The Rural Services Network (RSN) is excited to present the National Rural Conference 2024, set to take place from 16th to 19th September. This virtual event, accessible via Zoom, serves as the foremost gathering for senior officers, members, policymakers, and rural service professionals. With the support of NICRE and sponsored by BT, NALC, RABI and the University of Lincoln, this year's conference is poised to deliver a wealth of knowledge and networking opportunities. We are delighted to have taken over 760 bookings so far, showcasing the immense interest and enthusiasm for this event.

In this week's segment, we are excited to shine a spotlight on two of our distinguished speakers who will be sharing their expertise and insights during the conference.

Katherine Lewis, NICRE Research Engagement Manager, Royal Agricultural University

Katherine has led NICRE’s Framing Rural stakeholder research to develop and test framings of the rural economy that engage public and policy audiences. She has a background in communications, marketing and event management and has held roles at the Soil Association and Innovative Farmers, where she worked with farmers and researchers, helping them collaborate on finding new, environmentally-sound ways to farm. Katherine will be speaking at the Rural Economy and Regeneration session on 16 September. Her experience in fostering collaboration between farmers and researchers, coupled with her expertise in rural economy engagement, promises to provide valuable insights into the sustainable development of rural areas.

Dr Tom Jarvis, Principal Social Researcher, Transport For The North

Dr Tom Jarvis leads Transport for the North’s research and strategy on transport and social exclusion. This spans the causes, consequences, and solutions to transport inequalities in the UK. He has previously worked across a number of fields connected to poverty, inequality, and social justice, including community integration, corruption during armed conflict, and homelessness. Dr Jarvis will be speaking at the Rural Transport session on 19 September. His extensive research on transport and social exclusion will shed light on the critical issues facing rural transport systems and offer strategic insights into addressing these challenges.

We look forward to the engaging discussions and innovative ideas that Katherine Lewis and Dr Tom Jarvis will bring to the National Rural Conference 2024. Stay tuned for more spotlights on our speakers, sponsors, supporters, and sessions in the coming weeks.

Join us in making a difference for rural communities!

The conference is free to attend for local authorities that are members of the Rural Services Network and members of the Rural Services Partnership. To verify your organisation’s membership or for any questions, contact [email protected]