The Rural Futures team combines years of practical hands on experience, supported by a breadth of knowledge across key rural areas of policy, assessing need, managing change and delivery.

John Welbank BSc, MRICS

John is one of the UK’s leading rural regeneration specialists. Trained as a chartered surveyor and after gaining experience in the private sector, John headed the national rural regeneration pilot “the Bowland Initiative”. Based on the success of this pilot, John developed “Lancashire Rural Futures (LRF)”, the UK’s largest specialist rural facilitation service. LRF provided business and environmental support to all of Lancashire’s rural business community and was accepted as an exemplar service at national and European level.

An IDEA Public Sector mentor, John’s specialist expertise includes:

• Public sector policy and funding initiatives
• Target, monitoring and reporting systems
• Partnership development
• Innovative environmental and economic delivery initiatives
• European working
• Rural regeneration
• Planning & property management
• Climate change
  

John Metcalfe BSc

With a background in farming and rural issues John is experienced working with National charitable organisations, and delivering business support to a wide range of private sector rural businesses across Cumbria and Lancashire. An expert in planning, John is also a mentor to third sector organisations and accredited as an advisor to the “Making Local Food Work” programme.

• A steering group member for a number of policy organisations in the fields of:Tourism development and land management
• Farming
• Enterprise and employment development
• Bio fuels

John has acted as the co-ordinator for the NWDA “Step Ahead” programme and the Rural Facilitation Planning Service in the sub region.

Mary Miller BSc

A degree in agriculture and a lifetime in farming, Mary has a thorough appreciation of rural issues. Accountancy trained, Mary spent several years benchmarking the performance of rural businesses in the North West before becoming a highly successful business advisor, supporting the establishment, development and diversification of a wide range of rural businesses and linking them to grant funding.

Mary has a particular expertise in financial analysis, business plan development and in drawing down funds from a variety of sources. Specialist interests in:

• Financial systems
• Waste management
• Renewable energy technologies
  

Andy Pickard MA, PhD

A marketing specialist who has worked for manufacturing, distribution and retail organisations. He has managed a programme providing marketing support for rural business and delivered assistance to a wide range of businesses and encouraged cluster development amongst:

• Food & drink businesses
• Tourism
• Arts, crafts and creative businesses
• Farm diversification projects

Also trained as a scientist with a background in pollution control, Andy has experience addressing climate change and offering support to renewable energy projects in rural businesses using the following technologies:

• Small scale wind
• Solar photovoltaics
• Bio mass heating
• Solar hot water
• Ground source heat pumps

Andy has managed European funding, evaluated other programmes and provided market research to regional initiatives in food and tourism.

Associates

Rural Futures has a wide network of specialist associates who work on matters of policy, farming, tourism, spatial planning, detailed planning and design, environmental initiatives, ecology, wildlife surveys, training initiatives etc. Using the strengths of our team and associates we create a project team uniquely for each challenge that is 'fit for purpose' and offers best value for money for our clients.

Call or email us to discuss your requirements.
T 01995 600724
e. info@ruralfutures.co.uk

Rural Futures (North West) Ltd
1 The Creamery Estate
Kenlis Road
Barnacre
Preston
Lancashire
PR3 1GD