Press release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

We are pleased to be able to launch the bookings for our National Rural Conference in association with the Countryside and Community Research Institute at the University of Gloucestershire!

We understand how important our communities are to rural areas and so the theme of this year’s conference is ‘Creating Vibrant Rural Communities’ with the two days split into four subject areas:

• A place to live
• A thriving Rural Economy
• Health and Wellbeing
• Access to Services- Transport

There will be a range of expert speakers for plenary sessions and workshops to further explore subjects with your peers!

We are thrilled to have the Post Office for the second year running as the Conference sponsor.  Post Offices are at the heart of rural life and over 93% of the population have a Post Office within a mile of where they live.  People want a shop, a bank and a Post Office in their community. Increasingly, Post Offices enable all three.

The Post Office are committed to maintaining services to rural communities and are very pleased to continue their support of the Rural Services Network Conference.

The keynote speaker this year is Rt Hon Lord Foster of Bath, the Chairman of the House of Lords Select Committee on the Rural Economy who recently published their report, recommending the Government develop a strategy for the Rural Economy.  This echoes the call of the Rural Services Network for a Strategy for Rural areas and these themes will be explored at a workshop at the conference.

Accredited by the Institute for Economic Development for CPD, the conference is open to Councillors, Senior Officers working in Rural Authorities and organisations delivering services in Rural Areas.  Members of the Rural Services Network receive discounted rates to the conference. 

There is an early bird booking offer available if you book within 4 weeks of this launch! 

→ For full details of the programme and how to book to secure your place, please see click here