Please complete the survey and share it widely via Social Media and with your Market Town residents. Social Media content to share can be found here.

The Rural Services Network’s Delivering for All survey is now live – and we want to hear from you.

If you live in a village, small town, hamlet or isolated rural area, please take just 8–10 minutes to share your experiences. The survey covers housing, healthcare, transport, digital connectivity, planning and net zero, all areas that affect everyday rural life.

Your anonymous responses will directly inform RSN’s work with Government, MPs and Select Committees. By adding your voice, you’ll help us build the evidence needed to secure fairer funding, better services, and stronger recognition of rural challenges and opportunities. Click Here

In rural areas across England, accessing essential government services can often be a significant hurdle. Long travel times, limited public transport options, and inconsistent broadband coverage create barriers for rural residents that people in other parts of the country may not face. As the Rural Services Network (RSN) continues to champion digital inclusion, GOV.UK One Login presents a practical solution to help close this gap. Click Here

This year's National Rural Conference has drawn to a close after four days of debate, discussion and learning focused on the future of rural communities.

Over the course of the week, 743 delegates actively took part, contributing to an impressive 1,419 hours of rural policy learning and hearing from 38 expert speakers. Sessions covered the breadth of rural policy and service delivery from fair funding, housing and connectivity through to net zero, data, health and transport. Click Here

KNUTSFORD TOWN COUNCIL: KNUTSFORD BEE TRAIL

As part of our Nature Action Plan work we started to “investigate” the decline of bees and other pollinators nationwide. We wanted to understand what might be contributing to the decline, explore what we could do to increase and support bee and pollinator numbers in Knutsford and join up all the bee and pollinator friendly habitats in our town. Our aim is to improve understanding of the role of bees and pollinators in our environment and food system, to change harmful habits and inspire and encourage positive solutions. Read More

Rural England CIC has published its latest State of Rural Services 2025 report, providing an updated and detailed picture of how people living in rural areas across England access and experience essential local services.

Drawing on national datasets and official statistics up to the end of 2024, the report shows persistent and wide-ranging disparities between rural and urban communities.  Read More

The Transport Committee has warned that bus services in England have suffered a decade of decline, leaving many communities, particularly in smaller towns, coastal areas, and the countryside, increasingly cut off from jobs, education, healthcare, and social opportunities.  Read More

The Government has announced a new £9.5 million Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund to support local councils, charities and community organisations in helping more people get online.

The fund is designed to tackle digital inequality by backing initiatives such as workshops to familiarise people with technology and schemes that provide devices to those without access.  Read More

Campaigners from local government, housing providers, and homelessness charities have signed an open letter calling on Government to scrap permitted development rights (PDR) that have cost thousands of affordable homes.

New analysis by the Local Government Association has found that just shy of 28,000 affordable homes have not been delivered due to office-to-residential conversions under PDR in the past 11 years. Read More

The Rewilding Innovation Fund aims to remove barriers to rewilding across Britain. Whether your site or project is in the early planning stages or looking to try out a new approach, you can apply.

From business plans to feasibility studies, community engagement to trialling the latest technology, Rewilding Britain funds works that could potentially unlock further funding for you or move you up the rewilding scale. Find out more here.

This programme supports activity providers, communities, networks, organisations and others to develop opportunities for people with Parkinson’s to become and stay active.

Projects must run for a minimum of 12 weeks and a maximum of 52 weeks and must start within 12 weeks of receiving the grant. Find out more here.

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