Every day, rural communities turn to Plunkett UK for help to save, start and sustain community-owned businesses. To provide that support, we need to raise funds too.
We provide practical advice and specialist support to communities working to protect the places and services that matter to them – and continue to support community businesses long after they open their doors.
From that first conversation to business planning, community engagement and raising investment, our expert team and advisers help communities turn their ideas into sustainable businesses.
We also listen to our members and community businesses, making sure their experiences are heard by policymakers, funders and partners to shape and update policy and legislation.
By supporting Plunkett, you can help us be there for the next community that needs us.
Supporting rural hospitality
Rural pubs and other hospitality businesses provide places for people to meet and connect, support local jobs and services, and help tackle loneliness and isolation.
If you are a community group that has benefitted from our support, you know first-hand why this is so important.
When one is at risk of closure, community ownership can give local people a way to protect it. But taking on and running a business is a big undertaking – and communities need the right support to make it work.
Fundraise for Plunkett
By fundraising for Plunkett, you can help us be there for the next rural community that turns to us for support.
Hold a quiz, raffle, tasting evening or another fundraising event; take on a sponsored challenge; or encourage your members, customers and supporters to donate.
Your support helps Plunkett continue to provide the advice, expertise and representation rural communities and community businesses need.
Help us continue to give rural communities the advice, expertise and support they need – so we are there for the next community working to save a place or service that matters to them.
Inn This Together
At the end of 2025, Plunkett UK convened an in-person roundtable discussion in Oxfordshire comprising 20 experts and key representatives from the hospitality sector (photo above), with 15 more attending an online session.
These included representatives from the event sponsor, Diageo, plus
- River Cottage
- Stroud Brewery
- Hatch Mansfield
- McFarlane Telfer
- Sidney Phillips
- The Sky Wave Distilling Company
- The Portman Group
- Thomas Franks Ltd
- The Wine Conversation Podcast
- Fusion Labs.
Attendees also included MPs, DEFRA, community businesses, funders and suppliers.
The aim of the meetings, and the core functions for the continued Save Rural Hospitality campaign are to create a taskforce to:
- Secure funding for Plunkett’s core community business advisory service
- Provide bespoke expertise and advice tailored to the needs of sector
- Develop bespoke supplier offers for Plunkett’s community-owned hospitality members
- Increase profile and advocacy of the community-owned hospitality sector
The taskforce will look at the wide-ranging issues affecting hospitality businesses and sought solutions. Topics included operational matters, policy, information and data, membership, social impact, funding, marketing and training – and the variety of delegates ensured perspectives were provided from within and beyond the community ownership sector.
“If we work together, we can ensure that not only do our venues survive, but that they thrive, become more inclusive, more diversified, more connected to their communities and more sustainable for the long term.”
Elisabeth Rochford, Diageo
Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands across spirits and beer categories, sold in nearly 180 countries around the world.
What else is happening?
Anthropy 2026: Plunkett lead a session at Anthropy's Natonal Gathering for leaders and leading organisations across all sectors in March 2026, entitled, 'Are we calling last orders on rural youth? Building opportunities through community-owned hospitality'.
A panel of young people shared how community-owned hospitality transformed their lives, as well as their rural communities. There was debate about what more we can do to protect and strengthen the community-owned hospitality sector?
Click here to read more on our LinkedIn post
New Recommended Membership Suppliers are being added to Plunkett’s offer and improved rates for members are being negotiated – news on this to be released shortly.
Get in touch
We are now creating a Hospitality Taskforce – a group of people and businesses who will be helping to drive forward change for community-owned hospitality sector and committed to funding, member support and advocacy.
If you would like to be part of the Taskforce, email Hannah via the button below.
