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1
Abbotsley Village Hall
Cambridgeshire
Our village hall was once the village school and for the past 50 years, since the school closed, has provided a comfortable, well equipped and convenient venue for all types of social interactions. We look forward to being able to re-commence those activities, once the COVID restrictions have been lifted.
2
Abinger Hammer Village Hall
Surrey
Thank you to ACRE for all the good work you’re doing, which is particularly important at this challenging time.
3
Abthorpe Old School
Northamptonshire
From its inception as a school, built in 1642, Abthorpe Old School has been the centre of life in this small rural village near Towcester. Its history, reminiscences of past pupils, details of all the masters from 1642 until its closure as a school in 1959, and an architectural tour of this lovely Grade 2 building are described in a book, ‘The Free School in Abthorpe’, available from our website.
4
Acklington Village Hall
Northumberland
Acklington Village Hall is proud to serve the local community and act as a hub for all kinds of activities for all kinds of people. We offer a warm welcome to locals and visitors, young and old (and everyone in between!).
5
Acomb village haĺl
Northumberland
All good wishes
Acomb parish council. Com
6
Acton Bridge Parish Rooms
Cheshire
Acton Bridge is a small rural village located near Northwich in Cheshire. Northwich is the UK’s salt capital, and the home of Britain’s chemical industry, founded by Brunner- Mond, which became ICI. Sir John Brunner the co-founder of ICI opened our Parish Rooms in May 1909. Since then, they have been the centre of our community life. In 1983 they were extended, and today we have first class facilities, two all-weather tennis courts, opened in 1995, and an all-weather bowling green. with active sections using these facilities. In addition, our Parish Rooms are used by 15 Interest groups (dancing, choirs, arts classes, WI, Taekwondo etc), and our village pre-school. At weekends, the rooms are available for private hire for weddings, christenings, birthday parties and family celebrations. In 2009, at our centenary celebrations, Sir John Brunner’s Great Grandson handed back to us, the key which our Parish Council presented to his great grandfather at the opening ceremony 100 years ago! Today, like all other village halls we are constrained by COVID measures and usage constraints, but our active trustees and volunteers have ensured that we can continue in a limited way to offer support and help to our village community. ACRE through Cheshire Community Action, continues to provide us with valuable support, thank you.
7
Aldingbourne Community Sports Centre
Sussex
Aldingbourne Community Sports Centre has exciting plans for rebuilding to create a more accessible, environmentally sustainable Centre with meeting facilities that will better serve the growing community, working together with Aldingbourne Parish Council. As well as a meeting hall the Centre charity provides changing facilities for sports groups using Olivers Meadow Recreation Field. Hopscotch Pre-School takes place daily, in evenings it is used by model car enthusiasts, a Ukelele group, Sunday choir, bingo, Social Club, Snooker and the Parish Council. Bognor Regis Model Railway Club run the old Barnham Signal Box, situated on the Field, and barn. Many adult and junior football teams are run by the popular Barnham Trojans Football Club. Aldingbourne Tennis Club, Bowls Club and Target Shooting Club also have facilities. The Centre opened in 1979, replacing the old 1935 Village Hall, and is a charity.
8
Alfold Village Hall
Surrey
Built in the 1960’s following a great community effort
9
Alton Maltings
Hampshire
The original Alton Maltings building dates from circa 1850 and served the local brewing community The Maltings building was left unused and unmaintained, leaving it to fall into a state of disrepair which meant that towards the end of the last century the survival of the building was at great risk.
In 1995 the site was bought by Harvest Church who obtained specialist building consent - specialist because the Maltings remained a grade II listed building because of the beams used. These beams were originally used in the Man of War naval ships of the 17th century!
Alton Maltings Community Interest Company provides 7 recently refurbished rooms for hire. Its serviced facilities are used by our local community, local and national businesses, the public sector, plus private parties and remain the home of Harvest Church.
10
Alverstoke Parish Centre
Hampshire
A welcoming village hall with so many activities to suit all age ranges. Cann’t wait to get back to the fun and laughter and companionship once covid is over!
11
Anslow Village Hall
Staffordshire
Anslow Village hall was built on land donated by Walter Thompstone of Anslow Park farm following a public meeting at Anslow Mission Hall on 21st March 1949. Fund raising events and donations from hundreds of individuals helped secure finance as well as interest free loans, and in 1951 a grant was provided by the Ministry of Education under the Physical Training and Recreation Act 1937. The hall was officially opened on 23rd August 1952. The first event was a whist drive which continued until 2014. The hall is regularly used by local groups including WI, the local gardening society and the Parish Council and classes inclcuding, bridge, yoga, pilates, a choir, painting and karate. It is a popular venue for weekend children’s and adult occasions, fund raising events for the local parish church and a venue for elections.
12
Applause Rural Touring
Kent
We have worked with many Village Halls across Kent and East and West Sussex. We applaud the work they do in their communities and celebrate the role they play in connecting communities to creativity! We have included a picture of All Saints Church in Allhallows Kent who have recently hosted a poetry residency.
13
Appleton Thorn Village Hall
Cheshire
Our Hall, like many others, is a converted village school and opened in 1981. It is therefore our 40th Anniversary! Since then, it has been the centre of the community providing a venue for many activities. The adjacent field owned by the Hall is used in a unique village fete celebrating Bawming the Thorn. It has a membership licensed bar providing real ales and winning many CAMRA awards. The Appleton Thorn Preschool is based in the hall. The venue is available for hire typically for local groups such as Appleton Thorn School of Dance, Brownies, Yoga, wedding parties, christenings, and birthday parties. When we finally re-open we would like to improve and extend the facilities making more use of the outdoor facilities for the benefit of the community. We joined CCA/ ACRE in 2019 and have benefitted from their excellent advice and help, especially during these difficult times during the pandemic. We are delighted to sign ACRE’s ‘Doomsday’ Book for 2021 celebrating ACRE’s 100th anniversary as well as our own 40th.adjacent
14
Arborfield Village Hall
Berkshire
Built in 1931 on land gifted by the Simonds family with bricks purchased by members of the Arborfield and Newland community the hall is a registered charity run by volunteers and interested parties such as the Parish Council and regular users.
15
Arkenstall Village Centre
Cambridgeshire
The main business of the Arkenstall Village Centre – in the middle of the village of Haddenham, near Ely in Cambridgeshire – is the hiring out of facilities for meetings, functions and events. It is also the centre of activities for local groups – art classes, exercise groups, drama groups, concerts and the village pantomime. In addition, the Centre plays host to the village library access point, providing a link to the county’s public library service for Haddenham and the surrounding villages.
The Centre has three rooms for hire: a 200-seat main hall with a stage, and two smaller meeting rooms each seating about 40 people. There is a well-equipped kitchen, and on-site parking. There are discounted hiring rates for regular bookers, charities, and local organisations that are represented on the management committee.
Although the centre was converted from its original purpose as the village school back in 1972, there is an ongoing programme of updates and improvements to keep the facilities fresh and modern while retaining the building's original character.
Unfortunately the Centre is currently closed because of Covid-19 lockdown restrictions. While we have made the Centre 'Covid secure' we are, at the moment, only able to offer rooms for hire for exempt activities, but we are looking forward to fully opening our doors again in the not-too-distant future.
16
Arkwright Centre
Derbyshire
The Arkwright Centre provides a venue for local people to meet, hold events and support the community.
17
Ashampstead Jubille Village Hall
Berkshire
This original Victorian village school house has been renovated to provide the only community facility other than the church. It even doubles as the village pub once a month.
18
Ashbury Village Hall
Oxfordshire
The building was built in 1864 to accommodate The National School, a charity school for children of the poor. Since construction of a new Ashbury with Compton Beauchamp C of E (Voluntary Aided) Primary School in 1960, the old National School has been used as a Village Hall. Over the years there have been several improvements. In recent years the whole hall has been updated with new kitchen and toilets, a new floor proved insulation. Before Covid it was used regularly by local groups for keep fit, art and social events.
19
Ashenground Community Centre
Sussex
Looking forward to fully opening again for our vast array of Community Groups. We’ve managed to remain partially open during the Covid-19 pandemic for permitted activities including our Preschool.
20
Ashford Carbonel Village Hall
Shropshire
Our Hall was built in 1911 and has since been extended twice. Together with the adjacent sports and recreational field it forms the hub of our village of 160 dwellings, about one third of which have single occupants. The Hall hosted a wide variety of events and activities until the first lockdown forced us to close. Subsequently in March 2020 a community email newsletter was set up, food deliveries from local businesses were arranged and a support network established. When allowed we held morning coffee, afternoon teas and pub nights in and out of doors. To raise money and our spirits, we opened our gardens to fellow villagers with timed appointments and an honesty stall for surplus plants and produce. Realising gardens were our salvation, we wrote a book ‘Gardens under Lockdown’ with contributions from eight to eighty year-olds, full of tips, activities and beautiful illustrations. Ten per cent of the profits went to our local food bank. Later in the year morning coffee and cake became a takeaway service as did a soup kitchen. Our Christmas fairs, carol concert and Candlefest were all held outdoors. As 2021 begins we have coffee mornings, a wine tasting and a poetry recital for Valentine’s day all online. The book exchange has been expanded to include jigsaws. Children continue to play on our field, which will have a new wildlife area this summer. We are now planning activities for when we come out of lockdown. We shall continue to provide, as we have done for a hundred and ten years, a venue, events and activities which cater for all ages and abilities, thus cementing the social fabric of our village.
