Village Agents
Learn how we provide help, support and solutions for the health and social care needs of members of communities across East Cambridgeshire, Fenland and South Cambridgeshire.
Why is this needed and what are we doing?
Cambridgeshire ACRE’s team of Village Agents works across three of Cambridgeshire’s four rural districts: East Cambridgeshire, Fenland and South Cambridgeshire. The Village Agent service aims to address long-standing challenges faced by rural residents – especially around isolation, access to services and the visibility of support networks that often go unnoticed in dispersed communities.
Rural life offers many strengths; strong neighbourliness, community identify and grassroots resilience. However, it also presents unique barriers. People living in remote villages often face limited public transport, reduced access to health and wellbeing services and a lack of easily accessible information about where to turn when help is needed. Cambridgeshire ACRE has consistently heard through local engagement that residents value having someone approachable and rooted in the community who can help them navigate available support.
Our Village Agents model answers that call. Each Agent acts as a trusted local connector, working directly within their own communities to offer one-to-one support, signposting and a listening ear. Their role is not to replace existing services, but to bridge the gaps – linking people to the right agencies, helping them navigate complex systems and building community-led solutions where formal provision is limited or unknown.
What makes this service particularly exciting is it’s place-based and person-centred approach. Rather than a one-size fits all model, each Village Agent will shape their work around the specific priorities of their community. That could mean helping an individual access a carers’ support group, facilitate a community hub to bring isolated residents together or working alongside parish councils and voluntary groups to identify emerging needs before they escalate.
By working alongside residents rather than delivering to them, our Village Agents seek to embed long-term community resilience and ensure that rural voices continue to inform how support is designed and delivered in rural Cambridgeshire.
Alison Brown, Head of Business Services at Cambridgeshire ACRE said:
“Our Village Agent team is a vital part of our commitment to helping rural residents thrive in their communities. By providing local, trusted support and connecting people to services, we can reduce isolation and ensure individuals have access to the help they need close to home.”
Funder
Our Village Agent team is funded through Cadent Gas Limited, via Ofgem’s Vulnerability and Carbon Monoxide Allowance (VCMA). In South Cambridgeshire, additional Village Agents are funded by South Cambridgeshire District Council using money provided by the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Integrated Care System’s South Place Partnership.
How can you get involved?
If you know someone, living in East Cambridgeshire, Fenland or South Cambridgeshire, who needs support with accessing advice, support or services then you can refer them to our Village Agent team. Please complete our online referral form.
If you feel you would benefit from this kind of support yourself, you are welcome to self-refer to us. Please call our Community Wellbeing Manager, Rachel Mason, on 01353 865025, for an initial chat.
If you have any concerns over confidentiality or the treatment of your personal data, please read our Village Agent Service Privacy Notice which you can download under ‘Useful links’ below.
What impact has our work had?
Our Village Agent work is under constant evaluation. We will post updates here when we have them available.
