided expert guidance and support to local businesses in accessing the grant, as well as the processing of all successful applications.
The key aim of the programme was to facilitate sustainable economic growth in the rural areas of Doncaster, through supporting the delivery of innovative project activity. This was to enable rural businesses across different sectors whose activities reflect the landscape, environment, culture, and heritage of Doncaster to survive, diversify and thrive.
Business expansion, sustainability, diversification, and environmental sustainability projects were just some of the elements supported in the award of these grants.
Alex Dochery, Interim Head of Service at Business Doncaster said: “Through the delivery of grant programmes such as the Rural England Prosperity Fund, Business Doncaster has supported hundreds of local businesses to invest in critical business areas such as sustainability, digitisation, the purchase of machinery to improve business productivity, business expansion, and much more. With further grant funding available during 2025/26, I would urge any local business that feels that they may require any element of business support to contact a member of the Business Doncaster team. We will be more than happy to help.”
A Marketing, Branding and Events Agency based in Bawtry established in 2019 used the funding to convert part of their unused outdoor space into use for outdoor photography. This complemented the existing indoor photography studio that they already had and provided the opportunity to offer additional photography packages such as pre-wedding, maternity, family outdoor shoots etc.
They also used the funding to purchase podcasting equipment so they could convert part of the existing premises into a podcasting studio that could be rented out for individual use or used as part of their client management packages.
As a result, the business expects to improve turnover by up to 30% through use of the photograph studio and podcasting through a combination of new client retainers and ad hoc requests.
Find out more: Fluff Stuff | Brand experience and marketing agency
Sutton Spring Limited is a family-owned business and has been operating from the family farm for more than 20 years. The farm has its own water source beneath the factory, and they extract spring water from the underlying limestone aquifer, the water is high quality and high in mineral content.
Water is flavoured and bottled on site with the factory manufacturing its own bottles, wherever possible using recycled material and local suppliers. Key clients include B&M and various cash and carry outlets.
The grant funding was used to install a gas-powered combined Heat and Power system to generate electricity to power the main bottle making machine, also generating waste heat that can be used to raise the ambient temperature of the room the machine is in, thereby making it operate more efficiently. Waste heat can also be piped elsewhere in the factory which will reduce heating costs and make the factory a better workplace in the winter.
Find out more: www.suttonspring.co.uk
This business specialises in Wedding Venue styling such as Chair Hire, Chair Covers, Starlight Backdrop Centrepieces, Post Box, Sequin Runs etc. The business was purchased in October 2024 from the previous owner with the intention to become a full-time venture. Funding was used to create a new website and purchase various items of stock/décor including floral arches, candles, candelabras, flower stands and antique style easels.
The business will be using new state-of-the-art reusable plastic floral equipment in place of fresh flowers, saving the business an anticipated £50k per year. They also plan to expand into new markets such as corporate events, birthday parties, engagements and will be able to provide a variety of displays, not just wedding themed décor. With an effective advertising strategy including the new website and branding, the business expects to generate substantial additional revenue.
Read more: Cover in Style
Doncaster Golf Range is a premier golf facility located in Barnby Dun. Dedicated to providing a golfing experience for enthusiasts of all skill levels, their range offers state-of-the-art facilities, professional coaching, and a welcoming atmosphere for golfers to practice and improve their game.
It offers a unique and impressive golfing experience with a focus on providing high-quality facilities and innovative technology. The grant funding was used to upgrade the existing golf range lighting from halogen gas lamps to high-definition LED lamps. This will help to reduce the electricity usage considerably and reduce CO2 emissions each year and in turn should increase profits due to the reduction in costs.
Find out more: Doncaster Golf Range | Golf | Armthorpe Lane, Barnby Dun, Doncaster DN3 1LZ, UK
This business is a unique fun rustic DIY painting studio, where visitors can create beautiful pieces of wall art by getting creative with colours, stains, and finishes. Using handmade, raw wood created on site and left bare in the workshop, customers can work their magic and be guided through the effortless process of staining and painting their own designs. With different projects to choose from big or small, there is something for everyone.
The grant funding enabled the business to develop a new bespoke website as well as purchase equipment to help increase manufacturing capacity.
This also meant they could introduce online deliveries of existing products coupled with virtual tutorials and create a custom-built booking system to improve productivity and reduce the need to manually filter orders.
Find out more: The Twisted Knot | Personalised wooden designs and DIY kits
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