20 ways to make a world of difference

20 ways to make a world of difference

in the country,rural issues,Country Living,make life better english countryside By helping to run your village hall or publishing a parish newsletter you can breathe new life into your community

Prime the parish pump

in the country,Country Living,make life better council If the mere mention of streetlighting or litter sends you into a tirade, step forward for a term as a parish, town or community councillor. At this most local level of British democracy, women\'s voices remain under-represented, yet most councils have more seats than bums to fill them. For details, call 020 7637 1865 or visit www.nalc.gov.uk (England and Wales); or call 01356 623330 or visit www.ascc.org.uk (Scotland)

In you we trust

in the country,Country Living,make life better trustee There are charities behind numerous aspects of rural life, but many don\'t attract trustees - the people who make sure they do what they are set up to do. Whether you want to run a playgroup or help young people through drug addiction, there are opportunities nationwide. The Get on Board campaign encourages people with everyday skills to step forward as trustees. Call 0845 456 1668 or visit www.getonboard.org.uk

Step forward to volunteer

in the country,Country Living,make life better volunteer For information about a variety of volunteering opportunities in your local area (and throughout the UK), contact Do-it (020 7226 8008 or visit www.do-it.org.uk)

Restore and renew

in the country,Country Living,make life better village hall If you gaze through the dusty window panes of your neglected village hall and can glimpse its potential - as a venue for film shows, training, or an organic café - go to the AGM and stand for election to the hall\'s committee, so that you can start the revival. Call 01285 653477 or visit www.acre.org.uk (England); or call 01463 251729 or visit www.villagehalls.org.uk (Scotland)

Publish and be praised

in the country,Country Living,make life better newsletter Despite the internet, newsletters are vital to village life and are proof that the power of the press endures. Write one for your parish, school, sports club, craft circle or protest group. The better produced they are, the more effective, so the task of editing one is a real commitment (it\'s worth enrolling on a desktop publishing course)

Administer just desserts

in the country,Country Living,make life better magistrate The justice system is working hard to change the image of magistrates as tweed-suited old buffers and twin-set battleaxes. You\'ll need a blend of clear thinking and humanity, but no legal expertise, so call 0800 003 007, or visit www.dca.gov.uk, to take your first step to becoming part of the backbone of English and Welsh justice

Charity begins at home

in the country,Country Living,make life better bird All environmental organisations need your cash, but only a handful have a local structure in which you can attend meetings, join the debate and help plan projects. These include RSPB (01767 680551; www.rspb.org.uk); Campaign to Protect Rural England (020 7981 2800; www.cpre.org.uk); Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales (01938 552525; www.cprw.org.uk; Friends of the Earth (0808 800 1111; http://community.foe.co.uk), and Friends of the Earth Scotland (0131 554 9977; www.foe-scotland.org.uk)

Head up a winning team

in the country,Country Living,make life better cricket The pride of countless villages and small towns rests on a single strength, such as an award-winning amateur operatic society or an unbeatable cricket team. A club or society secretary will take minutes, fundraise, recruit, plot, promote, cajole, bully and make endless pots of tea, but they can also bask in the reflected glory of their chosen club\'s great achievements

Befriend an old wreck

in the country,Country Living,make life better restoration Are you saddened whenever you pass a crumbling monument or derelict manor house in your area? The BBC\'s Restoration series unearthed several small armies of supporters fighting for their local heritage treasure. To give your own campaign a flying start, visit the series\' website: www.bbc.co.uk/history/programmes/restoration

Turn into supermum

in the country,Country Living,make life better school Take the fast track to winning new friends by volunteering to run the Parent Teacher Association at your children\'s school. Its power and influence depend on one thing above all: fundraising success. If you have a talent for tapping people for a part-time teacher\'s salary or new sports hall, the job - and the kudos - will be yours. Call 01732 748850 or visit www.ncpta.org.uk (England, Wales, Ireland); or 0131 226 4378; www.sptc.info (Scotland)

