Tell us how it is – RAY at the Great Yorkshire Show 2011

Rural Action Yorkshire (RAY) is inviting visitors to the Great Yorkshire Show to come and chat to them on stand 523 about village life in their community. RAY wants to hear how rising fuel costs, threats to public services, dwindling buses and affordable housing is affecting rural areas across Yorkshire. They also want to hear first hand about households without access to broadband and are asking visitors to help them build a map.

RAY has teamed up with the Yorkshire and Humber Rural Network to offer people at the show a stand which isnt just full of useful information and advice, but also a rest stop with free refreshments and activities for children. There is a chance to try making lace or smoothies and also various craft activites, provided by partners and community groups.

As an independent charity, RAY has been helping rural communities for over 80 years and is looking forward to reaching even more through the Great Yorkshire Show. Some of their recent work includes:

Helping villages to form a co-operative so they can buy fuel together cheaper

Informing people about opportunities for energy generation

Supporting village halls with management training and energy audits.

Advising on community led planning, which leads to action plans and a picture of any future developments

Rural Action Yorkshire will have staff available at the Show who can discuss projects and offer help to groups from rural areas.

Rural Action Yorkshire

Based at Askham Bryan, near York, Rural Action Yorkshire is an independent charitable and voluntary organisation working across rural areas of North, South and West Yorkshire and the City of York. It works to help communities improve the quality of life for all people living and working in rural Yorkshire.

Rural Action Yorkshire is one of the 38 members of the Rural Community Action Network.

Find RAY online: www.ruralyorkshire.org.uk www.Twitter.com/ruralyorkshire and www.Facebook.com/RAY.SYRN

The Yorkshire & Humber Rural Network

The Network is a partnership between Rural Action Yorkshire, Humber and Wolds Rural Community Council and Involve Yorkshire & Humber.

It aims to bring together all voluntary and community organisations that have an interest in rural issues in Yorkshire and the Humber. This helps to raise awareness among support and development organisations and networks whose primary focus is not rural, of the special needs and interests of front line groups working in rural areas.