Centre for Alternative Technology - CAT [Wales]
C.A.T. is an environmental charity aiming to 'inspire, inform, and enable' people to live more sustainably. A solutions driven organisation, offering practical solutions to environmental problems, our key areas of work are renewable energy, environmental building, energy efficiency, organic growing and alternative sewage systems. We have been in existence for nearly 25 years. Visitor centre open 7 days a week. Practical and informative publications, 'green' books and products mailorder service, schools educational services, free information service for brief enquiries, consultancy for individuals and businesses, residential courses, website and a membership organisation - the ATA.
Contact: Information Department, Machynlleth. SY20 9AZ
Ph. +44 (0)1654 702400 | Fax +44 (0)1654 702782 | e-mail | Visit our website

Cottage Garden Society [Ches.]
A society of amateurs and experts who share an enthusiasm for gardening in the cottage style and to encourage an interest in old fashioned flowers of merit.
Contact: Clive Lane, Hurstfield House (CGS), 244 Edleston Road, Crewe, Cheshire. CW2 7EJ
Ph. +44 (0)1270 250 118 | e-mail | Visit our website

Dry Stone Walling Association [Warks.]
A charitable organisation committed to the preservation of dry stone walls and the training of people in the craft of dry stone walling.
Contact: Mrs Jacqui Simkins, DSWA Box, YFC Centre, National Agricultural Centre, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire. CV8 2LG
Ph. +44 (0)121 378 0493 | e-mail | Visit our website

National Hedgelaying Society [Bucks.]
The Society aims to: Encourage the art of hedgelaying and keep local styles in existence. Train young people in the craft. Encourage landowners to manage hedges by laying. Encourage competitions of a high tandard. Provide information on hedgelaying, training asnd contractors. The Society publishes a guide to hedgelaying "Hedgelaying Explained", available from the Secretary.
Contact: Julie Hallam, 16 Narcot Lane, Chalfont St Giles, Buckinhamshire. HP8 4DA
Ph./Fax +44 (0)1494 873980 | e-mail | Visit our website

Penrhos Trust [Herefordshire]
The Penrhos Trust is a charity that has been established to rescue historic farm buildings that are in danger of becoming lost and revive them with ecological and organic food businesses. The Trust also runs seminars, meetings, special events and courses to help teach and promote the benefits of traditional farming and food production.
Contact: Martin Griffiths, Penrhos Court, Kington, Herefordshire. HR5 3LH
Ph. +44 (0)1544 230720 | Fax +44 (0)1544 230754 | e-mail | Visit our website

Selfsufficientish.com [UK Web-based]
Our site offers information and advice for the Urban self-sufficient, including wild food recipes, vegetable/herb growing and nutritonal advice and information on reducing your impact on our planet.
Contact: Andy or David Hamilton [via website]
Ph. +44 (0)1225 471154 | e-mail | Visit our website

Sustrans [Bristol]
Sustrans (sustainable transport) is a charity which works on practical projects to encourage people to walk and cycle, more as one starting point for reducing motor traffic. Their flagship project, the National Cycle Network, will create 10,000 miles of routes for walkers, cyclists and people with disabilities. Their Safe Routes to Schools project has inspired countless similar initiatives.
Contact: Sustrans Information Service, PO Box 21, Bristol. BS99 2HA
Ph. +44 (0)117 929 0888 | Fax +44 (0)117 915 0124 | e-mail | Visit our website

ViRSA (Village Retail Services Association) [Dorset]
ViRSA is a Charitable Trust assisting small rural communities to keep or revive their village facilities especially the shop/post office. Thirteen fieldworkers are available to help throughout England and Wales.
Contact: Peter Jones (Director), The Little Keep, Bridport Rd., Dorchester, Dorset. DT1 1SQ
Ph. +44 (0)1305-259383 | Fax +44 (0)1305-259384 | e-mail | Visit our website

Wholesome Food Association [Devon]
Each item is grown or produced locally by people you can contact, visit if you choose, and trust to provide a clean, wholesome product free from harmful chemical sprays or artificial fertilisers.
Contact: Philip Chandler, Managing Director, Wholesome Food Association Ltd.
Ph. +44 (0)1803 840427 | Fax (0)870 1689 834 | e-mail | Visit our website

