Countryside equivalent of Facebook

Nov 29 2008 by Dave Black, The Journal

A WEBSITE set up after the 2001 foot-and- mouth crisis has been relaunched as a countryside equivalent of Facebook. The Northumberland-based Rural Voices is being described as the first interactive networking site of its kind in England.

The website seeks to be a valuable online resource for anyone who lives, works or is interested in Northumberland, with the added aim of encouraging the rural development of the county.

Rural Voices Network was originally launched by the county council in response to calls from farmers, businesses and communities following the foot-and- mouth epidemic which devastated Northumberland’s agriculture and tourism industries.

Now, thanks to a £40,000 investment by the Northumberland Strategic Partnership (NSP) and One North East, the redeveloped site uses new technology to allow users to share news and events, create groups, take part in online discussions, upload photos and provide a web presence for their organisation or group.

Rural Voices was originally launched to provide a network of groups, organisations and community leaders with an active interest in the regeneration of the more isolated parts of the county.

It allowed them to share information and contacts on key rural issues and get projects off the ground. There was also a directory of organisations and people involved in economic, community, voluntary and environmental work.

Yesterday Janice Rose, acting executive director with NSP, said: “The launch of the new Rural Voices website is an important development in our bid to encourage and promote rural activity in Northumberland.

“It’s a highly-interactive, free resource which keeps people up to date with local news and events and enables them to interact with others across the county, no matter how remote their location.”

Visit the website at www.ruralvoices.org.uk