• The much-anticipated CAP health check has recently been published. It sees a permanent end to set-aside and proposes an elimination of dairy quotas by 2015 - both moves that have been welcomed by the NFU. See www.nfuonline.com


• Rural areas need ring-fenced funding, says NFU - The National Farmers Union (NFU) is calling for the Government to introduce ring-fenced funding to protect rural areas from flooding. The NFU wants to see money earmarked for building flood defences such as banks along watercourses in rural areas, which would help protect crops from being destroyed. Last summer's floods were disastrous for hundreds of farmers and the total damage bill ran to approximately £3 billion, according to the Association of British Insurers. The NFU president said it was crucial to set aside such funding in order to protect the country's food supplies. Read more on this story


• Try something different! Come and play a wide range of drums, percussion and other world
instruments (all provided for you). You don't have to be a musician to come, we welcome all ages and
abilities and hold sessions for families and children too. Sessions at Othery, Wellington and Taunton. For details ring Ronni on: Tel. 07949 273 703 or see www.ronnidancingflame.co.uk


• The BEE (Business Enhancing Experiences) programme has been part funded by Somerset Local Area agreement and is designed specifically for women in business. It will focus on your particular needs and equip you with the means to sustain business success. Designed by women for women, joining a BEE group will help you to grow your business in the company of like-minded people with fun, support, action, learning and challenge. Recognising that being self-employed can be a lonely and unappreciated position, bringing women entrepreneurs together enables you to share issues or problems you face in running your businesses, as well as sharing success.

From our own experiences of setting up and running small businesses, we have found that as women we multi-task, and it is too easy to lose focus on our business. The BEE is a key tool that will help you to maintain the focus on and accountability for developments in your business for future success. The programme involves joining five other like minded women to talk through issues affecting your business. The cost for six meetings is only £100 +vat. For more information please call Kath on 01460 234581 or e-mail kath.gigg@btinternet.com


• Support is available for Women thinking about starting a business or in business in the Blackdown Hills

The Dunkeswell Eco Business Park Ltd (a new subsidiary company of the BHBA) has secured funding to provide training and personal development skills for women wanting to start or expand a small business in the Blackdown Hills.

This project aims to help women who are looking for a way to work flexibly in order to meet their personal or family needs, who want to turn a hobby, skill or interest into an income and even those women who already are involved in running a business and wish to see it grow. The project will offer women the opportunity to attend a number of FREE training workshops, starting in March 2009 (smarketing workshop 11 and 18 March) and will continue every month on the first Wednesday of the month, Wednesday 1 April and so on, tailored specifically to their needs. Proposed workshops include personal development, confidence building, IT training (including website creation), marketing, business administration skills and legislation; all to be held at local venues. Funding is also available to help cover any childcare and transportation costs incurred.
Please contact 01823 681484. Email info@bhba.org.uk or see the website www.bhba.org.uk

• There is a service from Business Link - SusBIZ for small and medium food and drink businesses in the South West which includes 1-1 advice and free events and workshops. Ring 0845 6009966 or see www.businesslinksw.co.uk

• Are you aware of the current National Minimum Wage rates? If you aren't, you could face new penalties. Businesses need to ensure that they're paying their staff, at least, the national minimum which is currently £5.73 for people aged 22 and over, £3.53 for 16-17 year olds and £4.77 for 18- 21 year olds. For up to date information see the HM Revenue and Customs NMW page - www.hmrc.gov.uk/nmw

• More women opt for self-employment - The number of women moving from being employed to starting their own enterprises has increased, according to a new report which takes a detailed look at female start ups, growth and what is important to female entrepreneurs. The report by business support body Prowess, found the number of women moving from employment to self-employment was 32.6%, compared to 22.2% in 1990. Women working in education, healthcare and community work were most likely to strike out on their own. More on this story

• Stress is one of the biggest challenges facing society today. It's impact on the health of the nation could be even more significant than obesity. Sadly many business owners live in the mistaken belief that if stress is never mentioned it will not be a problem however research has shown that businesses who take stress seriously actually see an increase in productivity as the health and happiness of the workforce increases. Understanding what stress is and what is causing it can have a major impact on your ability to handle the pressures of life. Keeping a stress diary and logging what things you have done during the day and where the stress was coming from can help you develop a plan of action to tackle the subject. Then seeing life as a whole and not a set of compartmentalised activities can help you plan a strategy than can make your life happier and more productive. The old ways of thinking about work and life as separate are counter productive to learning how to manage the whole of life effectively.

• WISE - A Project for Women - If you live in Somerset and are involved with a local community charity or voluntary group in Taunton, Shepton Mallet, Frome or Bridgwater you can get the chance to develop your skills and gain a qualfication. Contact Sue Iles on 0845 358 0372 or see the VISTA website on www.vistaproject.org.uk

• For information about Arts in the Protected Landscape visit www.artinlandscapes.org.uk and The Quantock Hills AONB visit www.quantockhills.com

• BIG is pleased to announce the arrival of ‘Equality Matters – a good practice guide for small to medium sized voluntary or community sector organisations

Please follow the link below if you wish to be taken to the guide:
www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/equality_matters.pdf

• The report on "Today’s Woman: Your Say in the Future" - a government programmme of
consultation which included national debates, formal research, and a dedicated
interactive website has now been published.
www.womenandequalityunit.gov.uk/publications/Todays_woman_final_publication.pdf


• Help to make your business greener
Somerset Business's can now benefit from on-site environmental support under a new programme Envision.

The support offered is flexible and depends on the needs of the business. Support provided can enable a business to benefit from cost savings through resource efficiency whilst enhancing environmental performance and ensuring compliance with environmental legislation. For more information please call 0845 456 9350 or visit the website www.envisionsw.org.uk


• ArtLife - Placing the arts at the core of the community in West Somerset
See the website for the latest projects, news and events
www.artlife-somerset.co.uk

• ACAS has a newsAdvisory booklet - 'Flexible working and work-life balance', which can be viewed free of charge or ordered from the publications section of the ACAS website.
www.ecacas.co.uk

• The Women in London website is currently undertaking an exercise which will map women's networks and forums across the country.
www.womeninlondon.org.uk

• Useful advice for lone women drivers
If you are a woman alone in a car, you do not have to pull over for an UNMARKED car. Police have to respect your right to keep going to a "safe" place such as a service station or busy area. You need to make some signals that you acknowledge them i.e., put on your hazard lights or you can call 112 from your mobile phone (112 is an emergency number on your mobile that takes you straight to the police because 999 does not work if you have no signal).