Countryside Alliance
The Countryside Alliance is a membership organisation, which was set up to champion country sports and the rural way of life.
Contact: Unit 30, The Old Woodyard, Hagley Hall, Hagley, Stourbridge. DY9 9LQ
Ph. +44 (0)1562 884051 | Fax +44 (0)1562 883725 | Visit our website

Countryside Recreation Network [Wales]
CRN is a network of agencies across the UK and Ireland with an interest in countryside recreation issues - the network disseminates information and research and highlights good practice relating to countryside recreation and tourism.
Contact: Emma Barratt - Network Manager, or Christine Heywood - Network Assistant, CRN, Dept of City and Regional Planning, Cardiff University, Glamorgan Building, King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff. CF10 3WA
Ph. +44 (0)29 2087 4970 | Fax +44 (0)29 2087 4728 | e-mail | Visit our website

Country Landowners Association [CLA] [London]
CLA is the organisation which takes the voice of rural England and Wales to the heart of Government in the UK and Europe. Established in 1907, CLA is respected for its forward thinking in rural policy development, balancing relationships between countryside, enterprise, environmental stewardship and community. CLA has an unrivalled record in influencing successive UK Governments' policies across the spectrum of issues affecting rural life and in achieving legislative change to the benefit of its members. CLA promotes its members' case with local authorities, regional government and public agencies, and provides professional advice for members on legal, taxation, planning and land use issues via its regional and London offices.
Contact: 16 Belgrave Square, London. SW1X 8PQ
Ph. +44 (0)20 7235 0511 | Fax +44 (0)20 7235 4696 | e-mail | Visit our website

English Nature [Cambs.]
English Nature is the Government agency that champions the conservation of wildlife and natural features throughout England.
Contact: Enquiries Service, English Nature, Northminster House, Peterborough. PE1 1UA
Ph. +44 (0)1733 455101 | Fax +44 (0)1733 455103 | e-mail | Visit our website

National Association of Farmers Markets
Farmers’ Markets are where farmers from a defined local area are present in person to sell their own produce, direct to the public. NAFM aims to be a central source of information to: promote Farmers’ Markets, assist in forming new ones, define criteria and accredit Farmers’ Markets and represent their interests.
Contact: Charlotte Bullock, South Vaults, Green Park Station, Bath. BA1 1JB
Ph. +44 (0)1225 787914 | Fax +44 (0)1225 460840 | e-mail | Visit our website

National Federation of Women's Institutes
The WI is the largest national charity for women with 250,000 memers and 8,000 local WIs round the country. Through our close community ties and wide-ranging activities the WI plays a unique role in enabling women to turn their interests into achievements and their concerns into campaigns.
Contact: Tracey Holt, Company Secretary, 104 New Kings Rd., London. SW6 4LY
Ph. +44 (0)20 7371 9300 | Fax +44 (0)20 7736 3652 | e-mail | Visit our website

NFU Countryside
If you have a passion for all things rural, then NFU Countryside is for you. We provide a monthly 80 page magazine, helplines and £25 discount on rural insurance's through NFUM.
Contact: James Godfrey, Agricultural House, Willie Snaith Road, Newmarket. CB8 7SN
Ph. +44 (0)1638 672100 | Fax +44 (0)1638 672101 | e-mail

Sussex Country Link [UK]
Country Link is a UK network of informal social groups for anyone interested in the countryside, but particularly for people who live or work in the rural community.
Contact: George Chamberlayne
Ph. +44 (0)7968 275421 | e-mail | Visit our website

Women's Food and Farming Union [Warks.]
The quality and variety of the food on our table, particularly British food, is a subject important to us all. Few however can be so directly concerned, both as producers and consumers, as members of the WFU. Founded in 1979, this voluntary organisation is committed to promoting an understanding and confidence in all aspects of quality British produce. The WFU believes that by representing the best interests of consumers and producers, both the health and the economy of the nation will benefit.
Contact: Helen Brown, WFU National Office, National Rural Enterprise Centre, National Agricultural Centre, Stoneleuigh Park, Warwickshire. CV8 2LZ
Ph. +44 (0)24 7669 3171 | Fax +44 (0)24 7669 3181 | e-mail | Visit our website