21
Ashingdon and East Hawkwell Memorial Hall
Essex
A hall left in Trust to the residents of Ashingdon and East Hawkwell
23
Ashreigney Village Hall
Devon
The recent Coronavirus Pandemic has really brought home how vital our Village Hall is to a small, rural community such as ours. It is literally the “heart” of the Village.
Social gatherings, our market, and meetings may be banned; but our Hall continues to serve. In recent months it has been used as a central control room by emergency services carrying out search and rescue operations, it continues to act as our Post Office, and the Car Park now hosts regular street food Pop Ups. The Village Hall Newsletter hasn’t missed a single edition and The Renovation Committee continue to work with Architects to plan for a new and exciting future.
We look forward to the day when we can all meet up again, to celebrate and fully enjoy this vital and much loved part of Village Life.
24
Ashtead Peace Memorial Hall
Surrey
APMH is delighted to be celebrating our 100th Anniversary in 2024. We have a project to celebrate by aiming to be Carbon Neutral and to this end we have had surveys completed and the work has already begun. Our hall is very popular and lies at the heart of the village. Regular users take part in a wide variety of activities from Busy Bees playgroup through to the Over 60s lunch club. Look at out website for details.
25
Ashton Keynes Village Hall
Wiltshire
Our Village Hall is the centre of the community and as the hub for numerous services, has remained open throughout the pandemic. Although group and social activities have had to stop, including our own fund-raising Rural Cinema; the Hall complex houses the Village Shop, the out-reach Post Office and the GP Branch Surgery. All of the these are classed as essential services and so we had to ensure that we made the Hall COVID-Secure in order to keep it open. We introduced disinfectant fogging, hand sanitisers, risk assessments, etc. The Village Preschool is also housed within the Hall complex and we had to accommodate this restarting in June 2020 (at the end of the first lock-down).
The support of the Local Authority, Community First and ACRE have been exceptional.
With luck (and the vaccine) we are looking forward to reopening fully sometime during 2021.
https://www.akvh.org.uk/
26
Ashwick & Oakhill Village Hall
Somerset
Having taken advantage of the COVID lockdowns by refitting, redecorating and refreshing the main rooms, internal facilities and equipment, the committee are now progressing formal plans to convert the integral garage and adjacent store rooms into a new, larger kitchen and community cafe that will serves via a purpose-build external hatch next to the children’s playground with views across the recreational field and beyond - much fundraising work required! Externally we are repairing and replacing leisure equipment to facilitate increased usage. We are also addressing our environmental strategy and have planted a wildflower meadow and 11 trees along one boundary to be fitted later with various bird boxes. We also plan to become Hallmark Level 1/2 accredited!
27
Asthall Leigh Memorial Hall
Oxfordshire
The Asthall Leigh Memorial Hall stands as a memorial to the men and women who fell in the 1914-18 and 1939-45 Wars, and to those that returned.
Records show that the Hall dates back to 23rd February 1922 when the land was purchased for the sum of £40 for the purpose of providing a site for the erection of a building as a war memorial for the Parish of Asthall.
The management of the Hall and Garden is in the hands of the Memorial Hall Trustees and is now a registered charity, No. 263789
The Memorial Hall provides the residents of the Asthall Parish with recreational and social facilities which include a ‘Village Pub Night’ a ‘Film Night’ and a ‘Villagers Lunch’ each month.
28
Aston Tirrold & Aston Upthorpe Village Hall
Oxfordshire
The twin villages of Aston Upthorpe and Aston Tirrold lie in the shadow of the Berkshire downs in the south of Oxfordshire, in an area that is known to have been occupied since Neolithic times.
The Astons Village Hall is a large, well-equipped, versatile and attractive facility in the heart of the community that plays host to a wide variety of clubs, classes, weekly Café, technology and other community out-reach and social activities that all serve to promote health, education, inclusion and a vibrant, inter-generational social interaction for which the villages are well-known. Well used by village groups and residents, it is also a popular venue with individual hirers and organisations from the surrounding towns and villages.
The hall's facilities include a large main hall with modern AV facilities, a raised stage with adjoining changing room, a separate committee room, a well-fitted kitchen, an attractive galleried area overlooking the main hall, an outside paved patio area and a capacious car park.
29
Avebury & District Social Centre
Wiltshire
The Social Centre in Avebury was built in the Victorian era and was formerly the Village School. In the early 1990s an extension was built to include a new kitchen and toilets. The main hall is approximately 180 sq m and has a curtained off stage area with portable staging.
It is licenced for a maximum of 60 seated at tables, 75 dancing, 80 seated in rows OR 100 standing. Suitable for parties, shows, meetings and exercise classes the space can be divided by a folding screen.
Facilities include Wifi, Projector, Kitchen, Stage, Large National Trust Car Park nearby
30
Axbridge Town Hall
Somerset
Built in the 1830s and owned and run by Axbridge Town Trust since 1889 for the benefit of the local community for functions, meetings, education and exercise.
31
Bainton Reading Room
Cambridgeshire
The place where interests interact, where people care, where insight is shared. Always worth a visit
32
Bamburgh Pavilion
Northumberland
Bamburgh is a historically important village on the North Northumberland coast. The Pavilion overlooks the village green, in the shadow of the magnificent castle. As well as supporting the village cricket team. croquet club and tennis court, it is used by many local groups. It is also used for events such as wedding receptions, craft fairs and fund raising events. During lock down it has been redecorated and refurbished and is now ready to return to its key role in village life.
33
Barns Green Village Hall
Sussex
Barns Green Village Hall is conveniently placed in the centre of the village overlooking our picturesque Village Green. It is an ideal venue for celebrations including weddings, christenings and birthday parties, meetings, lectures and concerts.
34
Barrasford Village Hall
Northumberland
Barrasford Village hall was built in 1927. It has been extended and improved over the years, with a major ongoing refurbishment programme since 2011. The building is very well used and has a large main hall and a further spacious meeting room known as the supper room. A variety of regular events take place; beavers, cubs and scouts, toddler group, Pilates, pottery and art classes, monthly community coffee morning etc. The hall is also available for hire for one-off private events. There is a fully equipped kitchen with range cooker, commercial dishwasher, fridge and freezer. A licensed bar is available on application. Contact for further information
35
Barrow on Trent Village Hall
Derbyshire
Our Village Hall is located in a small rural community in South Derbyshire. The land the hall is built on was gifted to the village by a local farmer in 1949. Parishioners fundraised to help build the Hall. It remains an integral part of village life offering a base for our local Playgroup along with a variety of regular weekly activities including : Women’s Institute meetings, keep fit, line dancing, choir practices, tia chi, parties etc. Trustees have taken advantage of the Covid lockdown to upgrade the hall by sanding and revarnishing the parquet floor, and replacing the carpets. We hope the hall will continue to be used and enjoyed by our community for many many years to come, it is an asset for our village.
36
Barrow upon Humber Village Hall
Humber & Wolds
Our Village Hall is the largest in our community, parties for children are the best because of the size of the space. The hall, when open provides space for Parents, babies and toddlers; Brownies; Guides; Keep Fit; Yoga and Christy fundraisers.
37
Barton Bendish Village Hall
Norfolk
We are just finishing a complete refurbishment and extension to our hall, which was originally an Oddfellows hall built in 1905. Although it had some toilets added in 1990 it was getting very tired, with no insulation, no proper heating, and no disabled facilities. We also suffered from a lack of capacity because it was too small. Thanks to a marvellous fundraising effort, serious community collaboration and the input of an excellent local contractor we have now extended the hall and made it fit for another 100 years! We can’t wait to open up as soon as the Covid-19 pandemic allows us to do so!
38
Barton Village Hall
Cambridgeshire
Barton Village Hall (formally Barton Parish Institute) is situated in the centre of the village opposite the Parish Church and adjacent to the Village School. It was constructed on land given to the village for the purpose by the University of Cambridge in 1920. Originally a WW1 hospital hut before being rebuilt on the current site, the hall has been extended over the years to include modern kitchen and cloakroom facilities as well as a snooker room.
The hall is managed as a registered charity by a committee of trustees which includes representatives of the many village clubs and societies that, normally, use the facility on a regular basis. The hall is also used for elections and community flu vaccinations as well as being available to be hired by local residents for private functions.
