Business net for rural women

25 October 2001



Business net for rural women

By Nigel Burnham

A SCHEME to help farmers wives and other rural women generate extra income via the Internet has been launched in Cumbria.

The Rural Womens Network – based at Voluntary Action Cumbria in Penrith – is offering training to for budding entrepreneurs.

Network team leader and farmers wife Caroline Addison said rural women had historically been viewed as economically-disadvantaged.

“Limited job opportunities, lack of childcare provision, poor public transport and work commitments on the farm have all limited our economic scope.”

The decline of the agricultural economy had led to a greatly-increased need for farming women to generate extra income, Mrs Addison said.

Fifteen local networks, organised by volunteer co-ordinators, would bring women together on a geographical or shared interest basis, she added.

• Rural Womens Network (external site)
• Work of rural women discussed, FWi, 24 August, 2000
• WI targets Blair in rural campaign, FWi, 31 May, 2000
• Public has rosy view of rural women, FWi, 9 October, 2000