England's most patriotic society has hit back at "self-appointed activists" who branded the British countryside as "too white".
The Royal Society of St George, the premier patriotic society in England, criticised a report by a think tank, which slammed rural Britain for being "overwhelmingly white."
Chairman Nick Dutt said that the British countryside represents the "historic character of the country, its civility, good manners, and rich character."
He added: "Anybody who visits a rural pub, village, hotel, or town receives a friendly welcome from people whose ancestors have lived there for hundreds, if not thousands of years."
The Chairman said: "The last thing the countryside needs is a group of self-appointed activists and pseudo-academics, standing there with a clipboard, organising a social-engineering exercise.
"Instead, the countryside needs investment in rural transport, local schools, and help for young farmers and their families."
The Royal Society of Saint George was formed in 1894 and has more than 5,000 members worldwide, describing itself as the "premier English patriotic society".
There are 32 branches in the UK and another 29 across the globe.
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England's most patriotic society has hit back at 'self-appointed activists' who branded the British countryside as being 'too white'
| GETTYIts royal charter and mission statement defends the group as non-political and open to all faiths and backgrounds while "promoting and celebrating Englishness and the English way of life," by supporting values of free speech, democracy, and tolerance.
Mr Dutt added: "The plain fact is that this country was created, by and large, by Celts and Anglo-Saxons.
"I’m very sorry that a small group of activists has such a prejudice against this cultural background — our very foundations as a people.
"Very soon, The RSStG will be holding a major commemoration of the life of King Athelstan, the true founder of the English state."
A new reported blasted rural areas for not doing enough to cater for 'dietary norms that are rooted in religious or cultural practice'
| GETTYHe said that the society believes that every school and community in the land should be part of our Birth of England project, and it is our aim to inspire pride and patriotism across the nation as we approach our 1,100th birthday as a country.
It comes as the University of Leicester’s Centre for Hate Studies produced a report on the issue of "rural racism”.
It blamed rural England being “overwhelmingly white" for why ethnic minority communities face "challenges" in the countryside.
The report also raises concerns that traditional pub culture and other “monocultural customs” contribute to feelings of "discomfort".
The report also called on business owners to improve 'cultural sensitivity' in their rural establishments | GETTYThe report recommended “the availability of halal food or spaces for prayer" as a solution to help with "people feel comfortable visiting the countryside".
It reads: "Welcoming minoritised individuals into the countryside means more than tolerance; it requires thoughtful adaptation, sustained inclusion efforts and a willingness to change."
Gavin Rice, of the Onward think tank, laid into the report: "Can you imagine if a bunch of academics published a report saying parts of the UK are too black, too Asian or too Chinese?"
"This report literally says the existence of areas where most people are white is racist. Over 90 per cent of the UK is white if you remove the major cities."