Birmingham District Rural Issues Group

The past year has been a difficult year indeed for rural and farming communities. Further outbreaks of Foot and Mouth Disease, Avian Influenza and the Bluetongue Virus have each had a devastating effect on an already beleaguered farming industry – not least personally in the lives of a great many families – whilst last summer’s flooding brought heartbreak and chaos to the wider community, and the process of repairing the damage still continues .  Within our own District, tragedy and loss of life were experienced, and we extend our sympathy, love and prayers to those concerned as they rebuild their lives.  One piece of encouraging news is that a number of people have been using the prayers sent out to circuits during the autumn in their worship, meetings and newsletters, and this has been appreciated : we may not always be able to offer tangible support to our farmers, but spiritual support has been truly valued and people have told me how this has made a real difference to their lives at times when they have been driven to the point of despair.  If you do want to offer something tangible, the Farming Help Appeal is still accepting donations and if you or your circuit feel that you could make a financial gift, please contact me for details.  To those of you who have already responded to the appeal – either financially, or through donations to the fodder bank – a sincere “thank you”.

Our small – but perfectly formed ! – group continues to meet to discuss rural issues and to consider ways in which we can raise these issues (and interest) around the District.  If you would like to join us or offer thoughts, ideas and suggestions, you would be very welcome and we should be glad to hear from you.  We meet about four times a year…..in beautiful rural locations and with wonderful farmhouse cooking, if that might tempt you.  One of our functions is to be a resource for the District and to promote some of the wide-ranging material available on rural matters.  In particular, may I commend to you once again the Arthur Rank Centre and the invaluable resources which they provide : their website is excellent.

I am still trying to collate a list of people who would be willing to act as a rural “postbox” for their circuits, to receive rural mailings and circulate information around the churches (and thereby relieve their superintendents of yet another piece of admin). It’s not an arduous task.  Some supers have already delegated this, but if yours hasn’t and you would like to volunteer, please e-mail or phone me.

Lastly, if your rural appetite still needs to be whetted – or if you simply want a good day out – then remember Open Farm Sunday on June 1st.  This is a day when many farms open their doors (or gates) to the public, and it is an opportunity to discover first-hand some of the aspects of daily life on a working farm.  It can also help to build much-needed bridges between ‘urban’ and ‘rural’ at a time when farmers often feel undervalued : as one farmer said to me a couple of weeks ago, “It’s nice to know that people are interested in what we are doing”.  If you want to know your nearest participating farm, contact me or visit the website www.farmsunday.org .  (If, like me, you are a technophobe, ask your grandchildren to look it up – it might whet their appetites too !)

Lynne Sylvester-Tonge,  Rural Life Officer  

2tonges@greenbee.net