Introduction

Living in a rural setting presents challenges for local people and service providers alike. People experience difficulty accessing services and availing of opportunities for many reasons. Peoples' difficulty may arise through lack of transport, being unaware of what is available, knowing what they are entitled to, or feeling fearful or isolated.

The HAZ area is largely rural with small urban areas and it includes a number of severely deprived areas. 73% of wards in the area have positive scores in degrees of deprivation and the population density is 69 persons per square kilometre compared to the NI average of 122. The impact of the troubles, geographical isolation and low density of population have resulted in a poor or fragmented community infrastructure.

It is known that rural isolation, lack of accessible information and services and social exclusion have a direct relationship with poverty, deprivation and unmet need and a direct impact on health and wellbeing. In order to combat these problems and to promote inclusion and an improved sense of health and wellbeing, there is a need to improve accessibility to services and to enhance the environment within which local people live.

The leader of the rurality programme is Mr Alan Burke, Director of Environmental Services, Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council.