And it's a fight. Amid the discouraging news of rising oil prices and food prices, falling house prices and a bear market looming we saw a threat to the Royal British Legion's Crosfield House in Rhayader.

Crosfield House opened in 1986 and currently cares for 58 residents.

It was under threat of closure. As well as uprooting over 50 residents, 80 staff looked certain to have lost their jobs if Powys Council refused to pay the 30 per cent increase in fees. The fight is not over but for the time being Crosfield is saved.

The petition to save Crosfield had been open for just three weeks and gained over 2,500 signatures with EDM 1766 also gaining much support from MPs.

This outpouring of support shows to just how important Crosfield is to our community and I'm greatly relieved now the original decision to close Crosfield has been revised.

The change of heart does indicate a more organised, thought through and socially responsible approach.

Crosfield was an excellent example of a community coming together at difficult times to ensure we do our utmost to save a vital public facility.

Also in the firing line this week are our public telephone boxes.

These are under threat of removal because they fail the test of usage. If they're little used or there is another one within a certain distance then it's bye bye phone box.

But again, this is just short sighted.

Large companies are simply over looking the needs of rural residents.

A telephone box is a major safeguard in rural areas and in extreme circumstances – especially where there is little or no mobile phone signal – then a phone box really can save lives.

We are ALL likely to be extremely grateful for their existence in the event of an emergency, when, for whatever reason, a mobile phone is not available or in range.

If you add all that together, you can see the broad picture: rural areas are under threat of death by a thousand cuts.

It's time to turn it round – because the countryside must be a place to live and work, not just a playground for city folk at weekends.