Rural Enterprise Support
Specialist business and enterprise support for people living and trading in rural areas of Northumberland.
What is rural enterprise support?
Here at the Rural Design Centre, our speciality is supporting rural enterprise. We understand the additional challenges rural business can face, such as access to markets, digital connectivity, finding skilled labour and networking. We’re on hand to help make it easier, with our specialist rural business advisors.
Individual support
We offer a range of services, both in-person and online, to help you achieve your aims and make your new business succeed.
One-to-one support
Free, tailored and delivered within your community. Our rural start-up advisors work in towns, villages and hamlets throughout Northumberland and the rural parts of Gateshead too. If online appointments are more accessible, we offer those too.
Business planning
We’ll help you identify the needs of your customers and design the products and services that succeed. We’ll support the development of your ideas, considering what’s needed to make them a reality.
Financial support
We can help you examine your personal and business finances, to ensure your business will meet your financial needs and succeed in the future. If you need startup funding, we can help you access this.
E-learning
Access flexible, on-line business training, available 24/7. It’s packed with insights you can apply to your businesses straight away.
The enterprise team
Matty is a graduate of Northumbria University, where he studied Business Management. He brings seven years of experience in the Northumberland tourism industry, developing strong, transferable skills. Matty supports rural businesses with a practical, client-focused approach, using his sector knowledge to help enterprises grow and succeed.
Matthew Clark
Charlotte Hope
Charlotte has over four years’ experience supporting pre-starts and start-ups across rural Northumberland. She specialises in design thinking and human-centred design, helping clients develop viable and sustainable businesses. Charlotte is passionate about enabling individuals to build enterprises that align with their goals and support their desired lifestyle.
Simon Laing
Simon works with rural start-ups across a wide range of sectors. He brings experience as a self-employed professional, company director, and social enterprise leader. With a background in tourism, leisure, and sport, Simon offers valuable sector knowledge and connections to support clients in developing and growing successful businesses.
Liz Gray
Liz is involved in a range of projects, focusing on community energy, emissions reduction, and community development. With over a decade of experience across start-ups, SMEs, and large-scale projects, she brings expertise in project, account management, and business development to support sustainable growth and innovation.
Get in touch
Get in touch with our Rural Business Advisors and we’ll go from there. It all starts with a conversation.
The programme is funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and brings together business support providers from across the region to provide expert advice, guidance and exciting opportunities to help turn your business idea or early-stage venture into a reality. For more information visit the UK Shared Prosperity Fund Prospectus.
