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, the  Chairman of the Holcombe Society Residents' Group.   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 the Greater  Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE) 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 are currently lobbying for the service to be further extended to include Ainsworth and Nangreaves.   The BRIF has also produced a report on the need for traffic calming measures to be  introduced or improved in Affetside, Holcombe and Ainsworth. This report was  presented to Bury MBC by the BRIF and has led to Bury Council Executive agreeing to introducing a trial 20mph speed limit through the centre of the village with the  possibility of two chicanes being built if drivers do not heed the speed limit.   The BRIF are also currently lobbying the GMPTE to have a 3.15pm, number 480 bus, from Bury Interchange run through to Affetside and to Bolton all year round and not just in the school holidays. This would mean that school children at Tottington High  and Woodhey could get a bus home after school closes.   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  This site is administered by both the Affetside Millennium Green Trust and the Affetside Society Bury Rural Inequalities Forum    Affetside is a member of the Bury Rural Inequalities Forum.  (BRIF) The BRIF was formed two years ago 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 Local Area Partnership  (LAP) Manager for the  Tottington, Ramsbottom and North Manor area, Kim Griffiths  sits on the BRIF as well as local ward councillors. Currently  Cllr.Yvonne Wright, Affetside's ward councillor and Cllr. Jacqui Wright who represents Ainsworth, are regular attendees.