Plunkett UK

We are championing #farmsafetyweek, ran by Farm Safety Foundation (Yellow Wellies)  and NFU Mutual. 🚜 It has been inspirational to learn that community-owned Fordhall Organic Farm have been championing Farm Safety, this week. 🙌 🗣️ “Running a community-owned farm does bring its challenges as well as its rewards, we get through each of these at Fordhall by valuing ourselves and each other. We would like to use Farm Safety Week to celebrate the wonderful work of our farmers and land workers, encouraging us all to gather the flock to look after each other and ourselves.” Charlotte Hollins, Fordhall Farm, Plunkett UK members.  Alongside our partners, we encourage everyone to stay mindful when we are in the countryside, be it for pleasure or work, we all have a part to play.  To find out more about this, check out the Farm Safety Foundation-Yellow Wellie's platform which shows all you need to know about farm safety with all the important stories that go along with it. #farmvalues #gathertheflock #communityfarms

Nominate your local #combiz for the Investing in Local People Award at this year's #rcbawards, for the chance to win £250 for your community business! 🏆 Kindly sponsored by Anthony Collins, this award recognises how community businesses are investing in local people through the creation of employment, training and volunteering roles. 🙌 At last year’s Awards, nominees for the Rural Vision Employment & Training Award, Chopwell Regeneration CIO, provided excellent examples of this: 🔭 They developed a 'Code & Create' programme for young children to boost tech skills and inspire computing & science.   🍳 Trained volunteers in hospitality and catering in their kitchen and café. 🤝 Last year, 79 volunteers collaborated with their staff, acquiring new skills to give back to the community. 📝 Offered employability support in CV assistance, mock interviews and references.  How does your community business offer volunteering and employment opportunities? 🤔 ➡️

🗣️ "At Plunkett UK, our service ranges from initial advice via our community business helpline, to in-depth training on topics such as good governance, raising finance and one-to-one business support delivered via our network of specialist advisers across the UK."   📽️ Hear from our Head of Community Business, Claire Spendley MIoL, who expresses the importance for the new Government to support all developing community ownership projects, and existing community-owned businesses too.  #combiz #generalelection #newgovernment

Plunkett's Head of Policy and Communications, Chris Cowcher, considers how the legislative programme for Government included in the King's Speech might impact our sector.  Our takeaways were:  🔄The commitment to devolution was clear.  ✅A Community Right to Buy (in England) is now on the table. 🏡The house-building sector will be a key partner. 🤝A new deal for workers will be implemented. 📌A programme of nationalisation could offer local opportunities.  To read more 👇

A team of ten colleagues at Central Co-op will be going the extra mile by taking on the National Three Peaks Challenge in 24 hours to raise funds for Plunkett UK! 🥾 On 13-15 September, the team will attempt to climb the three highest peaks in the UK: Ben Nevis in Scotland, Scafell Pike in England and Snowdon in Wales. ⛰️ They will be raising money to support Plunkett's work in helping rural communities come together to set-up and run community-owned businesses. 👏 The target is £4,000, and if you would like to support their incredible effort, you can make a donation below. 👇

NOMINATE your local #combiz for the Going Green Award at this year's #rcbawards, for the chance to win £250 to support your local community-owned business! 🏆 Sponsored by Suma Wholefoods, this award recognises how community businesses are working to lessen their impact on the environment. 🌱 Nominees for the Rural Vision Environment Award 2023, Cleve Archers, a community archery club in South Gloucestershire, strived to lessen their impact on the environment by providing a sustainable sports facility. 🎯 They installed solar panels, promoted renewable energy education to local school children, used air sourced pumps for heating and planted 2,300 trees and shrubs to offset carbon emissions. 🌳 What green initiatives are your community business implementing? 🤔 👉 Let us know:

We didn't expect to be involved in a news article pictured next to Jeremy Clarkson, but here we are. 👇 Thanks to Toby Walne from MailOnline for doing a great feature shining a light on #communitypubs. The article highlights that with the pub industry facing ongoing challenges - high-net worth celebrities might breath fresh life into a few. But a more rewarding and resilient option is #communityownership. Chris Cowcher from Plunkett UK shares in the article that The White Swan Gressenhall is one of 182 community owned pubs in their network, that they have strong survival rates compared to SME benchmarks and create deep impact within the communities they serve. It's an exciting time for the sector - and great to see mainstream media shining a light on an innovative and impactful solution to providing a thriving future for valued community assets.

📽️ "Plunkett UK is a national charity that supports community-owned businesses, most commonly found in rural areas, with the new government in place, we are looking for policies and decisions that will positively impact the countryside." Chris Cowcher, Plunkett UK’s Head of Policy and Communications, expresses our ask for the new Government to have a rural strategy, making sure that funding and support is in place to grow the rural community business network.  #ruralcombiz

📽️ “Many people think it's all about green and pleasant land when actually, in reality, there are many hidden needs that exist in rural areas.” Chris Cowcher, Plunkett UK’s Head of Policy and Communications, expresses our ask for the new Government to have a rural strategy, making sure that funding and support is in place to grow the rural community business network.  #ruralcombiz

We are excited to be a part of B4's festive fundraising extravaganza Raise'24! 🎄 This fundraising event will unite Oxfordshire's leading businesses and charities for social impact. The brand new annual fundraising event will bring together teams across Oxfordshire businesses for a special Christmas celebration. 🙌 🎅 Tis the season to give back! 75 teams will go head to head at Keble College, Oxford, on 13 December, to raise the most donations on the day for Plunkett UK and 10 other amazing charities!  🌟Be Free Young Carers  🌟Connection Support  🌟DEBRA UK  🌟Homeless Oxfordshire  🌟Oxfordshire Community Foundation  🌟Oxfordshire Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Centre  🌟Oxfordshire Youth  🌟Pancreatic Cancer UK  🌟Sobell House Hospice  With thanks to B4, the business networking group, this unique event will bring together businesses and organisations from across the county!  Let's jingle all the way to support a good cause! If you are an Oxfordshire business who wants to support an inspirational cause, visit the Raise'24 website below.  ➡️https://lnkd.in/ebhcRQ6k #raise24 #charitiestogether #ChristmasFundraiser