During the past year it has been mainly closed, opening only when permitted in a COVID secure manner for pre/post school care and business meetings.
39
Bashley Village Hall
Hampshire
Provide or assist in the provision of facilities in a village hall and recreation ground for sporting activities and leisure for the residents of Bashley. Charity number: 301728
40
Battle Memorial Hall
Sussex
This facility is unusual, combining as it does the role of a village hall with a memorial to honour the dead of two world wars. It is situated in the busy High Street at the centre of the historic town of Battle. Originally built in the 16th century it has been altered and extended over time and in the early 18th century acted as a poor house. The building was acquired in 1958 by a member of the local Rotary Club who worked with the Town Council to convert it in order to provide the current facility. As well as meeting the needs of a wide variety of groups and organisations based in the town and surrounding villages it also hosts a monthly community cinema and is the home of the local amateur theatrical group.
41
Beaford Village Hall
Devon
Based in rural northern Devon we are the hub of a small parish of fewer than 500 people. We have a stunning view from our hall thanks to a local farmer who donated the land and local builders who constructed the building. We are a busy hall (normally) and we take great pride in our beautiful home. Our plans include making the hall as environmentally friendly as possible and creating a wildlife haven on our recently acquired field adjacent to the hall.
42
Beckford Community Village Hall Ltd
Herefordshire & Worcestershire
The present hall was opened in 1937, an earlier small facility having existed since 1924-5. It is managed as a ‘Charitable Limited Company’ with directors, officers and a committee made up of representatives of the organisations which are ‘members’ of the hall. These include the Tennis Club, the Women’s Institute, the Gardening Club, the Toddlers Group, the Croquet Club, the Church and others. The hall is surrounded by extensive fields, which are used by footballers, dog walkers and the camping and caravanning clubs who often rent them. Many improvements have been made to the hall over the years, and a substantial refurbishment is currently in progress. The roof having been replaced three years ago, exterior insulation has been added and internally the ceiling is being lowered, lighting improved and the sprung maple floor refurbished. Currently closed due to the refurbishment ad well as COVID-19 restrictions, we anticipate that in April 2021, like a chrysalis emerging from its cocoon, the hall will re-emerge to act again as a centre of village life.
The website is currently being reconstructed, but until that is complete the hall has an active Facebook page.
43
Bedhampton Community Centre
Hampshire
It’s a shock to the system to having gone from a full, thriving, exciting centre to being nearly completely shut down, but we’re coming into 2021 positively! We’re still open for our local Lunchbank to prepare, cook and deliver hot meals to people in our local community, and we’re excited to hit the ground running with community projects, classes and activities as soon as we’re allowed! Our aim for 2021 is to get planning permission to have an extension built onto the front of the building, so we’ll be doing some massive fundraising as soon as that’s agreed. We love our community, and we miss them. We usually have over 1000 people through our doors each week, which for a small village just off of Havant is brilliant, and we can’t wait to have everyone back again.
44
Bedmond Village Hall
Hertfordshire
Bedmond Village Hall has been serving its small rural community since it was built with funds raised by the Bedmond Pioneers, a very active group of local group of residents, in 1930. It was rebuilt by a massive fundraising effort in 2000 supported by the Heritage Lottery Millennium Fund and is run by a dedicated team of volunteers who maintain the Hall to a very high standard. It is home to a wide variety of groups and activities and also provides a very popular local venue for parties and events. This much loved Hall is located at the heart of its community and is always looking to expand the range of activities and events on offer to provide more opportunities and support for its community.
45
Beeding and Bramber Village Hall
Sussex
The current village hall was built in 1930 and established as a charity. It was and is managed by a Management Council composed of representatives of the organisations and groups who use the hall.
As well as the full Council there is an Executive group who are elected from and by the Council.
In common with many Village Halls it has had its ups and downs. Thirty years ago the Hall was in a poor condition and in very straightened financial circumstances but as a result of enormous hard work by volunteers funds were raised and renovation work placed the hall back in good working order.
From this time to the present day the hall provides a venue for community meetings and activities and a Pre School which has now served several generations of village children.
The Covid 19 pandemic has had an enormous impact on the hall. Since the first lockdown the community groups have closed, the exercise groups have come back in a limited way when outside the complete lockdown or tier 4 regulations. Fortunately the Pre School has continued to operate although with reduced numbers of children which gives some income and a government grant of £10,000 was welcome. The hall has financial reserves but they will not last for ever.
We are aware that some groups may not return to when the hall can reopen but intend to advertise with the support of the Parish Council to develop the customer base for the new situation. We hope to see this as an opportunity to ‘Build Back Better’.
46
Bellingdon and Asheridge Village Hall
Buckinghamshire
COVID and 2020 shone a new light on the role of village halls and community associations with our committee quickly becoming aware of and competent on Zoom to communicate remotely. This enabled us to set up a support group working in collaboration with other local groups to ensure all our residents were safe, had supplies of shopping and prescriptions along with moral support and just a chat on the phone to reduce the feeling of isolation and concern.
The resident’s mastery of Zoom enabled us to establish Quiz nights to replace our monthly pub nights allowing people to remain in touch and keep the banter going!
At the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 we ensured the hall was COVID safe within the government guidelines (with clarity provided by ACRE and CIB) enabling its continued use, including a tuition group throughout the summer. During the latest lockdown the hall has been closed for hire with the playing fields and playground (when permitted) remaining open, providing an open space for people to exercise.
Our hall, playground and adjoining playing fields support the village of Bellingdon and hamlet of Asheridge; it is located two miles north of Chesham, and situated along a ridge, typical of the Chiltern Hills.
It is built on ground donated by Miss Marion Thompson, a local resident and officially opened on 6th November 1948. Until 1965 the land adjoining was rented for use as a playing field but in that year, we were able to purchase it by local fundraising.
The hall facilities have been continuously improved enabling it to be used for a diverse range of activities from village groups, community events, exercise classes, and family celebrations especially children’s parties and weddings. In recent years it has established itself as a festival venue for Brazilian dancing. The playing fields with separate changing rooms support local football leagues and training.
The pandemic has been a huge learning curve, clearly demonstrating the importance of village halls and community associations and their flexibility in adapting to the changing and diverse requirements of their communities.
47
Belstead village hall
Suffolk
We provide a safe happy secure hub for our villagers to use
48
Berrynarbor Manor Hall
Devon
Our pretty grade 2 listed hall is in the center of our lovely village and a focal point for many community activities including art and craft clubs, Pilates ,wine circle,wedding, table tennis, parties, council meetings, snooker club, our village fete and much more . Sadly corona virus put paid to most of this fun last year. Thankfully our popular pre-school situated in one wing of the building was able to carry on providing a fantastic service and of course much needed income for the hall! We have optimistically booked a date in the diary in August for our village fete- fingers crossed! Good luck to all our fantastic halls around the country for 2021 - we all provide an amazing and precious service to our communities and a big thank you to ACRE for their help and support particularly in these most difficult times.
49
Bert Boyden Community Centre
Humber & Wolds
We took on a redundant Adult Social Care Centre and turned it into a vibrant Community Centre. Art Therapy, Quilting, Alzheimer's and Drama Groups use the building along with Family Support Services. We also have a Community Cafe
50
Bestwood Village Hall (The Welfare)
Nottinghamshire
In 1890 as The Music Hall was built with money donated by the Lancaster family that run the Colliery and Iron Works. The building had its first extension in 1939 which created a bar area on the side of the building. The Hall was eventually used as a village hall which was run by a committee . The village hall committee disbanded and they passed on the building to the Miners Welfare Institute & Recreation Ground Charity which is still serving the community to this day 91 years on from when they first started.
The old music hall doesn’t have many walls left and has been engulfed by the Welfare complex which is a community hub and public house. The Welfare charity is keen to be a bigger focal point of an expanding village. The charity aims to provide Youth Services; Basic Health Services & training courses; Educational Services: Baby, Child, Teen and Adults; Child Care/Friendly areas and space for local groups; Community Events for all; Fitness and Well Being.
Support is provided for: Mental Health; Elders of the community; intergenerational activities; local artists; we link all these sectors into our current grounds, sports fields, and buildings.
Currently the Welfare charity offers support and space to The Football Club (5 teams in all), 2 Bowling Club teams, the Karate Club, Brass band.
We provide facilities for local and surrounding families to use and provide space and support to; Yoga, Salsa Group, WI Ladies, Bestwood Ladies Group, Children’s Theatre Group, Autism Group, the Male Voice Choir and Youth Club.
There is also support for the village Christmas tree, parties, and local events. We have also reopened the Welfare, which is now a public house open to the public, serving a wide range of good pub cuisine and drinks.
The Welfare also provides the community cafe, which is open weekly. Provision for free meals for the community has been started and runs every Saturday.
The Old Music Hall is one of the oldest live music and entertainment venues in the midlands.
