Bury Rural Inequalities Forum All local Councillors are welcome to attend as and when their timetable permits. The BRIF is not  a political forum, but a group of people representing the interests of their villages.  Background  The BRIF was formed as a result of research done by the Rural Research Unit (RRU)  based at  the Greater Manchester Centre for Voluntary Organisation (GMCVO) which was a  Department  for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs  (DEFRA) funded organistion set up to research life on  the rural edges of predominantly metropolitan borough/urban areas of Greater Manchester. The RRU produced a report entitled 'On the Edge' that showed that life in the rural fringes of   Greater Manchester often means that rural villages are often overlooked by councils and other  service providers leading to an unequal distribution of services. Although life may appear to be  ‘idyllic’ due to the rural natural surroundings, people living in these rural areas of Greater  Manchester are often deprived of services that are taken for granted in the larger urban area.  “On the Edge”, a 2007 report by GMCVO’s, DEFRA-funded Rural Resource Unit, highlights that  rural areas in Greater Manchester often feel marginalised and isolated; not only from the main  urban conurbation and its policies but also from each other. The 'On the Edge' report can be  accessed by clicking here. The BRIF is currently chaired by Dr Falmai Binns, from the Holcombe  Society.     The issues that have so far been raised at the meetings include the poor public transport  services to the rural areas of Bury. This has resulted in Transport for Greater Manchester  (TfGM) agreeing to extend the Local Link Door-to-Door car service to the Affetside and  Holcombe areas. See the Transport page on this website for further details of this service.   The BRIF has also produced a report on the need for traffic calming measures to be introduced  or improved in Affetside and Holcombe. This report was presented to Bury MBC by the BRIF and  has led to Bury Council Executive agreeing to introducing a  20mph speed limit through the  centre of Affetside village with two chicanes being built to slow down drivers do not heed the  speed limit.    Where as once, each of the villages used to contact the council / other service providers with  their individual issues, now we do so as a united voice and as a group that often shares the  same issues and problems which gives us more of a powerful voice. As a result our voice now  seems to be getting heard.   if you have any issues affecting you that you think the BRIF can raise for you please contact  Joanne Wilcock, Chairman of the Affetside Society  by clicking here    Bury Rural Inequalities Forum    Affetside is a member of the Bury Rural Inequalities Forum. (BRIF) The BRIF was formed in  2008 and has representatives from the other rural villages of Bury; namely Holcombe,  Hawkshaw, Greenmount, Nangreaves and Ainsworth as well as Affetside. Joanne Wilcock,  Chairman of the Affetside Society and Roseanne and Tony Davies, both members of the  Society, regularly attend the BRIF meetings to ensure that any issues that affect Affetside are  high up on the BRIF agenda.   The group meets bi-monthly at Tottington Library. The Bury Council has representation on the  Forum from many local Councillors. Currently Cllr.Yvonne Wright, Affetside's ward councillor  and Cllr. Jacqui Wright who represents Ainsworth, are regular attendees.