Participant Information Sheet
You are being invited to take part in a research study that is being conducted by the Countryside & Community Research Institute (CCRI) at the University of Gloucestershire. Before you decide whether to take part, it is important that you understand why the research is being done and what it will involve. Please read the following information carefully before you make your decision.
About the research
In collaboration with the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), the research team of the National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise (NICRE) based at the CCRI are undertaking a research project that aims to articulate and quantify in financial terms the social value delivered by landowners, and calculate cost savings to the state.
Such value is rarely accounted for, or even properly acknowledged, and your participation in this survey will help us understand more about the value that your activity adds to the community.
Procedure
The online survey allows you to select the activities you are involved in, and give further details when the questions expand.
The ‘Finish later’ button at the bottom of the page can be used to save your answers and return to the survey at another time. Exiting the page will prevent your answers from being saved.
If you are unsure of an answer, please estimate based on the average year.
Why am I being asked to participate?
We want to explore the nature and extent of the social contribution – or social value – being generated through the activities of CLA members. In order to do this we need more data than is currently available about what is happening on the ground.
Do I have to take part?
No. It is entirely up to you whether you decide to participate. You can decline any question and withdraw at any time before submitting the survey. However, please note that if you withdraw by exiting your browser part way through, your answers will not be saved or included in the study.
Who has reviewed this research for ethical clearance?
The survey has been approved by the University of Gloucestershire Ethics Committee and steps have been taken to ensure the survey and the wider research fully comply with the necessary personal data management procedures in place at the University. More information can be found here: https://www.glos.ac.uk/research/research-ethics/).
Will I remain anonymous if I take part? Will my responses be held confidentially?
Your participation will not be completely anonymous: researchers in this project will be able to see the results of the study that include the name of your business.
Beyond these researchers, all the data will be kept confidential. Survey responses will be anonymised before appearing in any report, with any direct or indirect identifiable details removed or reduced.
Any reported results or shared data will be aggregated to such a level as to inhibit deductive disclosure (e.g. self-identification). Although anonymised data could be kept indefinitely by the research team for future research use, no personal data or identifiable information will be stored beyond the duration of this project.
Consent Form
Please keep this form with you if you would like to contact us to withdraw from the study, or for more information about the research.
- I confirm I am aged 18 or over.
- I feel I have received enough information about this research.
- I understand that my participation in this interview is voluntary and that I can withdraw from the project without having to give a reason.
- I understand my responses will be anonymised in any reporting.
- I understand I can decline to answer any questions in the survey or terminate it at any point
- I know whom to ask if I have any further questions.
- I understand that data from this survey is to be used by the CLA and in academic reports and articles.
- I understand that researchers in this study can see my personal information.
- I understand that anonymised data will be kept indefinitely by the research team for future research use.
- I am happy to participate in the survey.
To participate in the survey, please sign up with your business name and an email; these details will be linked to your survey responses and will be deleted at the end of the project (June 2024). Personal data will be held securely on the University’s OneDrive and confidentially in line with GDPR requirements.
Debrief sheet
Please keep this form with you if you would like to contact us to withdraw from the study, or for more information about the research.
For more information or withdrawal
Thank you for participating in the survey, your answers will help us understand the social contribution that is being generated from the activities of the CLA members.
You do not have to give a reason for withdrawing. To withdraw from the project or to have more information about the project please contact Professor Paul Courtney (pcourtney@glos.ac.uk/ +44 (0) 1242 714122) or Fahimeh Malekinezhad (fmalekinezhad@glos.ac.uk) to leave us a message: thanks!
We hope you haven’t, but if you have found any of the content of the survey challenging: you can contact us for any further information regarding the survey, or you can contact the Farm Community Network for any further support (help@fcn.org.uk/03000 111 999).