51
Bicester East Community Centre
Oxfordshire
The North Bicester Community Centre was opened in 1973 at Keble Road but was demolished in 1999 by the Cherwell District Council due to its dilapidated state and vandalism.
Bicester Community Church started working in the area, initially taking a converted bus to the site on Thursday evenings to act as a mobile centre for youth work but there was clearly a need for a permanent building.
In 2001 a mini-community centre housed in a Portakabin, paid for and run by the Bicester Community Church under agreement with Cherwell District Council, which owns the land, was opened to provide a base for the church to serve the residents of the Keble Road area of North Bicester. Activities inclding Toddlers, Bumps and Babes, Youth Work and Over 50's groups were all successfully run there.
The Kabin was opened by Bicester town mayor, Councillor Lawrie Stratford, and his wife, mayoress Councillor Rose Stratford, on Saturday, 23rd June 2001 on a site near the playing fields off Keble Road, and was in constant use until its age forced its removal in August 2005. The current one started life in November 2008, but is hoping to be reincarnated as a permanent building in the near future. It is great value to hire, at typically £9/hour, less for charities and local causes.
52
Bickerton Village Hall
Cheshire
The Land and buildings currently in use today comprise an attached cottage, the main hall with a second smaller hall and kitchen on the ground floor, plus a meeting room upstairs.
The above premises and land were initially leased from Baronet Sir Phillip Egerton in 1898, on a 40-year lease, to a group of trustees lead by Rt Hon, Lord Hugh Richard Arthur Grosvenor (2nd Duke of Westminster)
This lease arrangement remained in place until February 1927, when the hall, cottage and land were purchased by the trustees from the Egerton estate for £50.
Originally named Bickerton Recreation Club, it then became the Village Institute, and finally Bickerton Village Hall.
The hall remains run to this day by elected trustees.
The hall is used on a regular basis by the following groups.
In addition to this there are a number of less frequent, yet important activities held at the hall outlined below. My thanks to trustee, Nigel Briers for the inclusion below.
ART EXHIBITION.
Since 2006 this rural village hall has been the centre of a hugely successful and popular art exhibition. Over 500 original paintings submitted by some 150 artists are displayed for sale over an 8-day period from 10am to 5pm each day in the last week of July. Over the years it has grown and there is a waiting list for entries, which are on a first come basis. The art displays a wide range of interests and abilities and this is reflected in prices ranging from £20 to £1000. Each year we sell over 20% of all exhibits which is generally held as a real success.
Each year about 800 people visit the exhibition and are met by a team of volunteers from both members of the community and some artists. Over 100 people help at each exhibition and this includes reception of visitors/sales of cards/ and the ever-popular refreshments sales which involves many more volunteers donating cakes for sale. The sale of teas and coffees and cakes will bring in a net profit of some £1,000 each year.
The support from the small community which serves the village as well as the support in setting up and running the exhibition by some of the artists really helps inspire the spirit of community. The quality of the refreshments enables a growing number of people to spend time meeting and discussing art as well as buying cakes. We invite artists to set up their stall and demonstrate their work. So, the artists in residence combined with the separate room for the sale of their cards and the paintings on view enable visitors to spend quite some time enjoying the exhibition. The free parking available in an enormous car park and the rural and beautiful setting makes this a special event in our calendar.
The pandemic led to the cancellation of the 2020 exhibition. We will have to see when we can next begin. I am confident that our past success will enable the community to re-start its planning with a view to even more success in the future.
Nigel Briers
MUSIC AND THEATRE AT BICKERTON VILLAGE HALL
For over 15 years Bickerton Village hall has promoted a wide range of musical and theatrical events. Our membership of the Cheshire Rural Touring Arts network enabled us to put on numerous plays which were generally well attended. This live theatre was always a challenge in the Hall but all groups made a special effort to adjust to the facilities available. We were part of a large network supported by staff from Chester and Cheshire West Council who in turn have Arts council funding.
We also on our own arranged a large number of musical evening covering Skiffle/Pop/Jazz/Big Band and Classical. With refreshments often available and reasonable costs we generally sold most seats. We welcomed many performers most notably the Doghouse Skiffle Band from Hull who made 2 appearances to a wildly supportive audience. We welcomed new talent like guitarist Remi Harris and the ever-popular folk group the Houghton Weavers. Several visits have also been made by Ninebarrow a folk duo from Dorset with a growing following. We have also held some notable poetry evenings.
One final highlight was the performance of Sue Tysoe from the Black Theatre group who performed in a largely one person shows as a bag lady. She was quite outstanding and appreciated by a lively audience.
Although there are theatres in Chester/Crewe and Mold many people do not get to visit these places who can be quite expensive. The local theatre and music events do provide people of all ages the real opportunity to share in live events. We do hope to see the early return of such activities.
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Bicton Village Hall
Shropshire
Many community groups access the village hall including WI, Parish Council, keep fit, coffee mornings, mothers and toddlers etc for the community. We organise a Summer fete which is a great event bringing the whole community together for both young and old. We would like to continue to provide community events and support for our community.
54
Biddulph Moor Village Hall
Staffordshire
Biddulph Moor Village Hall was constructed around 1975, following a fund raising campaign by the local community, to provide a facility for the community and surrounding areas. Over the years it has proved to be a focal point for the community providing a venue for activities, clubs, celebrations and community events and remains so.
The Village Hall is used for many different activities which cater for diverse age groups including a Playgroup, Radio Controlled Car Club, Bowls Club, Dog Club, Yoga and the Evergreens group for the more elderly local residents. It is also available for hire for private events such as weddings and special occasion celebrations such as birthday parties, anniversaries etc. Drapes can be hung to transform the hall into a very attractive and affordable venue.
The Committee run a number of different events for the community as a whole including an annual fireworks display, musical events, discos, touring theatrical performances and themed dining evenings.
The Committee work together with other organisations to operate community events such as the village Well Dressing and the Biddulph Festival.
The Village Hall is a focal point for the community. It provides a vital, convenient, accessible and affordable venue for many activities and it is conveniently located within the village. This is really important to the local residents who would otherwise be deprived of these activities as Biddulph Moor is poorly connected to the surrounding area which makes it difficult to travel to alternative venues.
During this current period of enforced closure due to the Covid-19 situation the Committee have been focussing on carrying out maintenance and improvement work and seeking grants for the refurbishment of the hall. The aim is to continue to improve the hall so that it is an even more attractive facility for the local community.
55
Billingley Village Hall
Yorkshire
Our Hall is relatively new, opened in 2010. Its a conversion of a 300 year old ruined cartshed. Our faming hamlet got mentioned in the original Domesday Book, and we still only have about 70 houses. There is no pub, shop or place of worship, so the hall is a big part of village life. We have been closed since the first lockdown, but we have been providing space for Abdominal Aortic Aneurism screening clinics. They usually come a couple of times a year but asked if we could help as they were unable to use most of their other sites in GP surgeries. We were glad to help. We offered space for anyone having problems home working or home schooling, and soon after the first lockdown started, a villager who is a senior child protection manager was having problems with sensitive and difficult zoom meetings, with her 8 year old daughter home from school even though Dad was at home too. She has worked most days from the hall, which is great, and means there is a presence daily, saving us a lot of visits to check on the building. We have used our FB Page page, normally used as a marketing tool for the hall to make sure that any community notices are posted, and adapted another Village Group to become a chat and help forum. As we are a registered limited company as well as a charity, we have received the Covid 19 Small Business Grants, and had a business rate holiday, so fortunately we have no financial woriies, and several weddings booked for next year. We are grateful for advice from Acre, our insurers and the local authority. We have had only 1 case of Covid in village, a doctor working in local hospital. Fully recovered. We all know each other and hacve looked after each other, especially our older neighbours but we can’t wait for the first coffee morning as soon as we can re open safely
56
Binbrook Reading Room
Lincolnshire
The Reading Room is a registered charity and started life as the meeting place of the Foresters Friendly Society in the 19th century and has since been extended and has had many uses serving as a reading room, men’s/boys club, lecture room for the WEA, WI, cubs and scouts et. The room has recently undergone a programme of refurbishment and offers disabled entrance and toilet facilities and a small kitchen area .The building is used as a meeting place for GardenClub, Art Group, Yoga, Springs Church Group and charity fund raising events and is available to hire for private functions. It is an ideal room for small functions.
57
Binley Woods Village Hall
Warwickshire
Our hall was opened in 1957 and has been the hub of our rural village ever since, always providing social and educational activities for all age groups.
Subsequent committees have worked hard over the years to raise funds to maintain and modernise the hall.
Various groups hire the hall for:- zumba, children’s dance classes, indoor bowls, luncheons for the elderly, Scottish dancing, keep fit, over 60’s, coffee mornings, craft, playgroup, children’s indoor soccer, ballroom dancing, amateur dramatics , women’s institute, the church in Binley Woods and carer’s cafe. At weekends the hall is hired out for children’s parties, dances, fashion shows, baby shower parties, etc.
