Networking for the future

RURAL FUTURES, a new networking club for 19-35-year-olds with an interest in the countryside was officially launched at the Royal Show on Sunday (July 3).

The new club is a Royal Agricultural Society of England initiative, and it offers free membership and various networking opportunities for members.

“This is about creating a framework in which young people with rural interests can create opportunities for themselves through networking, getting to know other people with similar interests and exchanging ideas,” said Caroline Arblaster, the 22-year-old chair of Rural Futures.

The new organisation already has around 400 members.

“Over the last few years we’ve been looking at various ways to get young people into the farming industry, for without them, there will be no future for the industry at all. Rural Futures is an initiative to help make joining the industry seem more attractive,” said Mike Calvert, chief executive of RASE.

Sir Don Curry said that there is a lot of interesting activity going on in farming around the country at present and that Rural Futures is a welcome addition to that.

“We’ve all been concerned about how to attract young people into the countryside and farming. In recent years, farmers have been moaning a lot, and so it is not surprising that young people have not seen farming as attractive. We need some energy and enthusiasm,” Sir Don said.