About WiRE
WiRE has been offering business support to women in rural business since 1996, when research conducted by senior lecturer Izzy Warren-Smith at Harper Adams University College identified a significant number of farm diversifications were established by women. These female entrepreneurs were, however, coming up against a number of barriers, including lack of access to finance, lack of confidence, not being taken seriously, rural isolation, and lack of rural business support.
The first WiRE conference attracted some 500 women and showed that the Countryside is Alive with Business often driven by rural female entepreneurs. WiRE is now a trusted national organisation, which helps rural women develop and grow their business and delivers a range of services in response to member feedback and the needs of women in rural business.
WiRE believes passionately that women in rural business should be heard and valued. We lobby on a national level to keep rural businesses on the political agenda and contribute regularly to national policy as our advice is often sought by Government. WiRE have Prowess flagship status for excellence in women's enterprise development.
Izzy was awarded an OBE in 2005 in recognition of her contribution to female entrepreneurship.
WiRE is based at Harper Adams University College, Shropshire. The college was recently awarded the Queen's Anniversary Prize, recognising the significant contribution that the Women in Rural Enterprise (WiRE) programme has made to developing and supporting women-owned rural businesses.
WiRE encourages links with local and national government bodies and large companies in order to enhance the range of business services available to women in rural business.
WiRE Partners
HSBC Bank plc
Business card-processing preferential package
Business in the Community (BitC)
BitC organised a "Seeing is Believing" visit to Harper Adams for HRH the Prince of Wales in 2001 at which Izzy Warren-Smith presented the WiRE project. HRH suggested that the WiRE project should launch nationally.
Business Link
WiRE works closely with Business Link to provide rural business support in all areas
Campaign for Rural Communities (CRC)
CRC (Countryside Agency) supported WiRE through marketing and grant aid projects, until it ceased to exist on the 1st of October 2006. The Commission for Rural Communities is still supporting WiRE in Yorkshire.
Harper Adams University College (HAUC)
HAUC played a vital part in the initial establishment of WiRE and continues to support and encourage the WiRE project .
Advantage West Midlands (AWM)
Advantage West Midlands along with seven other RDAs aims to transform England’s regions through sustainable economic development. Advantage West Midlands invests approximately £300 million each year into actvity that will help deliver this strategy. WiRE is one of the many projects currently supported by AWM .
European Social Fund (ESF)
The European Social Fund (ESF) is one of four Structural Funds designed to strengthen economic and social cohesion in the European Union. WiRE is one of the many projects currently supported by ESF.
The Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF)
Successful HIEF funding bids for the project outreach in the higher education sector.