Steering Committee member Elizabeth Buchanan CVO reflects on the theme of this year’s event and the importance of conversations about the countryside that bring us together rather than divide us.

Julian Glover, Co-chair of Future Countryside, shares his vision for Future Countryside to be a day of inspiration, connection and ambition intended to share choices about the future of rural Britain with all of us who need it to succeed.

Sally Ormiston, Head of Consulting at Rural Solutions writes how rural affairs matter and the time is now for a future countryside.

“Not since I started work in rural development during the Foot & Mouth crisis of 2001 has the countryside been as high on both public and political agenda as it is going into 2024.”

Today marks an important step forward for Future Countryside with the launch of a report from our rapporteur based on this year’s event. We are extremely grateful to its author, Heather Hancock, Chair of the Royal Countryside Fund and Master of St John’s College Cambridge. The report brings together the discussions at Hatfield where we were united and distils five principles.

The Future Countryside event, held on June 6 2023, was a gathering of more than 200 voices from rural Britain, each with unique perspectives but a shared aspiration - to ensure that the countryside is a positive force in the lives of the British people. Read the digest of the event here.

Future Countryside brought together a group of voices and views from across the country who all shared one ambition; to ensure rural Britain plays a positive part in the lives of all of the people of Britain. Watch our reminder of the day.