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Importance of the Leader method in adding value to local products
Leader-focus on the differentiating factor of a rural area
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Examples
Gerallt Llewellyn Jones, LAG Menter Môn, UK

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Population : 3 Million
Size : 20,000 sq. km
Capital City : Cardiff
Language : Welsh and English
Economy : Agriculture, Tourism and
Manufacturing,
Government : National Assembly for
Wales and UK Government
Identity : Rugby, Singing, Sheep

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Population : 65,000
Size : 676 sq. Km
Employment : Public Admin
(29%) Tourism (18%)
Manufacturing (15%)
Wage rates: 67% of UK avg.
Issues : Outward migration, unskilled workforce, loss of blue chip employment, agricultural decline, falling GDP

Wider Rural Development
What makes us different makes us interesting
What makes us interesting makes us marketable.
This is the essence of LEADER
ADDING VALUE
DEVELOPING FROM THE BOTTOM UP
DEPTH: FROM THE SOIL TO THE INTERNET
BREADTH: FROM VINE TO WINE
RESOURCE TO PRODUCT
GATE TO PLATE
PARTICIPATION
INNOVATION
INTEGRATION
Working with communities

PRESENTATION IN TWO PARTS:
1. LEADER IN ANGLESEY, WALES
History and Growth
Adding value to the LEADER programme
2. NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
The Mona Bauhaus Project
Adding Value to Local Resources

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Established in 1995 to deliver Leader II 1995-1999
2005 - £5m annual turnover across two companies
Two companies
MENTER MON Cyf – bids for EU programmes. Turnover
2.7m. 20 staff. No VAT registration. Area based and confined
NICO MON Cyf – tenders for commercial contracts from
WDA, WAG, etc. Turnover 1.8m 40 staff. VAT registered.
Unlimited geography
60 members of staff (30 th largest employer)
A Social Enterprise
An approved Enterprise Agency
A Menter Iaith
An approved Employment service contractor
Creates its own new enterprises
Private sector equity partnerships

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18 Company Directors based on thirds principle
Leader process is used in all programmes
MISSION: to develop quality products and services from amongst the area’s indigenous assets, revealing, developing and harnessing potential to develop the economy.
COMMUNITY
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Sectoral
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Geographical
Thematic

ADDING VALUE TO THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
Rural Economic Development through integration
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Lon Las Cefni Cycleway – to open June 2006
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£1.1 million project (250k Leader)
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15km off road cycleway
Used flood defence funds to add value to Leader

ADDING VALUE TO THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
Rural Economic Development through integration
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£1.5 million project
155 km of coast; previously no added value
Iintegration
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CCW; National Trust; WDA; EAGGF; YMCC
Create 25km of new access footpaths
Improve 50km of existing access footpaths
Create new tourism products
Grant aid local farms to harness potential
Anglesey Walking Festival – 1000 visitors
Improvements to
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Paths; Stiles; Waymarking; Interpretation
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New path creation orders
Sustainability via
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Friends of Coastal Path – community of interest
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Local Authority mainsstreaming
Walking Festival

ADDING VALUE TO LOCAL HERITAGE
Rural Economic Development through integration
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Swtan Cyf (Thatched Cottage) – reconstruction project ERDF and lime mortar skills development project ESF. Sustained by social enterprise.
Maritime Museum – Maritime History of Holyhead area. Sustained by Social
Enterprise
Mona Antiqua - Heritage Interpretation
Access / Amenity Improvements
Heritage Building Renovation

Food Development
ADDING VALUE TO LOCAL FOOD
RESOURCES
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Commission New Food Products
Risk averse private sector often requires direct intervention – shared ownership
Grant Aid New Food Products
Direct grants to private sector from Leader funds
Create Food Promotion Events
Important showcases and networking events
Establish common branding
Mon Mam Cymru – Anglesey Mother of Wales
Agricultural Diversification Fund 1995-99
20 holdings grant aided to diversify into tourism, food products,etc
Sustainability through the marketplace