Youth Hostels Association (England & Wales) - YHA (E&W)
To help all, especially young people of limited means, to a greater knowledge, love and care of the countryside, particularly by providing hostels or other simple accommodation for them in their travels, and thus to promote their health, rest and education.
Contact: Robert Carruthers, Director of Membership & Fundraising, Trevelyan House, 8 St. Stephen's Hill, St. Albans, Herts. AL1 2DY
Ph. +44 (0)870 870 8808 | Fax +44 (0)1727 844126 | e-mail | Visit our website | About the YHA

Carn Brea Mining Society [Cornwall]
The Carn Brea Mining Society was formed in 1974 in order to encourage interests in all aspects of mining, particularly in the field of preservation of mine sites and their associated buildings. Membership of this Cornish society is open to anyone and visitors are welcome to attend the society's regular meetings which are held at the Camborne School of Mines.
Contact: P.H.Saundry, 4 St. Cyriac, Luxulyan, Bodmin, Cornwall. PL30 5QA
Ph. +44 (0)1726 852090 | e-mail | Visit our website

Shropshire Union Canal Society [Salop]
The Society's objectives are: to see the Montgomery Canal restored, enhance and improve the Shropshire Union canal, and to promote the Shrewsbury & Newport Canal.
Contact: Richard Hall, 35 Tyrley Cottages, Tyrley Wharf, Market Drayton. TF9 2AH
Ph. +44 (0)1630-657737 | e-mail | Visit our website

Wey& Arun Canal Trust [W.Sussex]
The Wey & Arun canal is "London's Lost Route to the Sea". An excellent walking guide "The Wey South Path", Guildford to Arundel, is available by mail order. A thirty seat public trip boat, Zachariah Keppel, is based in Loxwood. Volunteer working parties, restoring the canal, are open to all. A major programme of work to reclaim our heritage from dereliction is in hand, but needs help.
Contact: Geoff Perks or The Office Manager, The Granary, Flitchfold Farm, Loxwood, Billingshurst, West Sussex. RH14 0RH
Ph./Fax +44 (0)1403 752403 | e-mail | Visit our website

East Hampshire Self-Sufficiency Group [Hants.]
We are the East Hampshire Group of the HDRA, and basically an organic gardening and smallholders' group though we also cater for all those interested in country living and country crafts. We offer monthly meetings (in Liphook), farm walks, social events and a monthly newsletter.
Contact: Alec Fry, Liss Forest, Hants.
Ph. +44 (0)1730 893832 | e-mail | Visit our website

FCN - Farm Crisis Network [Leicester]
Volunteers from Agricultural Christian Fellowship and Arthur Rank Centre, ready to 'walk with' farming families in trouble. Currently operating Cornwall, Devon, Derbyshire, Dorset, Co. Durham, Hampshire, IoW, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Nottinghamshire, Suffolk, Sussex, Wiltshire, Yorkshire, N. Ireland.
Contact: FCN, c/o ACF, 38 De Montfort Street, Leicester. LE1 7GP
Helpline: 07002 326 326. Staffed every evening 7.00pm-10.00pm. At other times leave your phone number and state the time it is possible to call you back.
Ph. 0116 255 1700 | Fax 0116 255 5672 | e-mail | Visit our website

The Lincolnshire Association of People with Disabilities [Lincs.]
The Lincolnshire Association of People with Disabilities (LAPD) is a Lincolnshire based organisation primarily concerned with the empowerment of people with disabilities. We educate able bodied people by delivering disability equality training to the community.
Contact: Steve Tyrrell, Beech House, Witham Park, Waterside South, Lincoln. LN5 7JH
Ph. +44 (0)1522 574186 | Fax +44 (0)1522 510534 | e-mail | Visit our website

Thrive
The easier gardening website with information on tools and techniques suitable for everyone, including older people and those with limited time, space or mobility
Contact: Sally Caplehorn, Thrive, The Geoffrey Udall Centre, Beech Hill, Reading. RG7 2AT
Ph. +44 (0)118 988 5688 | e-mail | Visit our website