FW: Impact of DEFRA funding cuts on support for Dorset’s rural communities

[Sparkes, Sue H.]

Fyi / response as you may wish.

 

Sue Sparkes

Health Partnerships

Main contact: 01258 857874   Mobile: 07500 087342   Office: 01305 228507 (Internal 710 8507)

Email: s.h.s...@dorsetcc.gov.uk Working days: Mon-Weds

 

From: Dorset Community Action News [mailto:ne...@dorsetcommunityaction.org.uk]
Sent: 13 January 2015 17:10
To: Sparkes, Sue H.
Subject: RE: Impact of DEFRA funding cuts on support for Dorset’s rural communities

 

Supporting Communities and Voluntary Organisations in Dorset

Dear Colleague

I am writing to ask you to join our urgent campaign to call on the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs not to withdraw funding for the ACRE Network of rural community councils (RCCs).

The Network, of which Dorset Community Action is a member, is the only nationwide organisation with a dedicated rural community focus, strengthening local communities, enterprises, and supporting the most vulnerable in our society, with an unrivalled reach into 52,000 grassroots organisations. The Network is the sole organisation that provides advice to the 80,000 volunteers who keep England’s 10,000 village halls alive.

If funding is withdrawn, Dorset Community Action will be severely hampered in its ability to deliver services including:

• Preventing the closure of village post offices and pubs, for example, in King’s Stag village, DCA has negotiated a deal between the local parish council and the Green Man pub to keep the post office service operating there.  DCA is also working with  Mosterton Parish Council and members of the local community to reinstate the Post Office service which the village recently lost.

• Assisting people on low incomes, running a programme of “Keep Warm, Save Money” events across Dorset focussing on the needs of people in Fuel Poverty.

• Supporting local transport by helping to develop Community Transport projects such as Bus 2 Go which takes excluded people and families on day trips.

• and Community Land Trust schemes, e.g. supporting Toller Porcorum Community Land Trust that is building six affordable homes, and the development of a new Post Office.

At a time of cuts to public services, and with communities being encouraged to take on services that local councils are no longer able to deliver, we believe that this is not the right time to be withdrawing funding.

Please show your support for Dorset Community Action by signing the ACRE Network online petition now at http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/73418

Please urgently write to Rt Hon Elizabeth Truss MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London, SW1P 3JR or emailing her at defra.h...@defra.gsi.gov.uk  to ask her not to withdraw funding from the ACRE Network. If you are able to give examples of how Dorset Community Action has made a difference to you, your community or organisation, this would be very helpful.

Thank you for your support.

Yours sincerely

Alex Picot

Chief Executive

The Coach House
Acland Road
DORCHESTER, Dorset DT1 1EF
United Kingdom

Phone: 01305 250921

Website: www.dorsetcommunityaction.org.uk

Registered Charity no: 1060910   Company Registration No: 3320011

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