News
NALC supports getting rural communities up and running
The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has lent its backing to The Village Survival Guide, a new publication from rural charity The Prince’s Countryside Fund, published on 1 August 2019.
The colourful manual features case histories, checklists and practical advice, and is intended to help those living in the countryside to utilise the talents available in their own communities to tackle some of the social and economic barriers they face. The Village Survival Guide follows on from the Fund’s 2018 research, which saw over 3000 people tell the charity about the challenges they faced living in rural areas, and how they were pulling together to overcome these.
The guide references how working with your local (parish and town) councils can delivery great intitatives, such as a volunteer car service which has been a lifeline for villagers getting to medical appointments and for those who don't qualify for non-emergency patient transport, a car clubs which has helped connect schools, elderly and the disabled around the villages, and the Good Neighbours Scheme which brings volunteers in touch with residents who need support, such as gardening, DIY or even just befriending to help tackle loneliness.
Cllr Sue Baxter, chair of NALC, said: “We are supporting The Village Survival Guide and hope that the advice it contains will help communities to come together and make the most of the opportunities available in rural areas. From how to set up a committee through to getting reliable internet installed for your village, this publication will help rural communities across the UK, no matter where they are in the process. Assistance is available from several bodies – such as The Prince’s Countryside Fund and NALC – but The Village Survival Guide helps people to get up and running themselves.”