#RuralHousingWeek Spotlight: Meet Maria Kelly, Our Rural Housing Enabler

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As part of #RuralHousingWeek, we’re shining a light on the vital work being done to support Berkshire’s rural communities—and the people behind it. Meet Maria Kelly, our dedicated Rural Housing Enabler, who is helping to tackle the growing challenge of affordable housing in the countryside.

Building Momentum in Year Two

In March 2025, we entered the second year of our Affordable Rural Housing project, building on the successes and lessons of our first year. After nearly seven years without dedicated support for rural affordable housing in Berkshire, there was a clear need to re-establish connections with parish councils, raise awareness of the service, and understand the scale of the housing crisis in rural areas.

Thanks to strong local engagement—and support from figures such as Olivia Bailey, MP for Reading West and Mid Berkshire, who highlighted our work in a Westminster Hall debate—the project is gaining real momentum.

Maria Kelly says:
“The housing crisis is hitting rural areas hard. Too often, affordable homes go to those with no local connection—leaving communities feeling overlooked. We’re working to change that.”

Working with Rural Parishes

Since April 2024, Maria has worked closely with five rural parishes to identify local housing needs:

  • Beech Hill
  • Beenham
  • Compton
  • Waltham St Lawrence
  • Horton

Each parish faces unique challenges, but common themes include limited land availability, pressure on housing waiting lists, and a strong desire for homes that meet local needs. In several areas, we are now exploring potential sites and housing providers for rural exception site developments—small-scale, locally driven housing projects that prioritise people with a connection to the parish.

Looking Ahead: Priorities for 2025

As we continue our work, our key priorities for the year include:

  • Continuing Housing Needs Surveys and supporting parishes progressing toward affordable housing
  • Using census data to map housing need across Berkshire and identify areas of greatest need
  • Sharing insights with parish councils to inform local decision-making
  • Advocating for local connection policies on new and existing rural affordable homes
  • Gathering feedback from tenants on Berkshire RES sites to understand the impact of our work
  • Collaborating regionally through the Rural Thames network to improve access to affordable rural housing

Get Involved

We believe that stronger rural communities start with secure, affordable homes. If you’re part of a parish council or community group and want to explore how we can support your area, we’d love to hear from you. Email Maria.Kelly@ccberks.org.uk

📍 Learn more about our work:
👉 ccberks.org.uk/our-projects/rural-affordable-housing

Do You Heat Your Home with Oil? We Want to Hear from You!

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If your home is heated by oil, we’d love your input.

We’re gathering insights from households across Berkshire to better understand heating preferences — whether you’re happy sticking with heating oil or considering a switch to an alternative in the future.

Please take 2 minutes to complete our short, anonymous survey:

Complete the survey here

Your feedback will help us shape future support and resources for oil-heated homes.

Strengthening Rural Services: A Conversation with Lee Dillon MP

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 by Tim Parry, Chief Executive Officer

I was very pleased to be invited to meet with Lee Dillon, MP for Newbury, to discuss rural issues within his constituency. Our meeting at Portcullis House in Westminster covered a wide range of topics, including affordable housing, access to banking and pharmacy services, decarbonisation, and local government reorganisation.

Lee’s background in housing gives him a strong understanding of the challenges facing rural communities, particularly around retaining affordable homes for people with local connections. I’ll be keeping him updated on the progress of our Rural Affordable Housing project in communities across his constituency.

Local government reorganisation is on the horizon, and regardless of the outcome, change often brings additional costs for the voluntary and community sector. Responding to these changes can divert charities from their core mission and may result in increased operational expenses. I hope this concern can be raised within Government.

Finally, we discussed the importance of service delivery in rural areas. Outreach services are a lifeline for many, and there are significant opportunities to expand outreach provision across both public and private sectors. I look forward to working with Lee to champion outreach as a vital component of service delivery.

A Day of Insight and Inspiration at the West Berkshire Knowledge Event

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We were delighted to attend the recent Knowledge Event hosted at Shaw House,  Newbury where over 75 local charities, voluntary organisations, and key stakeholders from across local government, health, and education came together for a day of learning, networking, and collaboration.

The morning was packed with insightful seminars led by expert local partners, covering a wide range of timely topics—from the role of Artificial Intelligence in the voluntary sector to practical HR guidance. These sessions provided us with valuable tools and fresh perspectives to help strengthen our organisation and better serve our community.

Beyond the learning, the event offered a fantastic opportunity to connect with fellow charities and sector leaders. We left feeling inspired and more connected to the wider voluntary network in West Berkshire.

We’d like to thank Volunteer Centre West Berkshire for organising such a meaningful and energising event. It was a powerful reminder of the strength and breadth of delivery within our local voluntary sector.

Celebrating a Year of Community Impact: CCB’s 2024–25 Impact Report

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We’re proud to share our 2024–25 Impact Report, highlighting a year of meaningful progress, partnerships, and community-led change across rural Berkshire.

From tackling fuel poverty and supporting affordable rural housing, to empowering village halls and delivering training, our work this year has touched lives in every corner of the county. We also marked a major milestone—50 years of community impact—with a celebration that honoured the people and partnerships that make our mission possible.

This report showcases the dedication of our team and trustees, and the strength of the communities we serve. It also looks ahead to the future, as we continue to invest in sustainable, inclusive, and resilient rural communities.

Take a read here.