Breaking the silence on mental health

According to Defra’s Statistical Digest of Rural England, if you live in the countryside your life expectancy increases and you are less likely to die prematurely from cancer, stroke or coronary heart disease. On average, people born in very rural areas will live up to two years longer than those in major urban area. While […]

How to ensure government ‘thinks rural’

Back in 2010, the government set out a number of policy commitments which were intended to have a direct impact on the countryside. With aspirations to turn old thinking on its head and develop new approaches, the ‘Programme for Government’ set out proposals for the devolution of power and greater financial autonomy to local government […]

So just how do we define ‘rural’?

According to the Office for National Statistics, some 43.7 million people in England (82.4% of the population) lived in urban areas (settlements of more than 10,000 people) in 2011. At the same time, 9.3 million people lived in rural areas (17.6% of the population) – defined as smaller towns (less than 10,000 people), villages, hamlets […]

A rural stake for our youngsters

Frozen out of getting a foot on the property ladder, the most economically active moving out, negative stereotyping and a lack of things to do and places to hang out – what does the future hold for young people? What support do they need to fulfil their potential? And what is the role of Government, […]

Devolution: a new deal for rural England?

When devolution began it was a process designed to decentralise government and give more powers to nations which make up the UK. Powers were transferred from the UK parliament in London to the Welsh Assembly Government in Cardiff, Northern Ireland Assembly in Belfast and the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh. This process began in 1997 in […]

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Jessica Sellick

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