Since 1972 the Arthur Rank Centre, an ecumenical Christian charity, has served both the spiritual and practical needs of the rural community through a programme of community and social projects, resourcing and training.
We provide hundreds of resources for rural churches including a comprehensive range of worship resources and rural stories, ideas and inspiration though our magazine, Country Way. Our highly popular Rural Ministry Course has been running for over 30 years.
Newer projects include Germinate Leadership, a training programme developing the creative and entrepreneurial skills of rural church leaders, and our biennial Germinate Conference, a major national day conference for all those involved in rural mission and ministry.
We have also developed Rural Mission Sunday, an annual celebration of the life and work of rural churches, an opportunity to remember all the things they do well, and challenge themselves to do one new thing.
We are the home of the National Rural Officers for the Church of England, Methodist and United Reformed Church; and also the hub for the church network of Rural Officers and Agricultural Chaplains. Our focus is to support and strengthen the UK’s 15,000 rural churches, so they can respond positively to change and impact the communities they serve.
Our story
1970s
1972
The Arthur Rank Centre, established as a chaplaincy centre for the English National Agricultural Centre with support from the Rank Foundation, the National Churches and the Royal Agricultural Society of England, was opened by The Queen and the Church Pavilion, well-known for its flowers and cups of tea, was set up as a home for the Churches at the annual Royal Show.
1975
In response to a shortage of suitable accommodation in villages for retiring farm workers The Arthur Rank Centre founded the National Agricultural Centre Rural Trust (now known the Rural Housing Trust).
1980s
1981
Arthur Rank Training, now an independent charity, was set up to provide work-based training for disadvantaged young people.
1982
Rural Ministry Induction Training, now the Rural Ministry Course, was set up and continues to be a key resource for the Arthur Rank Centre, running twice yearly.
1986
The Living Churchyard Project was set up to encourage the use of churchyards as a community environmental resource and raise environmental awareness.
1990s
1995
The Farm Crisis Network (now Farming Community Network) was set up in partnership with the Agricultural Christian Fellowship to help farming families in crisis. FCN, now an independent charity, has over 300 volunteers in regional groups across the country, and operates a national helpline.
1996
The Arthur Rank Centre Environmental Trust was set up to provide access for churches and community groups to funding from the Landfill tax credit scheme.
The ARC also co-founded the Rural Stress Information Network, now overseen by the FCN.
1997
The National Churches Tourism Group was set up.
2000s
2000
The Green Ribbon Campaign was launched to raise public awareness of the problems affecting farming, and encouraging support for the farming community.
2001
The Addington Fund, now an independent charity focusing on strategic housing, was set up during the Foot and Mouth outbreak to provide financial help to the victims of the crisis. The fund responded to over 20,500 appeals for help and distributed £10.3 million.
2002
The Arthur Rank Centre moved to its current home in a newly refurbished building on the National Agricultural Centre show ground.
2002
The Centre for Studies in Rural Ministry was set up in partnership with the University of Wales and St. Deiniols Library to provide post-graduate study in rural ministry.
2002
Hidden Britain Centres were set up to encourage economic regeneration through community owned and led tourism schemes. HBC ran a pilot project in Cumbria before being rolled out nationally. Altogether 46 communities ran projects in the South East, Cumbria, Bedfordshire, Warwickshire, Wales and Cornwall.
2004
Eco-Congregation (now Eco Church and run by A Rocha) moved to the ARC to be developed as an initiative to raise community awareness of environmental issues through action by local churches.
2004
Computers for Rural People set up to provide rural communities, individuals and groups with high quality, fully-refurbished second hand computer equipment at very competitive prices.
2005
The National Care Farming Initiative (now Care Farming UK, an independent charity) was set up in partnership with Harper Adams University College, University of Essex and the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens to promote the therapeutic use of farming practices.
2008
Rural Life and Faith set up to identify and fill gaps in national training provision for rural mission and ministry.
2010s
2012
The Arthur Rank Centre celebrated its 40th Anniversary.
2013
A new strategy was agreed at the Arthur Rank Centre, focused on supporting rural enterprise development to create employment opportunities and reduce poverty and resourcing those engaged in multi-church ministry.
2016
The Arthur Rank Centre begins a process of changing its name and becomes ‘Germinate: The Arthur Rank Centre’.
