Winter 2026 Rural Services Partnership Spotlight

Welcome to the Winter 2026 Rural Services Partnership Spotlight

We are delighted to share our first RSP newsletter of the year which is brimming with best practice from across our membership.  In this edition it’s heartwarming to see so many articles focusing on health and care in the community as well as articles on heating and mobile connectivity – key issues for rural areas.  We also welcome new members and encourage you to book sessions as part of our newly released 2026 online seminar programme. Read on to find out more.

New members

We publish Spotlights quarterly and, in each edition, we give a shout out to new members joining the Network.  In this edition we are delighted to welcome the following organisations.  To find out more about each organisation click on their logo.

Rural Housing Solutions

ThriveWell Solutions CIC

Upcoming RSN Online Seminars – Book your space

Our online seminar programme covers a broad range of topics and are a great way to network with fellow members, share best practice and hear from leading experts in their field.  Click here to book.

FEATURED ARTICLES

Building Sustainable Community Support for Chronic Illness in Rural Areas
Across rural communities, people living with chronic illness often face a unique combination of challenges: limited access to services, social isolation, transport barriers, and a lack of locally grounded peer support.  ThriveWell Solutions CIC was created in response to these...
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Delivering World-Class Mobile Connectivity Requires A Planning System Fit For Purpose
Mobile connectivity is the fundamental backbone of everyday life. From how we work and learn to how we access an increasing number of public services, our reliance on high-speed networks continues to grow. As we progress into the AI...
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Petition launched calling on the Government to protect terrestrial television
The Rural Services Network and Silver Voices are both members of the Broadcast 2040+ campaign: a broad coalition of organisations working to ensure that free-to-air terrestrial television - service received through an aerial commonly known as Freeview - remains available...
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Devon Charity Gains Funding to Support ‘Community Power’ in Mid Devon
Independent charity Devon Communities Together has been awarded £80,000 from The National Lottery Community Fund’s Community Power Fund for its exciting new Power in Place initiative, which will support rural communities in Mid Devon to tackle rural health inequalities and...
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Finding Community Spaces and Social Leaders - the latest stories from Community Catalysts
Finding a community space Local Social was founded by Andy, a Shared Lives carer, and James who has a learning disability. Its mission has been to bring people together across Ware and the surrounding Hertfordshire neighbourhoods. As a small local enterprise...
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Will Devolution Deliver for Rural Communities? New Research Released
New research shows how England’s devolution programme could unlock the delivery of affordable homes in rural communities – if rural priorities are embedded in local strategies and supported by national safeguards. At English Rural, we believe housing is the foundation of thriving rural...
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Build Communities, not just housing estates
I would suggest creating Community Land Trust for all new developments. A trust can build homes much cheaper and offer the land owner a good The deal could be that each home nets the land owner £5,000 per home...
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Grow your business by specialising in retrofit
Take your first step by joining the Retrofit Essentials for the Supply Chain Bootcamp. The UK retrofit sector is experiencing significant growth, driven by net-zero targets, government funding, and the need to upgrade millions of homes. This means that there...
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Connecting Voices, Strengthening Minds: The National Rural and Islands Mental Health Forum
Across the UK, rural and island communities face distinct mental health challenges shaped by geography, workforce pressures, climate change and inequality. At the same time, these places are rich in resilience, innovation and community connection. Hosted by Change Mental Health...
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Long-awaited Government proposals to change the planning system announced
The last few weeks have seen the publication of long-awaited Government proposals to change the planning system. The scale of change is generational and its implications for some rural areas may be profound. Soon after the New Town’s Task Force...
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Why over 7,500 rural households have responded to a government heating consultation
by Malcolm Farrow, director of marketing and external affairs at OFTEC Over the past few weeks, thousands of oil heated households living in rural areas have stepped up to ensure their voices are heard. We have now hit a significant...
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Worrying times for the countryside, conservation sector
Job numbers continue to fall and recruitment stutters. 2025 saw a fall in the number of people on payrolls and the estimated number of vacancies in the UK also fell. Obviously national statistics come from all sectors but the countryside, conservation...
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Community lifestyle checks
We are reaching out to invite community venues across Lincolnshire to host a free Lifestyle Advice & Wellbeing Clinic, delivered by student Paramedics, Pharmacists, and Nurses from the University of Lincoln. These clinics offer a safe, welcoming space for local...
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Violence Against Women, Girls and Children (VAWG/C) in Rural Communities
The Government’s VAWG Strategy “Freedom from Violence and Abuse”(2025–2030) is a welcome statement that emphasises prevention, victim support, and perpetrator accountability. Despite extensive submissions highlighting rural survivors' experiences, there's only one mention in the Action Plan, “Commence a call for...
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“We could’ve talked to him for hours”
Rural Media’s ‘Breaking Out’ Participants Sit Down with Jordan Stephens in Candid, Youth-Led Interview on Masculinity, Mental Health and Respect At Hay-on-Wye St Mary’s Football Ground last year, three young Herefordshire participants in Rural Media’s Breaking Out project sat down...
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New video highlights fire alarm safety checks
Our latest business fire safety animation video has been released, highlighting tips for checking and maintaining a fire alarm system. These systems are a key component in keeping any business premises fire safe, so making sure it is tested regularly...
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Grant funding available to help pubs add new services and activities
Pub is The Hub may be able to offer grants of up to £6,000 to publicans in rural, remote, or deprived areas, who want to offer additional services and/or activities in their pubs to help local communities.   These can include a...
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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]