New campaign launched to support long-term free-to-air broadcast connectivity for rural audiences
A new campaign, ‘Broadcast 2040+’, has been launched to protect broadcast TV and radio through to 2040 and beyond by Arqiva – a communications infrastructure and media services company – alongside the Rural Services Network, Age UK, Silver Voices, and the Voice of the Listener and Viewer. The campaign aims to cement a long-term commitment […]
It’s back! Catch the Bus Month relaunches for September 2022
Bus Users UK is calling on operators, local authorities, passenger groups, community transport providers and passengers to get on board for ‘Catch the Bus Month’ this September. This is the first year the charity has hosted the campaign since Greener Journeys handed over the baton in 2020. While many people have now returned to schools, […]
Reinvigorating rural mobility – helping rural communities get to where they need to go
There is little doubt that rural areas have fallen behind their urban counterparts when it comes to transport and mobility. In a nation where ‘levelling up’ has been proclaimed as one of the leading ambitions of Government, this rural-urban divide needs to be both acknowledged and addressed – whether in a city, town or hamlet, […]
Neighbourhood Planning: Back to the Future
It seems the death of neighbourhood planning implied by 2020’s Planning White Paper – likely quietly welcomed by many in the planning sector – has been exaggerated. The Levelling Up & Regeneration Bill currently passing through Parliament contains a number of proposals to reaffirm the status of neighbourhood plans (and ‘priority statements’) in decision making, […]
A one stop shop for countryside jobs
Nine miles inland from Whitby in the middle of the North York Moors National Park is the small honeypot village of Goathland. It’s here that you’ll find CJS CJS – what’s that then? Crazy Jumping Snails? Complete Juniper Solutions? In reality nothing quite so exotic; CJS stands for Countryside Jobs Service, which as a happy […]
Rural consumers deserve choice in how they decarbonise their home, report finds
Ministers must not penalise rural home and business owners who live off the gas grid by making them guinea pigs in the drive to decarbonise heating, a report from the think-tank Localis has warned. In its study entitled “Reaching rural properties: off-grid heating in the transition to net zero”, Localis has recommend government should extend […]
A Manifesto for Small Schools
Small schools, many of which are in rural areas, face particular challenges and there is now widespread and growing concern for the future of small schools in the UK. The challenges associated with funding of small schools in England have recently been acknowledged by the DfE (2021) along with the position of small schools in […]
Report demonstrates the importance of working with patients to reduce digital health inequalities
The Patients Association chair the Patient Coalition for AI, Data and Digital Tech in Health and in May we published a report based on research and case studies of good practice in combatting digital health inequalities that demonstrates the importance in working with patients who are digitally excluded. The report, Putting patients first: championing good […]
Mobile UK webinar: Making the case for local authority digital champions
Mobile UK, the trade association for the UK’s mobile network operators – EE/ BT, Virgin Media O2, Three and Vodafone is calling on the Government to fund the role of Digital Champions for local authorities to assist mobile deployment. As part of this campaign, Mobile UK hosted a webinar, in partnership with the Local Government […]
Rural and Coastal Areas Facing Serious Health Challenges
Patrick Mitchell, Director of Innovation, Digital and Transformation, Health Education England A combination of worsening health, ageing populations, social deprivation, and workforce staffing issues are leaving health and care services in rural and coastal areas facing serious challenges. Services are having to meet the needs of populations with deteriorating health and a range of significant […]