Although the Hall has not been open during the Corona virus pandemic, the local fruit and vegetable shop (Turnips) have used it to make up orders to be delivered to local residents and people in surrounding villages.
We look forward to opening up again and welcoming our residents back to a Covid secure hall, thanks to ACRE’s help and advice.
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Bishop Middleham Village Hall
Durham
It has been a busy and exciting time for the Village Hall with lots to look forward to in 2021. Despite having to close our doors due to Covid-19, work continues to develop our facilities to ensure they remain a valued space for our community members and groups.
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BISHOP SUTTON VILLAGE HALL
Bath & NE Somerset
WE ARE BISHOP SUTTON NOT BISHOPS SUTTON
60
Bishop’s Park Community Centre
Hertfordshire
Bishop’s Park Community Centre offers two rooms which can also be joined into one large room with shared kitchen facilities, wifi, car parking and disabled access. There is also a committee room upstairs for quiet meetings, yoga or meditation. The Centre usually has many users who host a variety of activities from Baby Yoga to Karate and many other private functions and events, from a huge number of exercise classes to wedding receptions and family parties. Its larger hall normally accommodates up to 70 people and its smaller hall up to 40. The upstairs room will facilitate 15 people. The Centre also has a beautiful garden and patio area which provides ample room for outdoor activities. Although the Centre has been made Covid-secure it was recently closed due to the Covid-19 National Lockdown. The Centre is an important part of the Bishop’s Stortford community and we look forward to re-opening further and re-engaging with the local community, as and when we can, in line with the latest Government Guidance
61
Bishop’s Park Community Centre
Hertfordshire
Bishop’s Park Community Centre offers two rooms which can also be joined into one large room with shared kitchen facilities, wifi, car parking and disabled access. There is also a committee room upstairs for quiet meetings, yoga or meditation. The Centre usually has many users who host a variety of activities from Baby Yoga to Karate and many other private functions and events, from a huge number of exercise classes to wedding receptions and family parties. Its larger hall normally accommodates up to 70 people and its smaller hall up to 40. The upstairs room will facilitate 15 people. The Centre also has a beautiful garden and patio area which provides ample room for outdoor activities. Although the Centre has been made Covid-secure it was recently closed due to the Covid-19 National Lockdown. The Centre is an important part of the Bishop’s Stortford community and we look forward to re-opening further and re-engaging with the local community, as and when we can, in line with the latest Government Guidance.
62
Bishops Nympton Parish hall
Devon
Our beautiful hall built in 2011, has been sadly quiet nearly a year. It is usually buzzing with luncheon groups, a dance club, short mat bowls, pilates, yoga and various clubs. It is a popular venue for weddings and parties, with a lovely view and plenty of parking. On site is also a Community Shop and Community Club. A real community hub.
63
Bishops Tawton Village Hall
Devon
Our village hall used to be the Village School. In life before Covid it was the centre of our community, hosting coffee mornings, jumbles, sales, the art group, meetings and numerous parties. We look forward to being able to return to that way of life.
village website still being built use the Bishops Tawton facebook page
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Bishopstrow Village Hall
Wiltshire
Bishopstrow Village Hall was the village pre-school until 1965, when the Hall was gifted to the village by the Temple family. Since then it has been run by a volunteer committee and used for all the usual hall activities. From 2013 to 2017 it underwent a huge refurbishment programme, with a new roof, new floor, new electrics, heating and audio-visual and a new-build kitchen. Up to March 2020 it was used every weekday for various activities (pilates, yoga, table tennis, bridge, music, art classes, as well as village specific events such as quizes, themed suppers, meetings, etc) and often at weekends for parties for all ages. We are hoping to get back to this level of use as soon as the Covid-19 restrictions are lifted.
65
Bishopswood Village Hall
Herefordshire & Worcestershire
Set in the picturesque Wye Valley two miles South of Ross-on-Wye, Bishopswood Village Hall provides leisure, educational and community activities for all ages of the local population. We are looking forward to getting back to running our quarterly Community Lunches where we cater for around 100 - 130 local people for Sunday Lunch, and hosting the local Church’s monthly Big Breakfast. Our various social events help bring the community together in what could otherwise be a rather widespread and remote area.
66
Bishopton Village Hall
Durham
The existing timber-built hall was originally a 1920’s school in nearby Greatham. It was dismantled and re-erected in Bishopton in 1959, a brick-built annexe was then attached to provide a meeting room, kitchen and toilet.
Our Hall together with the nearby Bishopton Playground forms the hub of our village of 156 dwellings and 360 residents.
The Hall hosted a wide variety of events and activities until the first lockdown forced us to close. Before the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2019, we held morning coffee, Brownie meetings, Yoga, Swing Fit, Fund raising events for the newly acquired Playground.
We shall continue to provide, as we have done for a hundred and ten years, a venue for events and activities that meets the requirements of the local residents of all ages and abilities We provide a sense of place, pride and belonging to villagers and encourages a spirit of community.
We are now planning activities for when we come out of lockdown. We now are on Bishopton Village website and have a Facebook page.
67
Blackford Reading Room
Somerset
The Blackford Reading room has been at the heart of the village for the past 109 years, opening in 1912 due to the generosity of Miss Emily Senior who sold the land it stands on to the Fidelity Trust for the sum of £25.
Since then the Reading Room has hosted whist drives, dances, brownies, a Girls club, Womens’ club, concerts, lectures, several Jubillee celebrations, birthdays, anniversaries and numerous fund raising events. One of its most active periods was during the 2nd World War holding almost weekly socials with members of the Royal Airforce from the airfield at Sigwells. At the end of the war the Compton Pauncefoot and Blackford Working Party were presented with a personal message of thanks from Marshal of the Royal Air Force, The Lord Portal of Hungerford
In 1993 The Fidelity Trust passed ownership of the Reading Room to the PCC who assumed the status of management committee and the Reading Room Trust was formed. Thanks to a substantial donation from the Lottery Commission and the Wyvern Trust and the hardwork and dedication of the Reading Room Trust, the building went through extensive modernisation at the start of the millennium making it the perfect venue for the local Gardening Club, Wine Club, Book Club, and the hugely popular monthly village breakfasts. We will be looking forward to opening the doors again soon!
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Blackhall Community Centre
Durham
A fully accessible centre which offers a range of activities, we have a fitness centre, licensed bar and a cafe with home cooked food.
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Bletchingdon Village Hall
Oxfordshire
Bletchingdon, or Bletchington, depending on how far back family links are in the village, had a village hall from the 1920's. It was a typical steel framed/wood clad structure which, having been operated along charitable lines, finally registered as a Charity in the 1960’s. Later additions of a small annex, a basic kitchen and new ‘facilities' couldn’t save the fabric of the overall building which became increasingly dilapidated. Around 2008/9 plans were afoot to replace this building with a new one, and works began in 2013 together with the development of a new village school as a combined build. Our new village hall opened in September 2015 and is currently managed by the Trustees of our village charities. Since its opening it has been used by the school every day in term time, but more significantly by community groups everyday as well, accommodating Exercise, Yoga, Pilates and Zumba classes, Toddler group, Thursday (older villagers) Club, Village Silver Band, Community café, parties and more. The Parish Council has an office in the hall and it is also a popular venue for wedding receptions, having a catering kitchen for professional use. Designed by a local architect it is very much a well-used venue in our community. In 2020 the Covid pandemic impacted the use of the village hall, but not necessarily the bookings, many of which remain in place awaiting the day that lockdown is relaxed.
70
Bletsoe Village Hall
Bedfordshire
Bletsoe Village Hall was opened in 1971 though the public subscription started after World War Two and there were several false starts along the way including potentially using the school when it closed down before a brand-new building (using a prefabricated bungalow design!) was chosen. The hall has been the social hub of a small village of 130 houses since then and has good regular local use for events organised by the hall, the church, WI and village fete plus hirers ranging from the local area Young Farmers, deanery churches, Morris Dancers, swing band plus plenty of private hires. We enjoy events such as concerts, Breakfasts, Food events such as Puddings Nights and the combination of food, dancing and concert which is a Haggis / Burns Night! Extended once including the provision of a formal bar with complete replacement of toilets and kitchen, it remains in good shape and is lucky to have the parish children play area next to it whilst the parish bought the field alongside which means that the hall has a large open space for games and activities that hirers can use. The pandemic has meant complete closure with only spasmodic use when permitted by two yoga groups that have come to Bletsoe as we were prepared to open under strict conditions. The available grant have cushioned the hall and mean that the future is secure as far as we can see. We look forward to getting back to some form of normality as soon as possible.
71
Bloxham Ex-Servicemens Village Hall
Oxfordshire
Originally opened in 1926 to cater for ex servicemen who tended to gather in the village pubs it became a focal point in the centre of what is now a large village with two other halls. Between them their various activities tend to be complementary catering for a wide variety of users.
