The Commission for Rural Communities (CRC) held a special summit with business leaders to highlight the priorities of rural economies. More than 60 rural and business leaders attended the Investment Summit to discuss the impact the recession has had on rural communities and ways of boosting investment in such areas. The summit – organised by the CRC, Advantage West Midlands and the East Midlands Development Agency – took place in Dunchurch, Warwickshire and included presentations from business leaders including Mark Tinsley, chairman of the Lincolnshire Forum for Agriculture and Horticulture. Dr Stuart Burgess, CRC chairman and the Government's rural advocate, said: ‘Rural businesses and employees are a vital part of the nation's and regions' economies yet they can be overlooked in government support packages and policies. ‘We are aiming to tackle this head on by bringing together some of the most influential rural practitioners.' The summit was the third of four events following a report to prime minister, Gordon Brown, on unlocking the potential of rural areas. Dr Burgess urged delegates to play a key role in developing a ‘blueprint' for strengthening rural economies to pave a way to recovery out of the recession.