Affordable Housing Community Broadband Agriculture Migrant Workers Rural Church
Villages call for more affordable housing: an ICM survey found that 45% of people living in rural areas had seen the number of shops, schools and pubs in their village or market town fall since 2004. It also found that 66% of those polled would support the building of new affordable homes where they live. www.propertytalklive.co.uk [accessed 28/11/09]
Rural Masterplanning Fund prospectus invites rural local planning authorities to bid for expert technical support to assist them in masterplanning to achieve the sustainable expansion of small or medium-sized settlements in rural areas. (Hansard 26 Nov 2009 Column 87WS)
Peace and quiet disadvantage: insights from users and providers of children's centres in rural communities published on 25th November.
An operational guide to delivering credit union services in rural areas offers practical guidance based on existing good practice to help credit unions deliver their services effectively in rural areas. www.ruralcommunities.gov.uk [accessed 30/11/09]
Government belt-tightening could see public funds redirected to urban areas while the countryside bears the brunt of cuts. Stuart Burgess, the Rural Advocate, fears the Commission for Rural Communities, which he chairs, could be cut or abolished as both Labour and the Tories look to make savings. www.thisiscornwall.co.uk [accessed 30/11/09]
The Carnegie Commission rural manifesto suggests that dynamic, vibrant and sustainable communities need creative people working together, assets to support their aspirations and agencies and local people collaborating to an agreed plan.
Rural Community Buildings in England 2009 recognises and celebrates the success of volunteers and the buildings that they manage, but suggests that constant fundraising is required to sustain them. (RuSource Briefing 934)
A Rural Coalition prospectus The Future is Rural Too calls for change in rural policies: "On its current course, much of the countryside is becoming part dormitory, part theme park and part retirement home."
Car share Norfolk is part of the national liftshare network and is a free website that allows people in the county to search for others making similar journeys at similar times who also wish to save money and be more environmentally friendly by sharing.
Rural Youth Network is seeking people with skills and experience to serve as Trustees on their Executive Management committee.
Rural Youth Network Annual Conference 2010 "Does Integrated Youth Support Services (IYSS) work in rural areas? Discuss!" 18th March 2010 at The Arthur Rank Centre, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire.
The Mobile Network Roaming Bill was
introduced on 11th November and had its first reading. It will
establish duty on mobile network operators to introduce automatic roaming
capabilities between mobile telephone networks in the
The BBC is highlighting ways rural communities can come together to combat village shop closures. Ambridge, the fictional village home of The Archers, has opted for community-ownership to save its shop and post office.
Village SOS is a rural initiative from
the BIG Lottery Fund and the BBC, challenging villages across the
Shaping Norfolk's Future conference
heard government targets on broadband speed were unlikely to be met in
Residents across
The Country Land and Business Association has launched a petition calling for more to be done to put the countryside on an even footing with urban areas for Broadband speeds.
Farm incomes have risen about 25pc in real terms, but will dip in 2010, the latest official figures from Defra have confirmed. The first estimates of Total Income from Farming were boosted by the 17pc rise in the value of the single payment scheme. However, the 2010 figure is already predicted to fall by 8.8pc. The value of payments to farmers through the single payment scheme, agri-environment and other schemes is estimated to have increased by 17pc last year because of a 15pc rise in the value of the euro against sterling compared to 2008. www.edp24.co.uk [accessed 30/11/09]
The supermarket ombudsman decision has been delayed until the end of the year - a course that has been labelled as "a concern" by industry leaders. www.fwi.co.uk [accessed 8/11/09]
The European Commission on Economic & Financial Affairs has just released its report "A Better Functioning Food Supply Chain in Europe", along with supporting documents. It supports calls for the appointment of a 'supermarkets ombudsman'.
Marks & Spencer has backed The Sunday Telegraph 'honest food' campaign by announcing its meat, fish and dairy items will be clearly labelled with the country of origin. www.farmersguardian.com [accessed 30/11/09]
Seasonal Worship Resources are available from the Arthur Rank Centre website
Following the 'Crossing the Threshold'
Conference a new Toolkit is available which takes churches through
the process of opening up their church for wider community use.
A church, priory and abbey were among the winners of an award recognising their outstanding architectural, environmental and educational projects. The Campaign to Protect Rural England Norfolk awards have been going for 30 years. St Peter's Church Strumpshaw, Wymondham Abbey and Binham Priory were among the 24 projects shortlisted. www.christiantoday.com [accessed 28/11/09]
Rural
Life and Faith Survey - The Arthur Rank Centre (ARC) is
conducting a substantial survey of the resources & training that are
available to and used by rural churches throughout the
In 2004 the publication 'Presence' described a vision of the future of the rural church. The sixth in a series of occasional papers reflecting how the rural church is developing today is now available.
"Nurturing Rural Faith" a paper looking at Rural Faith & Spirituality has been posted by Robert Barlow (the "Free Range Vicar").
Ken Grapes of Ludham is the only person
in
© 2009 Dr. Lorna Allies | District & Diocesan Rural Adviser