Are rural areas falling through the net?
The digital divide is the gap between people who have full access to digital technologies and those who do not. COVID-19 has underlined the importance of access to and comfort with technology. Throughout the pandemic the internet and digital devices have played a vital role in enabling people to access services, attend medical appointments, use […]
How can we maintain a universal postal service in rural areas?
The ‘one-price-goes-anywhere, six-days-a-week’ Universal Service Obligation has been seen by successive Governments as part of our social and economic fabric. But do the requirements of the universal service reflect the needs of rural users – and how can we ensure the service is financially viable and sustainable? Jessica Sellick investigates. How does the UK postal […]
[Not] everyone is a winner: gambling participation and problem gambling in rural communities
Many people enjoy placing an occasional bet, even if it means they lose money. But for some people this activity can disrupt or compromise their life. Gambling problems can happen to anyone. Whether from sports, scratch cards, roulette, poker, slots – in a casino, at the track, in a betting shop or online – for […]
An expanding waistline – are we piling on the pounds in rural areas?
Since the pandemic began, clinical studies have reported that many of the sickest COVID-19 patients have been people with obesity. Large population studies are being published in academic journals cementing this association. An analysis of 75 studies (some 399,000 patients) published in Obesity Reviews, for example, found people with obesity who contracted COVID-19 were 113% […]
What are the implications of COVID-19 and Brexit for the post-millennial generation?
New research published by The National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs (NFYFC) reveals how young people are pessimistic about future opportunities to live and work in rural areas and believe the pandemic will continue to affect their prospects in the long-term. What needs to be done to support young people, now and in the years […]