We work alongside people in rural communities to make a difference
The majority of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough’s population lives in rural communities and our vision is to see these communities thrive. We’re proud to work alongside individuals and community groups across the county, helping them make a positive difference in the places in which they live and work.
Standing alongside Cambridgeshire’s rural residents, we seek to bring about social, environmental and economic change for the good of communities. We do this by:
- supporting volunteers so they have the skills and confidence to lead local action by providing advice, support and training on best practice in community ownership of assets including village halls and community-led housing.
- co-ordinating funded projects that are delivered to tackle different issues found in rural communities, such as isolation & poverty, poor access to services, low educational attainment, lack of affordable housing, digital exclusion and declining biodiversity and climate change.
- pioneering new ideas and testing innovations to establish what delivers the best results in rural communities so that good practice can be understood and shared more widely.
Our team
Our work is led by an exceptional team of expert staff who work closely with the rural communities we serve and who are driven to improve the lives of those living and working there.
The leadership of our specialist team is supported by our committed Board of Trustees and complemented by a network of partners to drive further expertise into the work we do. As rural community experts, we also offer a range of consultancy services to support our charitable aims, with this additional income enabling us to bolster our rural community support activity further.
Our stakeholders
Our work is also supported by our close association with ACRE, the national charity speaking up for and supporting rural communities. The ACRE Network is England’s largest rural grouping of community support charities, with 37 similar organisations in England as part of this representative body and collectively funded by Defra.
Cambridgeshire ACRE is an independent organisation, registered charity and company limited by guarantee.
By supporting and strengthening rural communities, we can bring about positive change and help local people build strong and resilient places.
Our strategy
Cambridgeshire ACRE’s strategy for the period 2019 – 2024, called ‘Towards our 100th Year: Building stronger rural communities’, was launched by our President at our Annual General Meeting in September 2019.
Our strategy provides an overview of our long-term plans and establishes our priorities for serving the needs of rural communities over a five year period. Our strategy was developed in consultation with our staff, trustees, members and partners.
Each year we produce an annual business plan that sets our annual targets, timescales and the outcome monitoring framework. We use this to report our progress at our Annual General Meeting each year.
Our funders
We raise funds through securing grants, generating contract revenue and charging fees for consultancy work – we are grateful to all those who fund our work with rural communities.
Work for us
Work for us and help local communities achieve their ambitions. Cambridgeshire ACRE is one of the leading charities in Cambridgeshire. We pride ourselves on having strong values and finding new and innovative ways of helping our communities.
Membership
Our members have access to a professional advice service, one-to-one support and access to resources. By being a member you support the work of Cambridgeshire ACRE and help us support your community.
Our memberships
