Village SoS approaching August Deadline for Funding to help bring life to a rural community.

[Robert De Souza]

Village SOS are looking for villages with fewer than 3,000 people to apply with ideas for successful enterprises, which will then be matched up with expert "Village Champions". They are searching for individuals with the skills and passion to help transform rural Britain. Six ‘champions' are required to work with a village to drive a successful and sustainable business venture.

Village Champions will be paid a salary of £30,000 and the business will be given up to £400,000 Big Lottery funding to get the idea off the ground.

The BBC will be charting each village's journey in a six-part prime time TV series to be aired next year. The programme will follow the trials and tribulations of the village communities and their champions as they pull together to bring life back into their area, create jobs and inspire others.

Applications close at noon on Friday 14 August 2009.

To find out more about how to apply as a village please go to http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/prog_village_sos.

For individuals wanting to apply to be a Village Champion, please visit

http://www.bbc.co.uk/villagesos/