The dates of this year's Rural Health Week are from Sunday 23rd September to Saturday 29th September 2012 and this year's theme is Developing Rural Resilience
Rural Health Week is an annual event run by the Institute of Rural Health.The aim of the week is to raise the profile of rural health issues locally, regionally and nationally. The Institute organises its own events and targets the national press to raise awareness of rural health issues. And we encourage other agencies and organisations to join in with their own events in their localities.
The week will focus on the particular characteristics of life in rural areas and the need to develop ‘rural resilience’ to capitalise on the potential and meet the challenges.
The ageing demographic in rural areas of the UK brings with it opportunities from increased input from those with more time on their hands and much experience and skill to offer. This could mean a greater role for the third sector – both in offering community-based and appropriate responses to need and in benefiting from a potential new pool of volunteers. The challenges are the more obvious, and are increasing, and will require imaginative and flexible responses.
Rural Health Week will look at the ‘crisis and opportunity’ of our changing rural populations, explore how we can maximise the benefits to communities and their older residents and highlight innovative responses to the challenge.
Organisations and groups, from all sectors, are invited to plan their activities for Rural Health Week 2012 which will be promoted by the IRH.
Joining the week is very easy and you can get as involved as you like. You could:
To find out more or to submit details of your activities for Rural Health Week please contact:


Go on - get involved - put rural health on the agenda
- make Rural Health Week a success!