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POLICY & RESEARCH |
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CONSULTANCY & TRAINING |
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KNOWLEDGE & INFORMATION |
The Plunkett Foundation facilitates debate and discussion at networking events, bringing together policy-makers, practitioners and participants in rural group enterprise at high quality, participative events and forums. This enables members to keep up-to-date with the latest topics and issues, meet contacts and colleagues and exchange views on current issues. Several of these events are member only, all offer member discounts.
Conferences
By stimulating discussion and encouraging networking, the Plunkett Foundation provides those working in rural group enterprise, agriculture and rural communities with a number of opportunities to exchange knowledge and best practice.
Plunkett Foundation Milk Groups Conference
The 10th Annual Milk Groups Conference – 21st September 2004, Ansty Hall Hotel, Warwickshire had brought together some of the most outspoken and influential movers and shakers in the dairy industry today. The theme – Back to the Future - provided an opportunity to review the progress within the sector since 1994, look at current trends and opportunities as well as take a forward-looking view of the state of the sector ten years from now. The conference line-up was the best yet with a lively mix of stimulating and thought-provoking speakers from the UK and Europe as well as the usual contributions from the floor.
The Plunkett Foundation used the conference as a platform to launch the first Plunkett Foundation Milk Groups Awards to acknowledge outstanding contributions to the sector from farmer-members, executives and stakeholder organisation as well as the most innovative business approach by a milk group.
Plunkett's National Rural Social Enterprise Conference, now in its sixth year, continues to go from strength to strength. Almost a thousand delegates have attended previous conferences, with many returning each year.
This year’s conference took place in the South-West of England which is very active when it comes to local food development, with many high profile social entrepreneurs having chosen the region as a base for their initiatives. The conference featured many of these through a stimulating mixture of case examples, presentations, group workshops and plenary debate.
Charlotte Hollis from Fordhall Community Land Initiative presented a case study on how she and her brother Ben established an Industrial and Provident Society (which now has over 7,500 members) to save Fordhall Farm from development and keep their livelihood.
Jessica Harris presented a case study on the River Cottage project and their more-than-profit approach.
Paul Sander-Jackson from the New Economics Foundation lead a workshop called Building assets and infrastructure - local food as part of local economies, using case studies from Somerset.
Key Note speakers included Patrick Holden from the Soil Association, Baroness Miller from Somerset Food Link and many others.
The Plunkett Foundation would like to thank everyone who contributed to the conference and those who attended for making it such a success. Thanks to our partners RISE and ViRSA and our sponsors Defra, South West RDA, New Start and the Big Lottery Fund for making the event possible. Please look out for next years Rural Social Enterprise Conference to be held on the 28th and 29th November 2007.
For further information, please contact Mike Perry