Health on their doorstep: how the Stronger Communities Fund is supporting Exmoor's farming community

Community nurse at Exmoor Rural Health Hub

In rural farming communities, health often takes a back seat. GP surgeries can be difficult to access, and appointment times rarely fit around the rhythms of farm life. For many people, getting the care they need isn’t straightforward. 

Exmoor Rural Health Hub was set up in 2021 to change that. By bringing NHS-led health and wellbeing assessments, advice and signposting directly to Cutcombe Market, the Hub makes it easy for farmers and their families to access support when they’re already there. 

As demand grew, it became clear the Hub needed a secure and reliable space to operate from. A £5,000 grant from the Stronger Communities Fund helped make that possible – contributing to the construction of bespoke health rooms at Cutcombe Market, giving the community a permanent resource they can count on. 

The reality of rural health 

Deputy Lieutenant Olivia Winterton is a Trustee for Exmoor Rural Health Hub and knows first-hand how much this matters. 

“Farming can be an incredibly isolating way of life, and the physical and mental health pressures that come with it are real. The new health rooms represent a long-term investment in our community’s wellbeing” she says,  

“Having a nurse available at the market, somewhere people already come to, removes that barrier completely. It means we’re reaching people who may not otherwise seek help.” 

Relieving pressure across the whole system 

The impact goes further than the individuals seen at each session.  

With the NHS increasingly relying on the voluntary sector to maintain services, having a community nurse present at the Hub twice a month takes real pressure off local GP surgeries – and for the people of Exmoor, it will make all the difference. 

“Without SCF’s grant contribution to our overall fundraising target we wouldn’t have been able to grow in the way we have. Having a proper space at the market means we can continue to offer more and reach more people who need us. The Stronger Communities Fund has helped us build something that will serve Exmoor for years to come.” 

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