In 1939 the then trustees declared that it was for the use of Bloxham villagers generally and not simply for the local Royal British Legion branch. During the Second World War it was used for teaching evacuee children from London.
We undertook a major project three years ago to build a suitable store to cater for an increasing number of users. Upgrades to the lighting and internal and external redecorations were completed during Lockdown periods. We really appreciate the guidance and advice from ACRE which helped us comply with the ongoing changes to COVID regulations. Normally we cater for groups such as Yoga, Pilates, Zumba, Ballet, Children’s mini activities, Personal training and Table tennis. We act as a local Polling station, as well as supporting W.I. coffee mornings and Parish Council open mornings.
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Blythe Bridge & Forsbrook village hall
Staffordshire
The Blythe Bridge & Forsbrook village hall has undergone an internal facelift to bring it up to date & now hosts a range of community activities & events
73
Bolton Village Hall
Northumberland
Bolton lies on a fold of land in the valley of the river Aln. To the south Alnwick Moor rises above the farmalnd, to the north towers Titlington Pike, and to the west and north the impressive range of the Cheviot Hills dominates the skyline, culminating in Cheviot itself. The history of the village goes back to pre-christian times. Bolton Village Hall was built in 1929 on land given by the Burrell Family and using money raised by public subscription, in memory of those who died in the first World War. It has continued to function as the centre of village life to the present day. Activites include: Keep fit classes, dancing classes, quiz nights, Gardening Talks, Wine Tasting Evenings, Ceilidh’s, Band Practice, Film Night’s, Harvest Festival Suppers. The hall is available to book for Private Parties, Meetings, Local and National Elections. During the recent pandemic The Committee has been busy refurbishing the Ladies Toilets and ensuring the hall is Covid secure.
74
Botesdale Village Hall
Suffolk
Built in 1913 as The Church Rooms, in 1993 it became Botesdale Village Hall when Botesdale Parish Council assumed responsibility for it. It was refurbished with the assistance of a National Lottery Grant in 1998 with modern facilities which include a new kitchen, new toilets with disabled access and a new meeting room. The main hall is 12.8m x 7.7m and can accommodate 100 people seated at tables, 160 people with seating only and 200 for standing/dancing. The stage is 4.8m x 4.3m and is equipped with Stage Lighting and Sound System, Dimmer Lights and an Audio Loop P.A. System and is used by the local drama group and visiting productions. The hall is well used by local groups and is available for private bookings.
75
Bowerhill Village Hall
Wiltshire
Our current village hall was built in 2005 and is centred in the heart of our community with a wide selection of events and activities taking place for all ages and abilities. A selection of these are Local School, Yoga, Slimming Clubs, Craft Sessions, Church Groups, Scout Groups, Baby Toddler Groups, Dancing and a variety of Health Groups. All these along with a wide range of fund raising events. We also hire out the hall for weddings, Christening celebrations, parties and funeral wakes.
76
Bowsden Village Hall
Northumberland
Set in the centre of the beautiful village of Bowsden, in picturesque north Northumberland. Today's larch clad hall replaced an earlier village hall, completed in 2009 with the help of National Lottery funding and provides local residents and visitors with a thoroughly modern meeting facility. The village hall is the focus for village life and we have a busy calendar of regular events ranging from our monthly coffee mornings, soup and sandwich lunches to film nights, pub and quiz nights.
77
Boxford Village Hall
Berkshire
The new village hall, opened in 2014, is situated on the edge of the village along with a very popular playground, tennis courts, cricket and football ground. It is a modern flexible space well used by the wide community. The hall is virtually carbon neutral with solar panels, a ground source heat pump for heating and water. There is a dedicated hall for the Teddy Bear’s pre-school and Panda Club which continue to operate during the Pandemic, within the government guidelines. A wide selection of activities take place including ballroom dance classes, Yoga, Pilates, Thai Chi, art classes, lectures, weddings, christenings, wakes and fundraising events. The Boxford Masques rehearse their productions in the hall and will be staging their 2021 production within the recreation ground, postponed from 2020, to celebrate 21 years of the revival of the original Boxford Masques-
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Bradden Village Hall
Northamptonshire
Currently applying for grants to refurbish the hall.
79
Bradenstoke village Hall
Wiltshire
Beautiful hall, in a lovely village, The hall was originally the School built in 1873, it became the village hall in 1969 and made a Charity, It is owned by the village and looked after by A Board Trustees and a Committee of residents.
80
Bradfield Village Hall
Berkshire
Bradfield Village Hall has been at the centre of the community for the last 69 years and is regular host to Bradfield Market, WI, Parish Council meetings, dog training club, Sunshine [Before and After School] Club, Tai Chi classes, Gardening Club, Bridge Club, Mayfayre, Pigeon and Rabbit Shows, annual visit of the Fun Fair, Library Van, caravan/motor home club weekend retreats, not forgetting the weekly visit of the fish and chip van! There’s also the many children’s parties, family celebrations of all kinds including wedding receptions, and parish meetings. Our 4 acre site also has a tennis court, children’s playground and field, well used to recreation and exercise for both people and dogs. We are working hard on a development project which aims, by 2023, to build a brand new Village Hall, more suitable for current needs, along with improved Multi Use Games Area and a playground for all ages, enlarged car park [also used by the community shop next door and the close-by primary school] and much improved, safer pedestrian access. The new facilities will give so many more opportunities to meet together at the heart of our community.
81
Bradford on Tone Village Hall
Somerset
A beautiful, traditional village hall built in 1913 at the heart of our lovely village. We host events and a variety of groups making it a vital community hub. We also let the hall for private functions.
82
Bramfield Village Hall
Hertfordshire
In 1946, at the end of the Second World War, Bramfield was given a field covered in bracken and brambles, by the Woodhall Estate which owned land in the area. The men of the village, returning home after active service, cleared the land and turned it into a recreation field so that families from the village could enjoy peace and family leisure time once more. Shortly after this a timber framed hall was built and this became the social heart of the village. This hall has been extended twice and now boasts a separate annex housing changing facilities for the local sports teams. Together with the adjacent playing fields and children’s play area it forms the hub of our village. The Hall hosted a wide variety of events and activities until the first lockdown forced us to close. Now, in early 2021, we are planning activities for when we come out of our current lockdown. September 2020 was our 50 year anniversary and we had a celebration party planned for all the village. Sadly that had to be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic but we are hoping we can now hold this in September 2021. This coming year we are also hoping to hold our very popular Open Gardens event and our regular Summer Fair and Dog Show. We shall continue to provide, as we have done for many years, a venue for events and activities which cater for everyone in our community.
83
Braughing Community Hall
Hertfordshire
The Braughing Community Hall was opened in 1974 to provide facilities for sport and recreation in the village of Braughing. We have a number of groups using the hall and the hall is available for private bookings at reasonable rates.
84
Bredfield Village Hall
Suffolk
Our hall was built by the community in 1983 and has been refurbished over the years, with a new kitchen in 2017 and an extension, new bar and new patio were completed in 2020. The hall is adjacent to a large playing field with tennis courts and a play area. There is Village Shop and Bowls Club on the site.
85
Brentor Village Hall and Playing Field
Devon
Brentor Village Hall was established in 1952 in the original Brentor Men’s Reading Room and is managed by a small committee of local residents. The village hall is normally the hub of the community with themed suppers, a pop up café, coffee mornings and many private bookings each month, but since Lockdown started last year the hall has basically been closed. However we are very lucky to also manage the village playing field, where subject to the Covid-19 restrictions, we have still been able to hold events in an outdoor setting. The field is on the edge of the village of Brentor with no access to mains services. In the past 18 months we have obtained grants from West Devon, the National Lottery and the Postcode Lottery which have enabled us to install a shelter, a composting toilet, tables & chairs (made from durable recycled plastic) and enhance the car parking. This has meant that during the past year when restrictions allow we have been able to have many events on the field including a Christmas market, car boot sales and coffee mornings. A weekly takeaway van supporting the Hall funds operates every Friday at the field supplying the community with morning coffees, lunches and afternoon teas. We are so proud that the field has helped the community so much in these difficult times. Once restrictions are relaxed a bit we hope to hold a treasure hunt to raise the funds to complete the field renovation project by installing a play/trim trail
86
Brinkworth Village Hall
Wiltshire
We are one of the longest villages in England and the Village Hall is vital for keeping the community together. We managed to get some decorating done in the summer with a great team of volunteers from the village (socially distant!) Sadly we have lost a couple of our main hall users during Covid including the Butterflies nursery that has been looking after our village children for more than 30 years. However, we are looking forward to welcoming back users such as Danceaerobics, Garden Club, Bramble Patchers, Cubs, Beavers, Lunch Club, Yoga and Pilates.
