Spring 2026 Rural Services Partnership Spotlight

Welcome to the Spring 2026 Rural Services Partnership Spotlight

It is great to see that best practice continues to abound across our membership. In this edition there are an abundance of community health and care initiatives as well as an update on rural mobile roll out, clean coastlines; the transformative power of rural community transport, youth employment, the rural economy, and a plea for policy makers to view life from a rural perspective. We also welcome new members and encourage you to book your place at the National Rural Conference 2026. Read on to find out more.

New members

The RSN publishes Spotlights every quarter and since out last edition we have welcomed three new organisations into membership. To find out more about each organisation click on their logo below.

Perennial – Gardeners Royal Benevolent Society

Rural Action Derbyshire

VASA Community Transport

2026 National Rural Conference – Open for bookings!

The National Rural Conference will take place online from 14-17 September 2026, with a broad range of sessions on offer, covering all things rural! To secure your place simply click on the image below.

RSN Seminar Programme

In addition to the Conference, there are still more sessions to come in our 2026 seminar programme, including sessions on rural transport, affordable housing, planning and rural health and care. Click here to book.

FEATURED ARTICLES

Devon Charity invites people to look through the Rural Lens!
Devon’s Rural Community Council, independent charity Devon Communities Together, has launched a new campaign inviting people to take a look through the ‘rural lens’ to shine a spotlight on rural life. Rural communities face persistent and often hidden inequalities — for example, access to healthcare, transport, housing, digital connectivity, employment, and services. 
Read more

Expansion of community micro-enterprise programme to West Oxfordshire to increase care options in rural areas
People are set to benefit from the expansion of the Community Catalysts’ Community Micro-enterprise Development Programme to West Oxfordshire. A two-year extension means that Anita Wingad, the Project Coordinator, will focus on the district where demand for community based support has been growing, particularly among older residents in rural areas.
Read more

Working smarter, not harder
The biggest challenge for CA TNMWD, is coping with ever-increasing demand for our services which, sadly but inevitably results in unmet demand. People’s problems are increasingly complex, taking longer to resolve. We’ve a lot of useful information on our website, (https:www.citizensadvicetnmwd.org.uk) to help people, but acknowledge not everyone is computer savvy or has internet access. 
Read more

Community Futures: Lancashire Village Halls Together
Community Futures Lancashire recently marked an important milestone with the successful launch of Village Halls Week. Delivered in partnership with ACRE and sponsored by Hallmaster and Utility Aid, the event celebrated the vital role that halls play at the heart of rural communities.
Read more

Islay better connected thanks to Shared Rural Network
A second Shared Rural Network total not spot site is now live, boosting mobile connectivity on Islay in Scotland. The publicly funded 4G mast brings service from all operators to areas that previously had no signal, tackling one of Scotland’s most persistent mobile not spots.
Read more

Every Mile Matters: Community Transport in Rural Warwickshire
In rural communities, a missed appointment is rarely just an inconvenience. It can mean a cancer diagnosis that comes weeks too late, a mental health crisis left unaddressed, or an older person spending yet another week entirely alone. For the people that VASA serves, transport is not a nice-to-have. It is the thing that makes everything else possible.
Read more

Lostwithiel WI make waves for clean rivers
Last month, the BBC and the Cornish Times featured the collective hard work of a local consortium who are working to make part of a tidal river in Lostwithiel, Cornwall, an official bathing spot. Lostwithiel WI have been vital in putting the bathing water application together, as part of the WI’s long-running Clean Rivers campaign – which continues to inspire members around the country all year round; year in year out.
Read more

The Dispensing Doctors’ Association issues local election candidates with a rural health call to action
In a manifesto for the local government elections taking place on May 7, the Dispensing Doctors' Association (DDA) calls on local politicians to recognise that rural people are failed by health policy and to correct the resulting health inequalities. Issued on behalf of rural GPs, the new manifesto calls on returning and new local politicians to raise their voices on behalf of rural constituents.
Read more

Supporting coastal and rural futures in the North East
The National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise (NICRE) is playing a key new role in supporting joined-up thinking on the future of coastal and rural areas in the North East and beyond. We are pleased to be working in partnership with the North East Combined Authority as Secretariat for the new North East Coastal and Rural Taskforce.
Read more

Retrofitting Rural Homes: The Challenge, and the Opportunity
Rural housing sits right at the heart of the UK's net zero challenge. Domestic buildings account for approximately 35% of the UK’s total energy useand around 20-25% of carbon emissions. In rural communities, those numbers are made worse by the age and condition of the housing stock.
Read more

FCN Volunteer Highlights Impact of Cancer on Carers In New Short Film
A volunteer with The Farming Community Network (FCN) has shared the challenges of caring for her husband through bowel cancer in a new short film. The film has been developed by FCN as part of the Rural Communities Cancer Project – a UK-wide partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support working to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of cancer in farming and rural communities.
Read more

Commonplace report on community cohesion
Community cohesion is not a future issue. It is the defining question in the UK today. With over 1 million Anti-Social Behaviour incidents recorded in 2025 and 40% of residents saying it is the issue that most needs improving locally - the direction of travel is clear.
Read more

Supporting Farming Communities: NGN and FCN Partnership
A thriving partnership between the Farming Community Network and Northern Gas Networks (NGN) is helping raise awareness and make a difference in rural communities. The partnership, now in its second year, was formed after the gas network operator’s partners and stakeholders highlighted a gap in support to the North of England’s farming community.
Read more

Help when you need it most
United Utilities is calling on its customers to take advantage of FREE support with their water services. To learn more about this support download the flyer below.
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Youth Employment UK - Youth Voice Census 2026
The census is open to anyone aged 11-30 living in the UK. Every year thousands of people complete the survey, last year we had over 8000 responses - all these answers help inform real changes within government and help shape the future of youth employment, education and training. 
Read more

Keep your stories coming
We’re always keen to promote our member organisations, so if you have an article you would like to feature in either a future Spotlight, or our weekly Rural Services Network e-bulletin, please email to [email protected]