Jaguar Land Rover ties up with foundation run by Prince Charles to support countryside careers

Jaguar Land Rover is reported to have tied up with the Prince of Wales to help support the careers of youngsters in the countryside. The British car manufacturer has teamed up with the Prince's Countryside Fund (PCF) to renew the Land Rover bursary scheme, following Prince Charles visit to Cumbria.

Jeremy Hicks, managing director at Jaguar Land Rover, UK, said: "Land Rover is synonymous with the countryside and we're looking for the UK's most enterprising young people who would benefit from the use of a Land Rover Discovery Sport. Access to a 4×4 vehicle can be crucial to getting a rural business off the ground."

He added that his company's intention is to help five youngsters aged between 21 and 35 in their rural careers. Hicks said JLR would provide them with its Discovery Sport vehicle that can "tackle the most challenging of rural terrains, space for seven and excellent towing capacity".

While the PCF was set up in 2010 to improve rural living conditions, this is the third year in which JLR, a subsidiary of Indian automaker Tata Motors, has teamed up with the foundation. Claire Saunders, director of the PCF appreciated the move, saying: "There's an acute need for young people to be supported to enter farming and related careers and a multitude of opportunity waiting for them."

Each year, PCF is said to provide £1m (€1.27m, $1.44m) in grants and funding to help farmers perform better. "Whether you're new to farming, starting a 'field to fork' food business or keen to bring new technologies and your skills to the countryside, The Prince's Countryside Fund is here to support you," Saunders said.

While the average age of a UK farmer is said to be 59 years, only 4% of them are under 35 years of age. It is estimated that 30,000 new entrants are required by 2020 to maintain and protect the countryside.

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