I have always been a huge fan of the writer Bill Bryson. His book Notes From a Small Island is is one that still makes me laugh out loud (particularly his comments about the British Potato Council!)
So I am pleased to see that The Sunday Times has reported that he could be the new president of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE).
The CPRE is a funny beast. Some farmers are members - but others regard it as an organisation which wants to preserve the countryside as it was in the 1950s.
But Bill Bryson is a passionate advocate for the British countryside and one that the public seem willing to listen to. As an American - and I suppose an outsider - he seems to be able to spot things which we 'natives' often overlook. I think he could be a great ambassador for rural areas.