Farmers in park may get helping hand

Cash-strapped bosses at the North York Moors National Park Authority are attempting to win new cash to back a number of conservation and economic projects in the park including those that will support farming.

Included is a bid for £455,000 to develop the coastal villages in the park by showcasing their culture, nature, culinary heritage, art and traditional crafts.

David Renwick, the park’s director of conservation, said it aims to highlight villages such as Staithes, Robin Hood’s Bay and Runswick Bay, to attract more visitors through the Big Lottery’s Coastal Communities Fund.

A separate scheme would provide £850,000 to support skills and training linked to the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) Area for North Yorkshire. It would offer skills and apprenticeship programmes and support businesses including farming.

Mr Renwick said: “The key elements would include skills and apprenticeship programmes on farm business, tourism and various other landscape linked apprenticeship schemes.

“While the park’s budgets have been cut we feel there are opportunities to finance a number of important schemes which will not only aid the landscape and heritage of the park, but also boost its economy by attracting more tourists and also supporting other business sectors including farming.”