Plunkett Foundation celebrates 100 years of support for UK rural communities

The Plunkett Foundation, which supports rural communities in setting up and running community-owned businesses, celebrates its centenary this year. To mark the centenary, the Plunkett Foundation will be holding a series of events throughout 2019 and launching enhanced services and new collaborations. To kick start the centenary celebrations, both Plunkett’s Staff and Trustees have been making visits to a number of community businesses to hear more about their impacts in their communities and plans for meeting community needs. The foundation will be sharing stories, case studies and films encouraging both members and supporters to join it in sharing their own #Plunkett100 stories throughout the year on its social media channels under that hashtag.   https://twitter.com/ItteringhamShop/status/1085907840810799104 The foundation launched on 17 January 1919, when Sir Horace Plunkett signed an indenture that became the original trust deed for the Plunkett Foundation. Its purpose was to promote the model of community ownership as a solution to rural problems. James Alcock, Executive Director, said: “Over the course of 100 years, the Foundation has constantly evolved its services in response to the changing environment in which rural communities operate, and in order to help them respond to the challenges of the time. What has remained constant over the century is the resilience of rural communities themselves, and the application of co-operative principles to help themselves through the model which today we refer to as community business. The centenary year is therefore a timely opportunity to be launching new initiatives from our 2018-22 strategy which will strengthen support for community business and I look forward to sharing further details throughout the year.” Margaret Clark CBE, Chair of Plunkett Foundation, said: “It is a tribute to Sir Horace’s forward thinking that his vision of communities coming together to form and run their own businesses for the benefit of locally is still as strong today. Indeed, it is even more relevant as rural communities across the country face the challenges of the future. But it also depends upon the extraordinary efforts of the people involved and I should like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have contributed over the years - funders, partners, members, staff and Trustees for their help and support. At Plunkett Foundation, we look forward to carrying on the work started by Sir Horace into the future.”   https://twitter.com/Wiggintonshop1/status/1086167297864224768   Main image credit: Plunkett Foundation

from UK Fundraising http://bit.ly/2RXXPQr