Study in Wiltshire to explore effect of Brexit and COVID on working patterns
It's being conducted by a team from the University of West England
A study in Wiltshire is exploring how Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic have impacted patterns of work and rural enterprise in the county.
Titled ‘Post-pandemic working in rural Wiltshire: Building resilience and recovery’, the study hopes to improve the performance of rural enterprise to build resilient communities in Wiltshire.
It’s being launched by the University of West England (UWE) and led by Professor Carol Jarvis, Professor in Knowledge Exchange and Innovation in Bristol Business School.
The study is expected to take around a year having started this month.
She says it’s a unique opportunity for the county: “nowhere else in the country is benefitting from research on this scale – and as such it will have wider relevance for business in rural areas throughout the nation.
“The project will provide us with evidence, data and insights that will enable us to better address challenges around rural enterprise, help our businesses and ultimately deliver on our 2032 vision to ensure all of our communities benefit from inclusive and sustainable growth.”
The study’s being funded by £10,000 of seed funding from UWE’s prestigious challenge fund.
Wiltshire Council will be collaborating with the team from UWE, which Professor Jarvis noted was important.
“The support we have already received from Wiltshire Council has been really impressive and will be central for the work to deliver real and lasting impact for communities in rural Wiltshire,” she said.
“We are looking forward to extending this collaboration to people living and working in rural Wiltshire and to working with them to generate practical recommendations to identify opportunities to develop Wiltshire’s rural enterprise ecosystem.”