The annual conference, being held by the rural development charity, ruralnet|uk in Bramhope, Yorkshire is on the doorstep for those locally based organisations who have been awarded funded places, provided by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Commission for Rural Communities (CRC). This support means that in total 50 voluntary and community groups throughout the UK will be given the opportunity to attend the event, in October this year.
The event theme - the expansion of the contract culture in the Voluntary and Community Sector – is particularly close to heart for some of the local groups attending the event. For those working on the ground to provide services for vulnerable and isolated individuals and communities that depend on them, the concept of commissioning services prompts many questions and the conference will be used as a platform for ideas.
For instance, ‘H.A.R.T’, a community transport organisation in the deeply rural location of Holderness, East Yorkshire is a dial-a-ride organisation which has recently won 2 small local authority contracts. This has doubled their workforce, and as no other organisation similar to theirs has taken on contracts in the region, the event will hopefully provide ideas and example models for them to learn from.
Registered charity, ‘York and North Yorkshire Playwork Centre’ are also to be represented at the event. The centre provides support, advice and training in Childcare and Playwork for the York and North Yorkshire region in candidates own working environment. With the introduction of new Government regulations for the childcare sector, the Centre Manager, Michaela Shaw believes that the conference will be invaluable for her to find out more on how best to reach and provide for rural communities with the appropriate Childcare and Playwork qualifications and provisions.
The event will feature an address from Geraldine Peacock from the Charity Commission, who will give her view on the changing culture within the sector and there will be a morning supplement focusing on service delivery, with case study examples given by The Post Office. These will be complemented by a live demonstration of service delivery through a mobile post office and village shop. Workshop topics include ‘making contracts work’, ‘full cost recovery – tools to help’ and a sustainable funding panel question time.
Simon Berry, ruralnet|uk CEO says,
“The demand for free places has been overwhelming this year, with over 75 applications for 50 places, so we are delighted that there will be such a significant representation from the local Yorkshire area through this sponsorship.”
Notes for Editors
1. ruralnet|uk is a rural regeneration charity (no 1089238). See: www.ruralnetuk.org
2. A full list of ruralnet|2005 sponsors and exhibitors is available at: www.ruralnetuk.org/conference
3. Bookings for ruralnet|2005 are being taken on 0845 1300 411 and the web at: www.ruralnetuk.org/conference
4. ruralnet|2004 attracted 213 delegates and 28 exhibitors. Delegates came from all countries of the UK and included the key rural regeneration decision and policy makers, representatives of the public, private, voluntary and community sectors. Free places were provided to 30 grass roots community groups to ensure their participation.
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