Barge Inn Community Project

Honey Street, Wiltshire, England

A Honeystreet village focal point, the Barge Inn pub, is up for sale and is at risk of closure. Barge Inn Community Project hopes to purchase the lease of the pub and operate it as a profitable social enterprise. The project would rejuvenate the village by creating a community hub. It would also help support tourism in Honeystreet, which is well known because of the local crop circle phenomena and popular canal system. Complementary enterprises such as a village shop and craft and drama workshops would also operate within the pub. Employment opportunities would be created, as well as training for people with learning disabilities.

Terry Kemp, Member of the Barge Inn Community Project Steering Group, said of the award: "We're absolutely delighted. The project was conceived around the kitchen table by two individuals concerned about the pub's future. What we've got now is a successful project that will answer the needs of the village and secure the future of an important community hub."

Caistor Arts and Heritage Centre

Caistor, Lincolnshire, England

This group would refurbish a local disused building to create the Caistor Arts and Heritage Centre that would encourage tourism, provide employment opportunities and generate income. The centre would provide workshop and exhibition space for local artists and a number of other rooms and training areas such as a training kitchen. As a historic place with many historical and listed buildings Caistor Arts and Heritage Centre would hope to build on Caistor's strengths and attract more visitors from the local areas and from further afield. There are also plans for the centre to also include a cinema and library service.

Roy Schofield, on behalf of Caistor Arts and Heritage Centre, said: "Everyone is elated to hear the wonderful news of funding for our project - it means a great deal to the village of Caistor. This result makes all our efforts worthwhile and we look forward to the hard work ahead to ensure that it is a success."

Future Newstead

Newstead, Nottinghamshire, England

The Future Newstead project in Newstead, Nottinghamshire, in partnership with Rural Community Action Nottinghamshire, would transform a 220-acre site of former colliery spoil heaps into a thriving, mulit-use Country Park and resource for the local community. Since the colliery closed in 1987 the area has naturally matured into a regionally significant haven for wildlife, but is slowly being spoiled by vehicles driving through the site. The Future Newstead project focuses around creating three main attractions: a county sculpture park, which will showcase sculptures created by local artists and community groups; a weekend festival offering concerts and outdoor performances; and a combined visitor centre and café, built using eco-friendly materials, and sustainable energy through renewables.

Talgarth Mill Green Energy Group

Talgarth, Powys, Wales

This project is based in the town of Talgarth, Powys. The project forms part of a much larger project that seeks to restore the local river bank walking routes, create a woodland management programme to preserve local woodlands and also, cut down old trees to act as a source of biomass heating and a source of fuel for the furnaces in the bakery.

This phase of the overall project seeks to renovate the village's mill cottage to create a sustainable education and renewable technologies centre, with space for local enterprise and a gallery. An eco-cafe will also be established in the education centre and the old mill will be reinstated as a working flour mill, where bakery products will be produced and then sold in the local area.

Taste Tideswell Village SOS finalist

Tideswell, Derbyshire, England

The project in the village of Tideswell, Derbyshire wants to bring local food producers together to sell their products under one brand - Taste Tideswell. By working together with existing local farmers, shops and individual producers the Taste Tideswell project hopes to sell the quality produce under a single name and promote the village as a destination for food lovers.

The project also wants to increase the amount of local food that is produced by setting up a community smallholding that will provide space for allotments and small livestock and build on local culinary skills by building a community kitchen. The professional kitchen would provide a base for individuals who currently cook or bake in their homes to develop their skills and to make large quantities of their produce in order to sell it. Children from local schools would also be able to have healthy eating and cookery lessons, taught by older people in the village who could pass on their recipes and culinary expertise.

Ty Talcen

Myddfai, Carmarthenshire, Wales

In the small rural village of Myddfai in Carmarthenshire, West Wales, villagers have plans to create a new brand - Made in Myddfai - under which they would sell locally made products that draw on the history of the area and skills of the local community. Led by local residents through village hall charity Ty Talcen, the enterprise would be based around local legends the Physicians of Myddfai, who were well-known for their work in homeopathy during the early 13th century.

Local residents would grow, market and sell local herbs as medicines as well as a range of arts and crafts products such as hand-made quilts, stained-glass, pottery and fabrics that have been made by residents of the village. Products under the Made in Myddfai brand would be sold at a new outlet, which will offer a shop, tearoom and other community facilities and will be run by local volunteers.