UK Shared Prosperity Fund success
Epping Forest District Council has delivered a series of impactful community and business initiatives funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) & Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF).
The UKSPF and REPF launched in 2022 as the central pillar of the UK government’s ambitious Levelling Up agenda. It’s aim was to build pride in communities and increase life chances for local people focussing on deprived areas, rural communities, local businesses and work/skills education and training.
Key projects
Empowering Epping Forest Female Entrepreneurs
The Empowering Epping Forest Female Entrepreneurs programme offers support to women with early-stage business ideas, offering practical guidance and tailored assistance to help them develop viable enterprises.
The initiative is designed specifically for women in the Epping Forest district and offers tailored business support over 9 months, combining workshops, mentoring, and peer learning in a way that fits around your life.
The programme includes access to a dedicated helpline, group mentoring sessions, and a network of cheerleaders who champion each entrepreneur’s success.
To date, the programme has supported 94 local residents. Of these, 63 were deemed business-ready by the end of the programme.
Digital inclusion programme
Delivered in partnership with Voluntary Action Epping Forest the UKSPF funded digital inclusion programme aims to reduce digital exclusion through the 3 pillars of digital inclusion.
- Digital skills – Helping residents build confidence and competence in using technology and the internet through local support and training.
- Connectivity – Enabling residents to have access to mobile data and wi-fi to connect to the internet.
- Hardware – Providing access to essential devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops.
Power UP! offers multiple ways for residents to get involved in improving digital access and skills across the district.
Volunteers can become Digital Champions, receiving training to support others through workshops and drop-in sessions. Residents and businesses are encouraged to donate unused digital devices, which are securely refurbished and redistributed to local families.
The programme has engaged 764 residents in digital skills development, and 92 devices were refurbished and donated to support access to digital services.
Playgrounds and green spaces
Playgrounds are essential spaces, providing more than just fun, they significantly impact physical, cognitive and social skills in young children. They provide the opportunity for children to be active, challenge themselves, explore potential risks in a safe way and to express themselves.
Through UKSPF funding we supported the regeneration and creation of 5 playgrounds in the district,
- Ninefields, Waltham Abbey
- Limes Farm, Chigwell
- Newmans Lane, Loughton
- Bumbles Green, Nazeing
- Abridge
2025-26 funding
Another successful bid for government funding has resulted in a further £327,164 for business and community improvement projects in the district.
This latest round of funding for 2025-26 will be used to:
- Continue the successful female entrepreneurship programme and open the project to new businesses
- Develop an inclusive business grant to support local businesses to employ neurodivergent adults
- Commission a business support programme for our local businesses
- Develop a recruitment programme to support local residents into health and social care employment.
- Develop a programme with Town and Village partnerships to support local businesses.
Pride in our communities
The aim of this fund, and the projects we have chosen is to encourage pride in our communities and increase life chances by making visible and tangible improvements. Key learnings from the first round of projects showed a need to build better relationships with business and business groups, particularly rural businesses and the rural economy.
It also highlighted the need to build a better understanding of skills and training requirements across district, all of which we have tried to address in this new round of projects.
Councillor Holly Whitbread, Portfolio Holder for Finance and Economic Development
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