Rally Speech made by the Rector of Exmoor
"Endangered Exmoor!" Surely an uncontroversial statement?
I have agreed to speak today because I believe that Exmoor is endangered; as parish priest I see this in a variety of ways. But whilst Exmoor is in many respects unique, in other ways it is not, and the kind of things that endanger peoples' livelihoods here are endangering the well-being of rural communities up and down the country.
Exmoor has developed through the years - of course it has; its landscapes have changed, but not dramatically. It has become closer to the outside world; but not close enough to be overwhelmed by it.
My chief concern is that Exmoor will now change for the worse because the people who have traditionally maintained it will no longer be here.
Our farmers are endangered as never before and if they are to survive their plight must be looked at imaginatively and the need for a proper investment recognised. If the farmers go-under the landscape we love will deteriorate, many good conservation projects will fail and the social cohesion of our villages will be seriously undermined.
Our village shops and schools - in spite of all the encouraging sounds made by government - are still endangered. Urban policy-makers find it hard to understand the economic realities of small scale enterprises such as those upon which we rely.
Others, this morning, may elaborate on these issues, and perhaps others; non-existent public transport, for instance, that leaves many isolated from services that most people consider essential. And the problems young local people have in finding suitable homes. I could go on. Exmoor people feel their future to be threatened and, of course, the continuing threat to hunting with hounds further serves to create a great sense of insecurity.
At the end of the
strands that I have identified are peoples' jobs. If there is no
work on the farms, in the kennels, in the shops and other village
enterprises then the traditional conservators of the Exmoor
people love will move away. The danger we see will have become a
reality. My hope is that what we are doing here today will act as
a spur to other isolated communities to similarly get on their
feet and shout their concerns.
The Rev'd Robin Ray, Rector of Exmoor of the four parishes of Hawkridge, Exford, Withypool and Simonsbath, has lived on Exmoor for six years