Stand up for consumers

in the country,Country Living,make life better watchdog Most industries just pay lip service to user consultation, but some have proper committees, such as Postwatch (www.postwatch.co.uk), the watchdog for the postal service, which invites people to join its UK-wide regional groups. Keep tabs on your local health services in The Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health forums in England (0845 120 7111; www.cppih.org); Community Health Council in Wales (0845 644 7814; www.wales.nhs.uk)

Be webmaster of your universe

in the country,Country Living,make life better website If you want to shake things up, offer to create and run the village website. Start by hunting down the local computer whizz kids and rope them in to design and set up the site. This will leave you free to hone your editorial skills so you can create impassioned conversations about the issues that matter most locally. Your role is to know when and how much to fan the flames

Rule the school

in the country,Country Living,make life better school governor Committee procedures, sheaves of papers and delicately worded compromise solutions aren\'t everyone\'s idea of a fun evening, but if you want to shape the future of your local school, the governing body is the place to be. Governorship offers both challenges and rewards. Call Governorline on 0800 072 2181 or visit www.governornet.co.uk (England); or Governors Wales on 0845 602 0100 or www.governorswales.org.uk

Fulfil a mission

in the country,Country Living,make life better church Every parish in England and Wales has a parochial church council (in Scotland a congregational board) where the vicar and elected lay members decide on pastoral matters and local church management; it\'s nothing like The Vicar of Dibley, though - theatrical licence has produced some very confused roles! Church of England (www. cofe.anglican.org); Church in Wales (www.churchinwales.org.uk); The Church of Scotland (www.churchofscotland.org.uk)

Let your village blossom

in the country,Country Living,make life better blossom house Whip your village into shape and enter the RHS\'s annual Britain in Bloom campaign (020 7821 3118; www.rhs.org.uk), or Calor Village of the Year, a competition in which judges look beyond prettiness to reveal true community spirit (01926 318634; www.villageoftheyear.org). Do well in either and you\'ll become a local celebrity

Be chief community spy

in the country,Country Living,make life better neighbourhood watch Coordinating a Neighbourhood Watch scheme will earn you instant gratitude from the police. You\'ll establish local crime-busting and community-safety priorities, work with police, firefighters, social services and trading standards to make improvements. The rest of your street will thank you, too. Visit www.neighbourhoodwatch.net

Join the WI...

in the country,Country Living,make life better jam The Women\'s Institute isn\'t all jam and Jerusalem any more; it is a vast web of local activity and influence, with 7,000 groups throughout England and Wales lobbying MPs about GM crops, as well as fashioning quilts and designing gardens. The modern WI stands for campaigning, learning, friendship and sharing, which permits a diversity of activities and strongly expressed opinions. Not forgetting the jam-making, of course. Find your nearest WI by calling 020 7371 9300 or visiting
www.womens-institute.org.uk

... Run the WI

in the country,Country Living,make life better women institute The 215,000-member-strong National Federation of Women\'s Institutes (NFWI) has an independent democratic structure that allows committed enthusiasts to rise from local positions to become national trustees. The Prime Minister quaked after being slow hand-clapped at NFWI\'s annual general meeting, and this forum remains a powerful voice for women on issues from rural services to sex trafficking

Become a NIMBY

in the country,Country Living,make life better powerstation When it is announced that your home and village are standing in the way of the next airport or power station you may suddenly develop a strong urge to have your say. Save yourself pain and false moves by becoming an instant planning expert. Call 020 7981 2800 or visit www.planninghelp.org.uk (England); or www.scottishlaw.org.uk (Scotland). You can gear up for the battle with Antony Jay\'s gung ho action-plan Not in Our Back Yard (White Ladder Press). To order a copy, call 01803 813343 or visit www.whiteladderpress.com

Save a pub

in the country,Country Living,make life better pub Today, more than half of rural communities lack a village watering hole, and it isn\'t because country people don\'t drink. Modern success stories show that pubs (often re-opened with government-grant aid) need to diversify and be shops, prescription services, laundries and post offices, often rolled into one, in order to thrive. Pull it off and you will revive the heart of your local community - it doesn\'t get better than that. To get started, contact Pub is the Hub (01423 568987; www.pubisthehub.org.uk)

Loading.. please wait

Thanks! Your comment has been added to this topic.