TWO charities striving to promote and support agricultural in Cheshire are uniting in partnership to sustain rural communities.

Cheshire Rural Trust and Cheshire Agricultural Society are working together to deliver the work of the Rural Trust, which aims to tackle social isolation and deprivation in order to sustain rural communities. 

Cheshire Community Council has supported the administration of the Rural Trust for the last five years, through funding from the Big Lottery and Cheshire County Council.  

Trust chairman David Rowlands explained: “We are very grateful to Cheshire Community Council and the Big Lottery for their support over the last five years. 

"They have enabled us to develop the Trust to its current position. With the ending of the Big Lottery grant, we decided to review the administrative support for the Rural Trust and Cheshire Agricultural Society won the contract to support us in the future. 

“We believe the Cheshire Agricultural Society is an excellent choice to provide administrative support for the Rural Trust. Both organisations work to benefit the rural and agricultural communities in Cheshire. We look forward to working together. 

“While agriculture is no longer the engine of the rural economy, it is still the foot on which the rural economy stands.”

Cheshire Rural Trust was formed in 2002 as a response to the foot and mouth crisis to support farms, people and businesses facing financial hardship because of the devastating disease.  

The Trust’s initial task was to provide small grants quickly to farming and rural businesses providing much-needed relief during a lengthy rebuilding process. Its main focus now is to ensure rural Cheshire remains a viable option for people of all ages to live and work.

Since launching the Rural Trust it has given grants of over £90,000 to nearly 50 organisations. The Cheshire Agricultural Society, which organises the Cheshire County Show, is made up of a small team of staff and vast army of dedicated volunteers to encourage and improve agricultural enterprise, as well as encouraging skill and industry in husbandry by holding of shows or otherwise, and for the benefit of the charity. 

Executive Director of Cheshire Agricultural Society Nigel Evans said: “We are delighted that the Rural Trust chose to work with the Society and we are looking forward to providing them with support. We both have very similar goals and it is vital that organisations like us exist to support rural agricultural communities. 

“We are happy to partner a charity that gives benefits to the industry at the grass root level. It was formed from an industry in crisis and continues to give support in the current climate.”