Examples of LEADER supported local producers
ADDING VALUE TO LOCAL FOOD RESOURCES
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Gorau Glas Blue Cheese – from startup
Menai Oysters – business development
Halen Mon – from startup. Now sold in 13 countries
Deri Mon Smokery – smoked meat products

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Tendering for public sector contracts in the marketplace.
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NewBusinessStarts **
GenBusAdvisoryService
ICT Centre **
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Opportunity Wales
Intermediate Labour Market **
New Deal
Virtual Office **
Cleanstream Recycling
Llinell Gyswllt y Gymraeg
Food Devt Facilitation
Farming Connect **

What is an ILM?
A business which takes on unemployed young people for 3 - 6 months as employees, provides training and jobsearch facilities
ILM Contracts
The Dingle Nature Reserve

Establishment of new social enterprises owned by Menter Mon which do not duplicate existing businesses
ParysDesignsLtd Marketing of Bauhaus products
Parys Cosmetics Marketing of Bauhaus products
Parys Stoneware Marketing of Bauhaus products
MM Environmental Environmental consultancy
Reclycing WAG Furniture and Timber Reuse
Celtel IT ICT Networking Installation
Mamiaith Language services
Eventas Event Management
Virtual Services Administration and Finance services to the self employed
Joint Food Ventures with the private sector
Llys Goferydd 2 Office accommodation rental
Llys Llewelyn Tourism activity holidays

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In our view, Leader is one of the most effective public sector interventions in rural development. It is important to use it as a platform for growth from the bottom up
It has brimgs the EU positively into everyday lives
It teaches the mainstream lessons
At its best, LEADER is a creative engine, a vehicle for participative democracy. It challenges communities to find their own solutions, and provides the means to achieve it.
Every rural area has its distinctiveness, its differentiating factor.
LEADER is there to focus upon that and add value to it.
Every rural area needs LEADER and innovative progress. Our task in Wales now is to make LEADER and its effects sustainable for the future, and to make Menter Mon into a sustainable creative engine.

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Over-dependence on small number of large companies
Limited potential in new business starts
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Lifestyle businesses e.g. health, arts and craft
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Displacement businesses e.g. plumbers, hairdressers
Lack of creativity and innovation
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29 % employed in public administration
Outward migration of young people

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An avant-garde art and design school established in Germany by Walter Gropius in 1919. It was closed in 1933 by the Nazis

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Its purpose was to pursue new forms and new solutions to man's basic needs as well as his aesthetic ones. The Bauhaus' curriculum returned to fundamentals, the basic materials , the basic rules of design....
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The Bauhaus workshops produced prototypes for mass production: from a single lamp to a complete dwelling.

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The appliance of Bauhaus philosophy and principles to economic development
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Returning to the fundamentals, the basic materials
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Produce prototypes for the mass market
Bringing together specialists from diverse backgrounds
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Adopting an innovative approach to new product development

1. Identify and catalogue resources
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Natural Resources
Local Imagery (history, cultural, environmental)
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Skills and manufacturing capacity

2. Design Workshops
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Recruit designers, retailers and manufacturers
Shortlist product ideas
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Prepare design briefs

3. Develop Product Prototype
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Commission private sector to develop products
Progress to marketplace

What can you make out of…
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Eggs
Onions
Cabbage
Beetroot….
ANGLESEY IS MY FRIDGE!!

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A range of high quality porcelain homeware
Designed by Morgen Hall, a celebrated Welsh
Ceramist
Using pigments from Parys Copper Mine

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A multi purpose outdoor
/ gardening garment
Designed by Jane Davies, a local award winning clothes designer
Fishing and Horse riding versions in development
Made by Anglesey based
Sewing Manufacturer

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A luxurious bathing range based on
Anglesey’s Druid
Heritage
Made using Halen Mon, an established locally produced Sea Salt, herbs and plants

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An innovative chair inspired by Anglesey’s sea-faring tradition.
Frame and canvas produced by local manufacturing company

100%
Mainstream
Support
Leader + Support
0%
Low Risk and Return
RISK High Risk and
Return

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The things that make us different make us interesting and marketable
Involve private sector from the beginning
Success is measured in sales
We should have taken more risks!