VILLAGERS from Dorset's rural communities continue to show ‘spirit and resilience’ despite facing a growing list of threatened services, according to a new report.

Findings by Dorset Community Action, show a number of village shops and pubs have been forced to close in recent months as rural and outlying areas face ‘disproportionate’ effects from government belt-tightening.

The report also highlights reaction to the hugely unpopular cuts that have threatened libraries, community projects and healthcare across the county.

Researcher Rachelle Smith said: “The picture is somewhat gloomy as spending cuts begin to bite.

“But whether it is campaigning to keep libraries and day centres open, to save school crossing patrols or to replace lost village shops and pubs with community run ones, Dorset residents continue to show spirit and resilience.

“There are two strands to it – firstly the campaigners who say ‘We’re not going to put up with this, we want to argue against this’, secondly there’s those who accept the cuts and say ‘What’s the best we can make of it, what’s the solution?’”

The latest paper also highlights a number of moves to establish community shops and pubs, including, for example, the viability of buying the Fountain Inn on the outskirts of Shaftesbury as a community venture.

The report said: “There have been some very severe cutbacks announced in Dorset County Council provided services in particular.

“In some case campaigners have been active in defending these services.

“Voluntary groups that provide support to a variety of individuals with different needs are trying new ways of making up the shortfall from cuts and grants.”

The report also highlights latest unemployment figures, that show numbers are still below the national average in Dorset.

Dorset Community Action is an independent voluntary organisation and charitable company, which produces quarterly reports.

Rachelle added: “Our findings have got progressively gloomier, in the beginning there was lots of government money and talk of schools being built and refurbished.

“There was a lot of emphasis on play areas and extending Sure Start into rural areas, the Lottery also had much more interest in village halls at the time.

“Now we’re starting to see the reaction both in terms of protests but also the building of responses and possible solutions.

“There’s a feeling that rural and outlying areas are getting a disproportionate effect and people aren’t aware how important services such as public libraries are to those places.

“But despite all the belt-tightening there’s still little pockets of interesting stuff going on as people find ways around these cuts and improve things.”

To read the full report visit www.dorsetcommunityaction.org.uk.