Simon Berry, ruralnet|uk’s long standing CEO, is taking a secondment with Defra to work on the delivery of their Third Sector Strategy and Greener Living Fund, launched on Monday.

Simon, who is well-known in the sector for promoting networking and collaborative approaches and for his work with carbon-saving initiatives in rural areas, will be working with Defra part-time until the end of this year. He will take the position full time at the beginning of 2009. He will be taking long experience in the Third Sector - with charities, Social Enterprises, co-ops and community groups - to help Defra take forward this vital work.

Board member Helen Cherry said, “Simon has always been passionate about strengthening rural communities and promoting innovative approaches. He is committed to helping organisations and the people they serve adapt to tackle climate change. This secondment will take his skills and experience in ‘joining-up’ front-line groups and forging cross-sector partnerships to the heart of Defra.”

Simon launched the Rural Community Carbon Network over a year ago, to map groups working on climate change and help them to exchange experience. ruralnet|uk and Defra have worked on a variety of joint initiatives, including the Community Broadband Network, early initiatives to counter the impact of Foot and Mouth, engaging communities in harnessing the power of online information and the subsided place scheme at the ruralnet|uk annual conference for community representatives.

Simon has written a blog post about leaving ruralnet|uk here.

Notes for Editors:
1. ruralnet|uk is a rural regeneration charity which promotes a living and working countryside and finds new and effective ways to help rural communities improve and strengthen their local economies. It supports agencies working on the ground to alleviate disadvantage, to enable social inclusion and social enterprise. It works through promoting and enabling collaboration, research, consultancy and knowledge and information transfer. It combines skills in ICT, project management, business development and community development. For more see www.ruralnetuk.org
2. Defra’s Third Sector Strategy signals the Department’s commitment to working with the third sector (which includes voluntary and community organisations, charities, NGOs, co-operatives and mutuals and social enterprises). The sector makes a vital contribution to Defra’s strategic objectives. The Strategy is a result of a participative process which has involved third sector stakeholders, Defra staff and their delivery bodies.
http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/how-do-we-work/third-sector/strategy/index.htm
3. The Greener Living Fund, launched this week by Defra is a new fund to promote greener living. Over £6 million is being made available to support both projects and programmes by national delivery partners between November 2008 and March 2011.
http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/how-do-we-work/third-sector/strategy/greener-living-fund.htm.