ruralnet|uk news

Success is Sweet for those in the know about the rural market

Key opinion formers on rural policy including John Mills, Director of Rural Policy at Defra, Sue Huggins, General Manager – Rural Agency Network at The Post Office and Vanessa Strauss from Business in the Community will feature together with case studies at a ruralnet|uk one-day conference.

The conference, ‘Success is Sweet – Profiting from the Rural Economy’, aims to educate businesses about rural issues and encourage the continued delivery to remote areas viably.  The conference will be held on 20 March 2006 at the Warwick Hilton Hotel in Warwickshire.

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. 

Post Office Presents "Positive Rural Action" at ruralnet|2005

To open the ruralnet|2005 conference, The Post Office presented an insight into how they operate, the pressures they face, and what they are doing to address these pressures to carry on delivering vital services to rural and other communities.

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’.

ruralnet|uk's experience in UK online centres and service delivery falls on fertile ground in China

ruralnet|uk's Business Development Manager, Jane Berry, returned this week from China, following an invitation to join a delegation of UK Social Entrepreneurs. The trip was organised by Global Links Initiative (GLI) and was supported by the British Consulate-General, Shanghai. Three leading Social Entrepreneurs were selected to represent different approaches to UK Social Enterprise and different target groups. With the emerging third sector in China developing fast, the visit created enormous interest and culminated in seminars, attended by not-for-profits (NPOs), national and local government representatives and the media, and was hosted by the British Council China NPO Network in Beijing, and the YMCA in Shanghai.

ruralnet|uk publishes vision for the future of rural services

Access to services for deprived and socially excluded rural people will continue to decline unless we start thinking and doing things differently. In the vision published today, ruralnet|uk's Chief Executive, Simon Berry says,

"We need new paradigms for rural service delivery that focus more on the integrated needs of service users and less on the 'needs' of service suppliers.

"Although ICT is revolutionising service delivery we still need appropriate locations within rural communities to deliver the physical elements of essential services."

ruralnet|2004 continues online

More than 220 delegates and 28 exhibitors attended the ruralnet|2004 conference in Maidstone last week and the networking and access to support and expertise now continues online through ruralnet|online.

"We are pleased that ruralnet|2004 maintained the vibrancy, engagement and active participation of previous years. Again, it was more about new ideas, inspiration and motivation than the delivery of information," said ruralnet|uk Chief Executive, Simon Berry.

HRH the Prince of Wales supports ruralnet|2004

In a letter of support received from Prince Charles for the forthcoming ruralnet|2004 conference he said,

"I am a great believer in learning from the experiences of others and working together with those who have already succeeded in making a difference. That is why I could not be more pleased that ruralnet|uk is focussing its conference this year on the innovative solutions which rural communities can adopt as part of safeguarding their local services. I could not be more pleased that "Pub is the Hub" is contributing to the conference and I hope that it might inspire other communities. Above all, I wish the participants every success in their efforts to keep our countryside both special and sustainable and I much look forward to hearing a report on your deliberations and conclusions."

ruralnet|uk ready to play a part in Rural Strategy 2004

The rural regeneration charity, ruralnet|uk looks forward to playing its part in the implementation of the new agenda for the delivery of rural services presented to Parliament today by Margaret Beckett, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

'We are keen to broaden the high-value support we provide to rural communities by working within the new delivery framework,' said Simon Berry, ruralnet|uk's chief executive.

'In line with the Rural Strategy, we look forward to working closely with the regions, as we already do with Farming and Food West Midlands and the West Midlands Rural Affairs Forum. We particularly welcome proposals to involve the voluntary and community sector more, in both consultation and in delivery of services.

'In addition, we believe that our forthcoming conference, ruralnet|2004, will offer the opportunity for participants to explore further many of the issues discussed in the strategy.'

Multi Service Vehicle and Church 'Doctor' join ruralnet|2004 programme

A ruralnet|uk conference plenary session by The Countryside Agency will be complemented by the presence of a 'mobile multi service outlet' vehicle (an example of the success of the MSO concept), it was confirmed today.