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Climate change is high on everyone’s agenda and will inevitably change our landscapes and the way we live and work. At the same time, the Government says it wants to strengthen local decision-making and build the voice of local communities. There are also growing expectations that rural communities will help deliver services themselves. How can those living and working in rural Bedfordshire shape the future of their villages and environment in the context of climate change?

Are rural communities inherently "unsustainable" or does the climate change agenda offer new opportunities - and resources – for communities to address some key rural issues?

This half-day conference aimed to explore how local and global needs link up and tease out how they can be translated into practice for Bedfordshire’s rural communities.

The objectives of the conference were to:

The conference was also one element in a formal visit to Bedfordshire at BRAF’s invitation by the Government’s Rural Advocate and Chair of the Commission for Rural Communities, Dr Stuart Burgess. We are grateful to Dr Burgess for chairing the BRAF conference. BRAF arranged an afternoon itinerary of visits for Dr Burgess, centred on the Marston Vale and the growth agenda, taking in Millbrook, Roxhill Manor Farm, the Forest Centre, Stewartby and the proposed NIRAH site. The previous evening, Dr Burgess hosted a dinner at Flitwick Manor with regional and local stakeholders.

The visit was part of a strategic programme of activity to allow Stuart to meet and listen to rural people, communities and businesses. He then passes on his findings to those who make a difference – ministers, officials and decision-makers. Stuart also links into ongoing Commission activities such as its Thematic Inquiries and Studies, in which the Rural Advocate plays a high profile role. The visits also feed into monthly reports that form the basis of an annual Rural Advocate’s Report.

Bedfordshire Rural Affairs Forum (BRAF) is a county-wide forum set up to champion rural interests in the county. It has over 30 organisations within its membership. Its members include representatives from a range of sectors across the rural economy including health organisations, environmental groups, local authorities, rural development groups, farming and business interests, education and skills groups.