Join us at Raby Castle on 2 June for a day of bold ideas, honest debate and practical solutions for a growing and recovering countryside. We’re delighted to announce that the full agenda for Future Countryside 2026 is now live. This year’s event will explore one of the defining questions facing rural Britain today:
How can we win support for a growing and recovering countryside?
At the heart of the discussion is the need to make a confident, positive case for a countryside that both produces and restores, supports economic growth and rural livelihoods while also delivering for nature recovery, climate resilience and public access. The event will focus on how to move beyond perceived trade-offs to show how prosperity and environmental recovery can work hand in hand.
Future Countryside is focused firmly on what comes next. From food production and environmental delivery to rural enterprise, housing and skills, the programme will spotlight the people, ideas and innovations already shaping a modern, dynamic countryside - alongside the policies needed to unlock its full potential.
The day will bring together leading voices from politics, business, rural communities, agriculture and conservation through keynote speeches, dynamic roundtable discussions and provocative short interventions designed to challenge assumptions and spark debate. Alongside opportunities for networking and collaboration, the event will create space for further discussion, new partnerships and practical joint initiatives that continue long after the day itself.
This year we are pleased to welcome Kirstie Allsopp, who will lead a discussion on tackling Britain’s growing waste crisis and the role the countryside can play in building a culture of repair, reuse and responsibility. As one of the country’s best-known broadcasters and campaigners on craftsmanship, homes and sustainability, Kirstie brings a distinctive voice to this conversation and we are delighted she will be joining us at Raby Castle on 2 June.
Kirstie joins a strong and varied line-up of speakers from across conservation, farming and rural business, including Sir Simon Jenkins, Craig Bennett, and Chris Woodley-Stewart, alongside leading political voices including Baroness Batters, Lord Smith, Baroness Rock and Daniel Zeichner. Together, they will help create a broad and balanced conversation about the countryside’s future.
Across the day, diverse voices will come together to share solutions, challenge assumptions and explore how the countryside can drive economic growth, strengthen communities, support nature recovery and deliver for the whole nation.
Be part of the conversation shaping the future of rural Britain.
The event will also be livestreamed, giving the wider rural community the opportunity to join the conversation from wherever they are. Registering for the livestream will give you access to the full day’s discussions and the opportunity to sign up for specific Future Countryside 2026 sessions, so you won’t miss a moment.
Secure your place and register for the livestream today.
Future Countryside 2026: Insightful debate, real solutions. A stronger future for the countryside.