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This report presents the findings from a 2008 study to seek out the issues, hopes and aspirations that most concern rural people identified as experiencing deprivation.

Despite clear evidence of disadvantage in research sites, participants expressed a strong desire to stay in their local areas. Benefits of rural life included safe and strong communities and the beauty of the natural environment.

Main areas of disadvantage related to transport, employment and access to services. Concerns also focussed on:

• poor quality or expensive housing

• access to hospital as a visitor

• crime and anti-social behaviour

• little for children to do

• tensions between people in some cases
  

• a feeling of being neglected by local decision makers and public services

People’s aspirations for the future revolved around wanting to protect the good aspects of rural living and counter some of the negative ones, such as access to transport and employment. Making rural life viable for younger people to enable them to stay in their local areas was a central aspiration.