Supporting Rural Communities

The project: In collaboration with the community, turned an old pub into a dynamic, creative and industrious rural hub through learning and skill exchanges, business development and volunteer placements.

Themes: Powering up rural communities.

What we liked about it: This project had significant reach and impact, with strong quantitative and qualitative evidence of need in the form of survey results, monitoring & evaluation data and testimonials. They went beyond simply purchasing the pub and used community consultation to turn it into a hub providing a range of services. Their programmes aim to provide education and social engagement opportunities in wide-ranging skills; support business start-up programmes to encourage entrepreneurship and a circular local economy that supports local business recovery; encourage environmental stewardship and biodiversity on the inn’s land; champion new green energy ideas and support other local businesses to do the same. They also connect the resources held within rural spaces globally with a learning exchange programme that maintains and enhances the value of rural life, inviting other communities to collaborate.

The project: Development of a scalable model of their community EV car club. Building on research they have conducted, this innovation will accelerate the speed at which they can support the development of new clubs, decarbonise transport, improve accessibility and strengthen the sustainability of the club for their community

Themes: Environmental sustainability; Powering up rural communities.

What we liked about it: This activity demonstrates clear replicability and is highly innovative, providing significant additional benefits alongside improving access to transport in their isolated community. Additional benefits include generating an income stream for the community, ensuring the future long-term viability of the club, helping to decarbonize transport and reducing isolation and loneliness. This organisation also demonstrates good collaboration and connectedness with others in their local area and they identified a clear need for the project within their own community and further afield.

The project: Creating a self-sustaining community enterprise turning their island’s plastic waste into useable products that benefit the community. The products are developed with the community and can be traded in for remanufacturing, creating an innovative circular economy on the island whilst removing litter from the coastline.  

Themes: Environmental sustainability; Powering up rural communities.

What we liked about it: This was a particularly innovative project that clearly outlined how the initiative would be sustainable long-term through strong business planning. They also demonstrated additional economic, environmental and social benefits, including supporting employment and protecting biosecurity and outlined how the project would contribute to creation of a circular economy on the island.

The project: Black Mountains College is an innovative education institution based on Troed yr Harn Farm in Talgarth in the Brecon Beacons. Their work centres around climate action and adaptation, using nature as the classroom. The idea for the college arose from concerns around the impact of climate change on every community, including rural semi-isolated communities such as Talgarth. The RCF grant went towards a course coordinator, to deliver community-based vocational training and short courses, work with local organisations to strengthen community provision and create new community spaces which are accessible to everyone.

Themes: Powering up rural communities; Environmental sustainability; Keeping young people in the countryside.

What we liked about it: BMC carried out wide consultation to determine which courses were most needed and works closely with other local organisations to strengthen community provision and facilitate economic clustering. Through their courses they also create new community spaces (orchards, woodlands, gardens, meadows) which are accessible to everyone and are aiming to establish a model circular economy which could be replicated in other communities across the UK.

The project:

Based in Perthshire, Countryside Learning Scotland (CLS) are an education charity formed in 2003 to meet the need for outdoor learning in secondary schools.  

The RCF awarded CLS £12,500 in Spring 2023 for their project ‘Pathways to Rural Work’ which aimed to increase career awareness and opportunities for young people in Gairloch, Kinlochbervie and Ullapool highschools. 

This project sought to address the issue of a severe shortage of job candidates across rural businesses, affecting business operational hours. A lack of awareness of job opportunities amongst young people and a disconnect between them and their local environment meant young people were leaving rural areas for urban settlements. CLS wanted to build relationships between secondary schools and local businesses to enable pathways to work. 

Their delivery plan was based on a programme of awareness raising, specialist courses linked to the curriculum and local industries, hands on skills and work placements and training for local businesses to enable them to support young people in the workplace. They also delivered CPD training to teachers to equip them to teach/develop rural skills. 

Themes: Powering up rural communities; Environmental sustainability; Keeping young people in the countryside.

What we liked about it:

A really innovative project that aimed to address the disconnect between businesses, young people and the local environment. This project not only benefitted the young people involved, but also the local economy and community. It had clear scalability and replicability and a multi-faceted approach to addressing an identified need in the local community.