Supporting Rural Communities
Example projects previously supported by the RCF
Black Mountains College, Brecon Beacons
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. They 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.
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.
Countryside Learning Scotland, Perthshire
Countryside Learning Scotland (CLS) are an education charity working to meet the need for outdoor learning in secondary schools. Their project ‘Pathways to Rural Work’ aimed to address the severe shortage of job candidates across rural businesses by increasing career awareness and opportunities for young people in local high schools. The programme included 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 rural skills.
What we liked about it: An 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.
Grizedale Arts and The Farmer's Arms, Cumbria
Grizedale Arts, in collaboration with the local community, turned an old pub into a rural hub creating a local space for creative and business projects to run as well as hosting training events and volunteer placements for local people.
What we liked about it: This project reached a larger number of local people and demonstrated their impact through strong quantitative and qualitative evidence like survey results and testimonials from people using the hub. They went beyond simply purchasing the pub and with the support and involvement of the community turned it into a hub providing a vital range of services for local people.
Blackhall Mill Community Association, Tyne and Wear
This project developed a how-to-guide and model for setting up their community electric vehicle car club, called a ‘car club in a box’, so that other communities can create their own. Building on research they have conducted, this innovation will accelerate the speed at which they can support the development of new clubs in other communities, decarbonise transport, improve accessibility and strengthen the sustainability of their own club for their community.
What we like about it: They created a model that can be replicated and shared with other rural communities and is highly innovative. As well as improving access to transport in their isolated community, the project is generating an income stream for the community through the sale of their model, ensuring the future long-term viability of the car club, helping to decarbonize transport, and reducing isolation and loneliness through their voluntary driver scheme. This organisation also demonstrates good collaboration and connectedness with others in their local area and identified a clear need for the project within their own community and further afield.
Holy Island 2025: Long-term vision and strategy, Northumberland
This project addressed the significant issues facing the Holy Island community by bringing together local residents to develop a strategy and long term vision for the area. Led by and for local people, this set out a plan for creating a sustainable and positive future where the community and island could thrive.
What we liked about it: The project involved setting up working group meetings for the community to get to know each other, helping create the building blocks for active governance and strengthening community cohesion. Information and evidence documented by the report has since led to successful applications for further funding to explore the feasibility and need for a community housing project and has provided a clear agenda for the island to decide on priority projects to implement and action, helping to secure their long-term sustainability.