87
Broad Hinton Village Hall
Wiltshire
Broad Hinton Village Hall was rebuilt in 2009 after the old hall built in 1963 was knocked down. We are lucky to have a new modern hall with excellent facilities that serves the local community. The hall provides a venue for clubs, weddings, parties and a place where people from the local community can get together. It also currently provides a Post Office service, which would have been lost when the Village Shop closed. The hall is essential for a Rural community, and hopefully will continue to server the community for many years to come.
88
Broadhempston Village Hall and Headlands Playing Fields
Devon
Our carbon-neutral village hall was opened in December 2015, on land acquired for community use by the parish council near the centre of this very active community of 800 residents. A parish-wide survey assessed the needs of all age groups and this resulted in a building with a 9m x 16.5m main sports/function hall with sprung beech floor, a large meeting room and a smaller meeting room. The hall has exceeded its 3-year business plan and caters for all ages, with a regular baby and toddler group, indoor sports and fitness sessions for all ages including a thriving badminton club and short-mat bowls. It’s also a great venue for lunches, parties, music events, meetings and courses. The 84 PV panels on the roof and a high standard of insulation means that the building overall costs nothing to heat and light - a tremendous benefit and which keeps our hire charges low. The trust also runs the sports field which has become a valuable asset during the various Covid-19 lockdowns for open-air exercise. A skate ramp has recently been built and we are now actively working on the creation of a MUGA on the existing tennis court. The local primary school makes considerable use of all facilities. Our village also has a thriving community shop and two popular pubs.
89
Broadwoodkelly Village Hall
Devon
Broadwoodkelly is a tiny village in rural Devon. With only farms and a few houses in the immediate area, our hall is the centre of this small community’s life. The building started life as the village school in the 1870’s, closed its doors in 1945 and was purchased by the locals in 1963 in order to turn it into our community hall. Over the last 20 years, fundraising, grants and much sweat and toil by volunteers has transformed the stone structure into a warm and welcoming space, with all the facilities needed for its new role.
Before lockdown, we had a full calendar of activities, all organised by those living in the village –markets selling locally produced food, sports days, barbecues, book club, exercise and art classes, coffee morning, weekly walks, trips to the seaside etc.
Of course, at the moment, everything is on hold. However, our lifeline is our use of the internet, communicating via e-mail messages to a village-wide community group. Roll on the time when we can all get together again.
90
Brompton Regis Village Hall
Somerset
We are providing a top class facility for use by all of our community groups.
91
Broughton Village Hall
Hampshire
Originally opened in 1928 as a tribute to fallen Villagers in WW1, in 2019 the Hall was extended and fully refurbished. Today it offers a variety of rooms to host gatherings from a few to 120 persons. With a new commercial standard kitchen, high speed Wi-Fi and excellent audio visual systems throughout, the Hall also includes a beautiful garden area and ample parking. The Broughton Community Shop is also housed within the Hall’s building helping Broughton Village Hall to become the centre of this vibrant Village. It hosts local art, sports and exercise groups as well as exhibitions, parties, film nights, live music events and much more!
92
Brownlow Community Centre
Shropshire
Lord Brownlow gifted this ex C of E Junior School for Boys and Girls to Whitchurch and surrounding areas in 1982 for use as a Community Centre after it ceased to be used as a school. Today its main user is Little Bears Daycare, a registered charity supporting local young families with a range of services to include baby creches, breakfast and after schools club plus holiday clubs Mon-Fri, 8am to 6pm. The Centre’s longest user is Whitchurch Weighlifters Gym started in June 1982 with weekly regular evening user groups including 2 Line Dance Clubs, Whitchurch Band practice nights, a social club for persons with special educational needs, a contemporary fitness and exercise club, Little Voices West Cheshire singing and drama classes, a school for Pop music, Pilates sessions and council welfare meetings/sessions. Its main hall is very popular for children's parties and it also has for hire a mid sized room for up to 30 persons and a small meeting room for 8/10 persons. At present all projects are on hold that include refurbishment of ex-staffroom and storage area into another hirable facility, provision of purpose made parking facilities for dis-abled vehicles, automatic sensor doors, replacement of the main hall’s original block floor and the installation of double-glazed window units to some areas not already upgraded. The Centre got into financial difficulties in the late 1990’s, was involved in “fire fighting exercises” for almost a decade starting 1999, managed to attract a strong combination of Holding Trustees and Management Committee Members and then Covid-19 came along!! At present we are optimistic of being able to retain this marvelous facility for the benefit of the local Community but concerned about working on projects in case the money runs out.
93
Buckland Dinham Village Hall
Somerset
The hall has been owned by various groups since it was built: originally gifted to Russell Duckworth to create a recreational place for the village, the Duckworth family gifted it to the Diocese of Bath and Wells in 1915. In 1978, a few years after the last live in manager retired, the “Trustee Ownership” was transferred to the Parish Council, and in 1981 it was transferred to the Charity Commission. Buckland Dinham Village Hall is now put to more varied use than it was originally intended for - no longer simply a coffee house and reading rooms, until the lockdowns it was the regular venue for short mat bowls, the WI and a monthly luncheon group, in addition to private hire by members of the public - but it still fulfils the original role intended by the Rev Clutterbuck as a place open to all the residents of the village.
94
Bucklesham and Foxhall Village Hall
Suffolk
Our fantastic Village Hall, built in 1976, didn’t let a little thing like a global pandemic get in the way of village life. We may have temporarily lost our regular bookings, but hosted guest bookings to clubs that had lost their own regular venue. An extremely considerate bunch old ‘old regulars’ then agreed to change their permanent days to allow for the ‘guests’ to become ‘new regulars’ too. An extremely hard working committee lead by an excellent Chair, gave us all the impetus to apply for any and every grant available meaning we actually received 13 Grants totaling over £24,000 during 2020. We continued with our renovation scheme during Lockdown, and even though we started 2021 with a leaky ceiling and the news that a whole new roof was necessary, our spirits will not be dampened! None of the above would have been possible without the wonderful people at Community Action Suffolk and Suffolk Community Foundation guiding us all the way.
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Buildwas Village Hall
Shropshire
Buildwas Village Hall has been part of the community in Buildwas since it was built in 1954. Over the years it has been available for the residents of Buildwas and local villages for family events and celebrations; village organisations (such as the village church) fund raising events and meetings; annual pantos by The Buildwas Players; music nights; our monthly community meals; and a weekly whist club. The hall is also used by our village Primary school for assemblies / productions / presentation evenings etc. The hall has been closed to general bookings during the COVID19 lockdown, but has been running a Meals on Wheels project since July 2020, delivering hot meals on weekday lunchtimes to elderly residents in Buildwas and neighbouring villages who otherwise can’t go shopping (or don’t have access to online shopping) as they are shielding. This has been funded by Shropshire Council, The National Lottery Community Fund, and the Co-op Emergency Food Fund. The committee are looking forward to the hall being fully open so village life can flourish once again.
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Bulphan Village Hall
Essex
Our hall was built in 1964 and was transferred to the community by Thurrock Council, under a Capital Transfer Asset 99 year lease in June 2019. Bulphan’s only shop had closed in July 2014, so the trustees set about building a shop as an annex to the hall. Thanks to a very generous donation from an anonymous benefactor, and numerous smaller donations and fund-raising initiatives, the shop was opened in March 2020, just as the first pandemic lock-down restrictions started. The income from leasing the shop is distributed to 4 voluntary organisations in Bulphan. Although there is no income from letting or from the Community Cafe the trustees run twice a week, the shop has been busy and has been a community hub (socially distanced of course!). The Outreach Post Office continues to use the hall twice a week. Over the last year, we have had to cancel many of our usual events, or move them to the recreation ground behind the hall. We look forward to when our many local organisations and regular activities can once again enliven the hall.
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Bunbury Village Hall
Cheshire
The hub of the village with classes/functions every day of the week
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Bunny Village Hall
Nottinghamshire
This former school became a village hall in the 60s and is owned by the Bunny & Bradmore Charities Trust. There are two rooms, with a kitchen added about 70 years ago.
During these Covid times and not being able to use the hall, we have made it a time to freshen it up with a coat of paint and to hope that it will encourage many more bookings as we move into the relaxing of rules
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Burbage Village Hall and Recreation Grounds
Wiltshire
A large community asset that can hold up to 130 people. Sadly we have remained closed since the start of the pandemic and have only opened for use by the local Doctors’ surgery for flu jabs. We have taken the opportunity to redecorate with the help of local volunteers ready for a grand re-opening when safe to do so
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Burcot Village Hall
Herefordshire & Worcestershire
Burcot Is a thriving community, with a modern village hall that provides a focus for a range of social and learning activities.
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Burness Parish Rooms
Suffolk
The Burness Parish Rooms in Melton were built in 1904 and have been at the heart of the community ever since. Melton is a large rural village in East Suffolk dating back to Saxon times. Located on the banks of the River Deben, it is close to the Suffolk Coasts and Heaths, AONB and Sutton Hoo. There is a railway station with frequent trains from Lowestoft to Ipswich and on to London.
