Hunting has always thrived on community, commitment and courage. This is the time to show all three – and to stand up for the sport we love.

Hunts across the country are encouraged to take part in Hounds in the Community Week between 15 and 22 February, a national initiative designed to showcase the vital role that hunts and hounds play in rural communities.

The government’s plans to introduce Electric Vehicle Excise Duty are intended to plug a growing gap in Treasury revenues as fuel duty declines - a choice that might be inevitable. What is not inevitable is that the burden once again falls disproportionately on rural communities.

The government's proposed reforms to policing in England and Wales must be clear about how everyday policing will be protected under a more centralised system, how rural priorities will be taken seriously and how resources will be directed to where they are genuinely needed.

This year, four amazing runners will take on the TCS London Marathon for the Countryside Alliance, helping to raise vital funds for our work protecting the countryside and the communities that depend on it.

A gift in your will helps protect the countryside and support the Countryside Alliance’s long-term work defending rural communities and the way of life we stand for.