ruralnet|uk news

‘Naked Group’ are New Media Award finalists for the Open Innovation Exchange

The Open Innovation Exchange consortium who were nominated for The New Statesman New Media Awards, have made it through to the finals taking place on 24th July at Westminster Abbey College Gardens. 

Group 'go naked' and develop bid to run Government programme 'in the open' and online

A group led by RNUK Ltd’s CEO, Simon Berry, developed their bid to run the £1.2 million Innovation Exchange for the Office of the Third Sector, in the open and online for everyone to see and contribute to at www.innovationexchange.net

This is an innovation in its on right and is the first time this has been done. It is in stark contrast to the traditional ‘cloak and dagger’ approach to bid preparation.

Capacity Building in Progress!

Networks Online relaunches with a new interface.

Networks Online, the collaborative ICT network provided by ruralnet|uk has been relaunched. A capacity building grant from the Active Communities Directorate has enabled ruralnet|uk to radically overhaul its online services.

This has allowed ruralnet|uk to make its service simpler, easier to access and more effective. This will benefit over 4,000 Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) customers by simplifying access to the capacity building resources contained within the network.

Capacitybuilders Grant to Help Rural Communities

It’s a great start to the year for Rural Regeneration Charity, ruralnet|uk who have secured £96,000 grant funding from Government body, ‘Capacitybuilders'.

The funding will be used to provide isolated rural communities with the expertise and support to use ICT to build capacity and overcome isolation.

In partnership with the ‘Teesdale Village Hall Consortium’, the programme will initially benefit 33 community groups. It will then be promoted on a national basis through further partnerships.

ruralnet|uk promotes Good Governance to Rural Voluntary Organisations

ruralnet|uk has joined forces with the Governance Hub to provide support for Trustees and Chief Executives of rural voluntary and community organisations.

Through a Code of Good Governance, the hub has set out a number of main principles of best practice.  As good governance plays a huge role in how voluntary and community organisations are held accountable, the principles of this code will inform and guide the decision making process of trustees and the work of the board.

ruralnet|uk urges convention attendees to invest in making collaboration work

“Collaboration doesn’t just happen, you have to work at it”, was the key message from Simon Berry, ruralnet|uk’s Chief Executive, at their Collaboration Convention held in Warwick last week.

Exploiting Rural Capital to be the Theme for ruralnet|2006

'Exploiting Your Rural Capital - New Perspectives on Rural Assets' will be the theme for ruralnet|2006.

Hosted by rural regeneration charity, ruralnet|uk, the annual conference is to be held in the East Midlands on 11-12 October, with support from East Midlands Development Agency (emda).  The event will debate the importance of community, as well as economic resources for sustainability and social inclusion.

This year's supplement: 'Building Capitals for Communities' will focus on the experiences of market towns in the East Midlands as the foundation for rural regeneration.

Web log to Showcase Rural Delivery Framework

Rural organisations across the East Midlands can make sure their voices are heard during the consultation period of the rural delivery framework for the region.

Developed by ruralnet|uk for the Government Office for the East Midlands, the specially designed web log will give rural organisations and community groups the opportunity to view and comment on the draft framework before it is established in full.  This will help refine priorities for the East Midlands prior to development of the framework and subsequent rural action plan. 

Employees Leap into Learning about Fitness at Stoneleigh Park

Walking forward despite the bad weather, there was an enthusiastic response from National Agricultural Centre employees who took part.

Near to 50 people from rural businesses across the National Agricultural Centre site, home of the Royal Show, who signed-up to the active learning programme turned out for the walk during their lunch break on 10 January 2006.  Starting with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a demonstration of how to use pedometers, participants learned how to assess their fitness as a basis to measure improvements in the future. 

The event was organised as a taster to a wider active learning programme to encourage health and lifestyle awareness, organised by Warwickshire College with support from ruralnet|uk. 

Finding new ways to improve health and meet others was the incentive for many.  A participant from the National Association of Farriers, Blacksmiths and Agricultural Engineers said,

“I wanted to come along to this today to meet people whilst getting fit at the same time.  I see people each day on the park walking in different directions, but I never get to know them!”

Geraldine Peacock speaks on the evolving contract culture at ruralnet|2005

From ‘cap in hand’ to ‘cap on head’ was the clear message delivered by Geraldine Peacock, Chair of The Charity Commission during a keynote speech at the ruralnet|2005 conference.

The fresh and inspiring session given by Geraldine from her unique position in the sector focused on the need to change from a donating to an investment culture.  She gave her perspective on the New Charities Bill (still with the House of Lords) and how the Bill will affect those working with and for charities when it becomes an Act of Parliament.  She specifically hopes the Bill will encourage new dialogue with stakeholders, the regulator, government, and the public and will provide an opportunity to ‘raise the game’.