What we do
We offer support, resources and specialist advice to communities and partners across a wide range of topic areas connected to rural community life.
Providing rural leadership
Cambridgeshire ACRE advocates on behalf of its members, making sure rural needs are clearly heard in policy discussions, funding decisions and regional planning. We also champion rural proofing, pressing for policies and services to be tested against the realities of rural life. By ensuring that decision makers consider the unique challenges and opportunities of rural areas, we help secure fairer outcomes for the people who live and work here.
Supporting community buildings
Community-run assets and owned assets like village halls, pubs and shops are at the heart of rural community life. They provide a vital hub for health and social activities, education and vital rural services to take place. Therefore, we feel it is of paramount importance to help these assets thrive.
Cambridgeshire ACRE provides advice and support to the existing trustees of these community-run assets. Similarly, we also assist individuals or groups considering how they might sustain or improve community ownership in their own communities.
Facilitating rural housing
Cambridgeshire ACRE works with local authorities, housing associations, town and parish councils and communities to build circa 50 rural affordable homes annually. Our work specifically looks to benefit those that could not have otherwise afforded a home of their own.
Protecting the environment
Cambridgeshire ACRE can work with your community to help them tackle environmental issues and consider predicted climate changes impacts.
We have a staff team that has expertise and experience across water management, biodiversity, environmental volunteering and decarbonisation.
Our support and projects help enhance the natural environment, improve community green space, help communities plan for decarbonisation and net zero targets, as well as supporting communities with issues of flooding and considering local mitigating actions.
Promoting economic growth
Cambridgeshire ACRE offers a business advice service with experienced advisors who can support rural not-for profit businesses that have a social mission to set-up and grow.
We can support both individuals and community groups / charitable organisations.
Improving wellbeing and inclusion
Cambridgeshire ACRE is committed to ensuring fairer and more equitable health and wellbeing outcomes for people living in rural areas, where access to services can be much more difficult.
Through our various programmes of work, we have seen at first-hand the issues that rurality can cause, especially where it is compounded by significant deprivation and isolation.
Cambridgeshire ACRE works with partners and communities to understand inequalities in health and wellbeing and to tackle these issues at a local level.
Offering consultancy
Cambridgeshire ACRE often gets requests from organisations and communities to provide further in-depth expertise and support
Our memberships
