A farm and business-led community interest company, Warwickshire Rural Hub, has been supporting businesses and communities across Warwickshire and Solihull since 2003. An independent community interest company, we are powered by the strength of rural enterprise, trusted information, and the power of people working together.
We see a region where rural enterprises thrive alongside thriving land. Where farmers and
rural professionals build something lasting together, feel confident, embrace change and
new ideas and learn from each other. No jargon. No agenda. Just neighbour-to-neighbour
support.
Now with around 1300 members, the Hub has gone from strength to strength over the years. Membership is and always has been free of charge. All of our activity, designed to support the community, is funded by a charitable trust, business supporters, and business
partnerships.
We help rural enterprises stay resilient and long-term financially healthy, while supporting the land we all rely on. We do that by sharing up-to-date information, bringing people together, and making it easier to take practical action.
We’re run by farmers, for farmers. That means we share insight and options, without telling anyone what to do. We understand the land, the seasons, and the real challenges, and stay apolitical and independent along the way. Working with partner organisations to connect members with the right support, which looks like:
Such is the success of the Hub that it has been recognised as an example of best practice for practical rural delivery. A title that comes down to our approach – listening to the needs of rural businesses and responding to them – and one we proudly uphold.
In 2020, we took part in a Defra-sponsored project measuring the social value of our work. Social value is a simple question: if £1 is invested in the Hub, what is the wider benefit to the community?
The result: £9.84 of social value for every £1 invested by sponsors and business supporters.
That value comes from practical outcomes: better decisions, stronger networks, earlier access to support, and more people feeling informed, connected and able to act.
Warwickshire Rural Hub started the way most good rural solutions do: people talking. In 2003, a group of Warwickshire farmers saw the need for clear, practical support and a place to share what works. As the sector has changed, so have we, and, over time, we have grown into a trusted network.
Today, we support a community of more than 1,300 members through information, events, and partnerships. As the sector has changed, so have we. We’ve grown our work around health and wellbeing, sustainable farming and stronger business resilience, while keeping the same focus: help that’s independent, practical and easy to access.
There are around 2000 farm holdings in the county, managing 160,000 hectares of land
Approximately 6000 people work on farms, with 1500 of these being casual workers
Farms in the county generate £138 million towards the West Midlands economy (not including the wider food and drink sectors)
Major Warwickshire commodities include combinable crops, arable, livestock, horticulture and potatoes
510 farms are growing cereals on 80,000 hectares
65,000 cattle and 290,000 sheep are grazing 29,500 lowland hectares on just over 750 farms
Thank you to Warwickshire NFU for providing these statistics
Karen become our Chair in March 2022 and is well-known to many farmers in Warwickshire through her voluntary work with the Farming Community Network. She also used to farm with her late husband, Martin, just outside of Harbury. In addition, Karen is a Director of the Kenilworth and District Agricultural Society and is a member of many other farming and environmental groups in the county.
Jane has been the Co-ordinator of the Rural Hub since December 2016, working part-time from her home office. As well as pulling together our monthly e-news and organising our events, Jane also updates the website on a daily basis, keeps our social media pages active and manages the book-keeping. Outside of work she enjoys long walks with her dog Beatrice, and gardening.