The National Rural Conference 2025

Bookings are now officially open for the National Rural Conference 2025, which will take place online from Monday 15 to Thursday 18 September.
This is the Rural Services Network’s flagship event of the year, bringing together rural decision-makers, practitioners, and advocates for four days of live, interactive sessions focused on the future of rural communities.
Click here to book!

Defra food vulnerability update

Below is is this week's update on Defra's work on food for vulnerable people:
This week we are:
  • Continuing the work of transitioning those receiving food boxes to alternative arrangements.
  • Holding a Food Vulnerability Stakeholder Group Call, Thursday 2nd July, to provide a programme update.
  • Continuing work to complete the arrangements for Local Authority Emergency Assistance Grants

Last week:

Non-Shielded Vulnerable

  • We secured a number of supermarket delivery slots for the dedicated use of vulnerable people who are unable to access food and who have no other options available to them.
  • We are working closely with local authorities and charities to help make sure these delivery slots are made available to those who need them most and have built a dedicated online platform to enable local authorities and a number of charities to directly refer individuals for access to the prioritised slots.
  • We are training call centre staff this week for a dedicated line to be available w/c 29/06 to assist the local authorities administering the scheme.
  • We are continually reviewing how we can best work with LAs to encourage referrals once the on-boarding has happened

Economically Vulnerable

  • We are working at pace to agree the best approach to administering the Local Authority Emergency Assistance Grant including very light touch monitoring 
  • FareShare, WRAP and front line Food Charities continue to use funding from Defra to provide food to those who need it most.