Hinterland
Rural News
Police to use hidden cameras in rural crime hotspots
Long overdue in my opinion – I hope the flytippers are amongst the first caught. This story tells us…… Police in Lincolnshire are turning to technology to assist in the fight against rural crime. Twenty hi-tech cameras, complete with night vision, will be installed at secret locations in remote areas of the county and can […]
Mental health support must be ‘tailored to needs of rural communities’
This story highlights one of the most important and oft overlooked issues in rural England, it tells us. New research published by the House of Commons has revealed the scale of the mental health crisis currently impacting rural areas. The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (EFRA) is conducting an inquiry into rural mental health […]
More healthcare to go online in England under digitisation plan
A radical approach which does not only represent the future but has the positive implications for rural dwellers who have the prospect of more efficient and less travel focused primary care. This story tells us: People in England will receive more healthcare treatments online, enabling them to check NHS records, receive messages from their GP […]
‘Organised crime’ affecting rural communities in Devon and Cornwall
This is an interesting and often overlooked area of policy research. Farming families are isolated in many cases and the impacts of rural crime can be more threatening and challenging as a consequence. Organised crime may be having an increasing impact on rural communities, according to police. A new project will assess the effects of […]
Dorset contest sees competitors eat stinging nettles
An abundant alternative to chilies in rural England! This story profiles a ghastly challenge, it tells us: Competitive eaters have chewed through stalks of stinging nettles as part of an annual rural contest. Spectators flocked to watch the World Nettle Eating Contest at Dorset Nectar Cider Farm near Bridport on Saturday. Entrants were tasked with […]
Patients with eating disorders sent from England to Scotland due to lack of beds
This article shows just how challenging the lack of adequate services close to home is for people across the UK, but causes to particularly reflect on the plight facing rural dwellers who are the furthest from services. It tells us: A shortage of beds for severely unwell eating-disorder patients has forced the NHS to send […]
The meat and dairy farmers who are going vegan
Our recent work with the National Federation of Young Farmers revealed some ground breaking changes in attitudes and farming practices. This article is an interesting example of people following the national mood and sentiment. It tells us: It was after Laurence Candy lost most of his dairy herd to bovine tuberculosis that he decided he […]
Somerset council declares cost of living emergency
After climate crisis, now cost of living. A good example of local action or just a bit of rhetoric? The issue either way is undoubtedly important… A West Country council has become the second in England to declare a cost of living emergency. Mendip District Councillors voted through the motion on Monday evening. It means […]
Levelling up the UK: is the government serious about reducing regional inequalities in health?
This is my “long read” tip. There is some really interesting stuff to reflect on here, particularly in relation to the issues around levelling up being wider and with more dimensions than just simply north vs south. Try rural vs urban! The Levelling Up white paper, released in February 2022 after major delay, outlines the […]
NHS mental health trust sets up food bank for staff
No don’t do a double take this is true…. A food bank has been set up by an NHS mental health trust over fears its staff are struggling with price rises. Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (NSFT) said it was “concerned about the impact of the cost of living crisis”. It said it had […]
Wellbeing garden at Leeds school to aid pupils’ mental health
A great example of bringing the balm of the rural vibe into the inner city!!! This story tells us: A school has created a wellbeing garden for children and teachers whose mental health have been affected by the pandemic. An unused courtyard at Chapel Allerton primary in Leeds has been transformed into an “oasis of […]
Shortage of workers threatens UK recovery – here’s why and what to do about it
This is a long but fascinating piece on the strange conundrum of people having less to spend whilst unemployment is at a record low. It tells us: Demand for labour (that’s all employment plus vacancies) has recovered to almost exactly its pre-pandemic level. But the data indicates that the increase in vacancies is not due […]