Many older people in the UK live in rural communities.
There are places where people are developing cities that work well for older people. Rural Wisdom is a project to develop rural communities that are older people friendly.
The project started in early 2017, since then we have been busy working with communities in Scotland and Wales to support community action by older people. In 2019 we are spreading into new areas.
Throughout the Rural Wisdom project, its important that we hear, gather & share stories of what’s happening & what’s working well across the country.
We want to highlight examples of the innovative ways that people are finding to help make their rural areas better places for people to live as they get older. We hope these will inspire more similar work and spark other ideas.
Please get in touch if there’s something you know of which you think should be showcased and shared.
What we’re looking for doesn’t have to be a major project or intervention – small changes which have made a difference are very valuable to share.
Below are a few hints for the kind of examples we are looking for.
- something starting from the experiences and views of older people
- something which shows the impacts for people living in a rural community
- something which is focused on older people, or is intergenerational / involves the whole community
- something which has been developed and managed by older people
- something which people in other areas might learn from
We’re looking for examples on a range of aspects of daily life or planning ahead including things like shops and transport as well as support to give people options for staying as part of their community.
In sharing examples from your area, we can help you raise awareness of what’s going on. In doing so, you’ll be contributing to a wider learning network and will hopefully also benefit from the stories shared by others.
You can share your examples by sending an email, have a chat over the phone, or by post.
Keep up with what's happening on our local area pages, via our blog and by signing up to the Rural Wisdom newsletter.
Get in touch:
0141 419 0451
3.10 / The Whisky Bond / 2 Dawson Rd / Glasgow / G4 9SS
“The Rural Wisdom project will ensure that older people in both Scotland and Wales will have their voices heard about things which matter most to them.
It is a great example of how National Lottery funding can make a real difference to people’s lives and specifically the lives of older people living in rural communities.
I am sure that it will bring many benefits to those involved, including boosting confidence and skills and empowering older people to participate in and shape activities within their local areas.”
Big Lottery Fund Scotland Chair, Maureen McGinn