Rural communities are built on commitment, local knowledge and volunteers who give their time generously. But running a building, shaping local plans or strengthening governance can sometimes feel complex and time-consuming.
Cambridgeshire ACRE offers practical consultancy support to parish councils, churches, charities and community organisations across rural Cambridgeshire. Our advice is grounded in more than 100 years of experience supporting rural communities and working alongside local leaders every day.
We focus on clear, tailored support that builds confidence and strengthens local resilience.
We provide consultancy support for:
If you are responsible for a rural building, service or local initiative and need structured support, we can help.
We currently offer specialist consultancy support in the following areas:
Independent energy audits that help community organisations understand their building’s energy use, reduce running costs and plan improvements with confidence. Our audits provide clear recommendations, cost estimates and practical next steps tailored to community buildings.
Support to ensure strategies, services and policies work effectively in rural communities. We review assumptions, analyse rural data and provide practical recommendations so plans are realistic and equitable across dispersed areas.
Structured engagement processes that help organisations listen to residents, gather meaningful feedback and turn local insight into clear evidence for decision making.
Support to design volunteer programmes, create clear policies and develop governance frameworks that protect both volunteers and organisations while helping programmes grow sustainably.
Independent support for parish councils and communities who want to understand local priorities and create a shared vision for the future of their village.
Practical support to help communities explore and deliver housing that meets local needs. We help groups establish Community Land Trusts, evidence demand, engage residents and develop projects from early conversations through to delivery.
Practical training and facilitated learning sessions designed for parish councils, community groups and charities. We help organisations strengthen governance, develop leadership skills and build confidence to deliver community initiatives.
Structured support to help organisations turn ideas and ambitions into a clear and practical plans for the future, including facilitated strategy workshops, stakeholder engagement and development of action plans.
Support to help organisations demonstrate the difference their work makes. We help design evaluation and monitoring frameworks, analyse data and produce clear evidence of outcomes and social value.
Each service is designed to be flexible and proportionate to the size, capacity and budget of your organisation.
We understand the realities of working with volunteers, small teams and stretched resources. Our aim is always to support you in building long term sustainability, not dependency.
Cambridgeshire ACRE members receive a 10 per cent discount on all consultancy fees.
If you are not currently a member, we would be happy to talk through membership options and whether this would benefit your organisation.
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Alison Brown2025-07-16 08:08:112025-07-16 08:08:48Just Bin It: Partnership work to prevent blocked pipes in Soham
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Adrian Storey2021-03-06 08:35:302025-10-03 10:15:51Rural affordable housing – housing needs surveysIf you would like to explore whether our consultancy support is right for you, please call us on 01353 860850 or get in touch for an informal conversation.
We are always happy to discuss your situation before you make any commitment.