The Parish Rooms were the gift of local benefactor James Alexander Burness. Run by an active committee of dedicated volunteers, there is a wide range of activities taking place each week, including Yoga, Art, Drama, Music, Brownies, Tai Chi and country dancing classes and many others. Over the past few years, the building has been modernised and refurbished and now provides an excellent venue for interest groups, private parties and family celebrations. Melton Women’s Institute meets here each month and the parish council holds public meetings in the large hall.
Today, as with all public indoor facilities during the pandemic, we have been restricted by Covid regulations, however we have been able to continue with our traditions and provided space for Food Parcels to be packed, collected and distributed by volunteers to Melton residents, at a time when many of us have needed support and a helping hand.
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Burnham Green Village Hall
Hertfordshire
A small Village Hall in pleasant surroundings including a play area. Ideal for children’s parties.
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Burrington Parish Hall
Devon
Burrington Parish Hall in North Devon was established in 1930. It was burnt down in 1943 and was rebuilt in 1960 and has been continuously modernised since to include a full catering kitchen, solar panels and new heating system. We now have an extensive hall which plays host to various community activities and fundraisers, monthly over 65 lunches, fitness classes, meetings and much more.
The hall is home to the Comrades Club which celebrated its Centenary last year and runs skittles, darts, snooker, billiards for the locals over the Winter months- there are currently 17 teams. This year is the first year since World War 2 that the Annual January dinner has not taken place.
There is a floodlit Muga adjacent to the hall, we are really pleased that this has been very popular through the recent Winter months for local netball and football teams, providing some fun and fitness at such a difficult time.
We look forward to continuing to be part of the community once more when the pandemic eases.
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Burrington Parish Room
North Somerset
Burrington Parish Room was built at the turn of the last century by the determination of the village community.
Today it still fulfils a vital roll in providing a focal point for the local population and is used daily by the school, weekly by the church and throughout the year by the skittles club and other various activities.
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Burtle Village Hall
Somerset
The original hall was built in 1939 to serve as a meeting place for villagers who raised the money for the simple wooden building. It was also used as temporary accommodation for evacuees in the 2nd World War.
A kitchen extension had been built in 1960s but later the hall was in serious need of replacement or major updating. Planning permission was granted in 2004 to demolish the existing hall and replace with a steel framed modular building. However, the application for Lottery funding was declined due to another new hall being built in the next village!
Step forward a local retired builder – Robin Howell – who devised an innovative design using straw bales, wine bottles, sheep’s fleece, and local clay to build a new hall around the old one. It was an unusual plan for an affordable solution.
The first step was to drop an agricultural type roof supported by metal posts over the old hall. New walls were constructed from straw bales donated by local farmers. 4,000 wine bottles were produced by villagers and these were used to fill the gaps in the base wall. Local clay was sought and there were ‘straw bale and plastering picnic weekends’ with whole families involved. Local sheep’s fleece had to be checked before they were hauled up to the roof to provide insulation. New windows and cladding were added before the inside was stripped, one internal wall demolished, new walls and doorways made. A new ceiling was put over the main hall. A new kitchen was fitted and a separate bar built. The original floor was professionally cleaned and treated.
Volunteers helped with all the processes – it was a Burtle Village Project! It took 18 months of hard work completed in 2009. The hall was made accessible to all with a ramp and rails being added to the main door in 2014.
Burtle Village Hall continues to be the hub of the community and the Government lockdowns in 2020 and 2021 was the first time that the hall has been closed in its history. Like many other halls, further refurbishments and improvements have been made during these closures. We are looking forward to getting back to ‘normality’ and to the Burtle Village Hall resuming all of its activities, rentals, and social events.
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Burton Memorial Hall
Cumbria
Built in 1956/7, the Hall has been the centre of village life ever since. Serving all age groups and abilities, we host a wide range of activities, societies and groups, along with a twice-monthly library book drop. The Hall is run by a management committee comprising representatives of user groups along with directly elected residents. It has three meeting rooms and a large central hall with a stage, kitchens, toilets, baby change, hearing loops, and a car park.
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Burton Pidsea Memorial Hall
Yorkshire
Our hall, which was totally rebuilt in 2018, is used and loved by the community to celebrate from Baby Showers through Christenings ,Birthdays, Wedding receptions, to Funerals. We have a café which is a meeting point for the population of the extended area, some of whom would not otherwise meet anyone. We hold classes, both educational and recreational, fairs, dances, film shows and concerts and all that cements the cohesion of an area.
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Burwell - Mandeville Hall
Cambridgeshire
Modern hall built in 2011, consisting of three halls that can be used independently
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Burwell Gardiner Memorial Hall
Cambridgeshire
Built in 1915, lovely traditional hall.
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Bury village hall
Cambridgeshire
The hall was built in 1996 and is managed by Bury Residents Charity. it is used on weekdays by Bury Playgroup and various community groups in the evenings. During the COVID-19 restrictions we have been able to keep the hall open for use by the Bury playgroup.
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Busbridge Village Hall
Surrey
Originally a cricket pavilion, Busbridge Village Hall borders fields on the outskirts of Godalming and continues to serve its original aim from 1951 to support the education and wellbeing of the people of Busbridge.
As lockdown restrictions have eased we’ve welcomed back our nursery, drama school, dance school, Rainbows, Guides and Scouts. We started hosting childrens’ parties again in May thanks to our large garden area.
Over the summer we’re going to be the venue for many more parties for young and old, and we look forward to supporting, once again, our local church group, Bridge Club, WI and Brownies.
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Butcombe Village Hall
North Somerset
Small but beautifully formed. Sadly closed at the moment, but ready to go when we’re allowed. Along with the Church next door we are the heart of the village, the only places for people to meet indoors.
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Butterknowle Village Hall
Durham
A wonderful hall in the heart of our rural community. We will be celebrating our 60th anniversary next year , in one form or another. We can’t wait to reopen and welcome back our many users and groups.
Facebook Butterknowle Village Hall.
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Cadbury Heath Hall
South Gloucestershire
Established in 1977, Cadbury Heath Hall is a thriving community resources. It is a busy venue and there are plans in 2021 to extends the Hall by approximately 40% in an attempt to accommodate the growing demand for meeting space and storage by a wide range of local groups and organisations.
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Capheaton Village Hall
Northumberland
Built in 1921, originally as a reading room, library and meeting place the village halls usage has always reflected society at the time. From the 1930s to the 1970s it was an extremely popular weekend dance venue fondly remembered by many Northumbrians. More recently the hall has become host to Capheaton Village Tearoom, a national award winning venue that provides for local residents and the wider North Eastern area. Again, as a reflection of current society many of the the users of the hall are now cyclists, walkers and locals who come through the daytime with evening usage being much reduced. The hall has been there for the last 100 years as a meeting place for the community and providing a focal point for all that is good in our area.
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Carlton Scroop & Normanton-on-Cliffe Village Hall
Lincolnshire
Used during WW2 for events involving many from local airfields, our local hall has changed forms from tin hut to large brick building, and is now used for many local groups covering all ages and many interests. A large hall in a small community, we are also fortunate to attract users from slightly further afield which means we are reasonably well used, in normal times.
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Carrington Village Hall
Lincolnshire
Set in a rural location having served the community for nearly 60 years, we are to celebate our Diamond Anniversary in style hopefully in August. At the heart of community, we usually run coffee mornings, archery, dancing, bird sales, auctions and are adjoined by a playing field run by our local football team
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Caryford Community Hall
Somerset
Opened in 1994 our Hall serves the communities of Ansford and Castle Cary. As soon as we can do so, we will resume an ambitious building programme to improve the building’s capacity and make it more versatile for the needs of the growing number of groups and individuals wanting to use it.
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Cassington Village Hall
Oxfordshire
The new Cassington Village Hall was opened in 2002. It was built on the site of the old village hall, dating from the 1920s, and is situated in the heart of the village, overlooking the village green. The hall provides an excellent community hub for the village and surrounding area. It is used by many village groups including a community cafe, toddler group, WI and drama, exercise and music groups. We also host community events such as film nights, theatre shows, a Christmas pantomime and a supper club for a local dementia support group. We are very much looking forward to opening again. Thank you, ACRE, for supporting us in these challenging times.
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Casterton Village Hall
Cumbria
The land on which Casterton Village Hall is sited was given by Lucy Constance Bickersteth and Mary Lilian Bickersteth to the Carlisle Diocese in 1911 and the building was erected in 1912. A trust fund relating to the running of the Casterton Church Room was drawn up in 1915. In 1978, the Carlisle Diocese set up a 60-year lease and trust deed which specified that the Registered Charity should be administered in accordance with the deed by a management committee, the Casterton Village Hall Committee. This committee includes representatives from user groups and elected residents.
The hall is on the A683 in the centre of the village and is a focal point for social events in the village. It has undergone a number of modernisations and is a pleasant meeting place suitable for a wide range of private or commercial events. It is available for hire by the hour for private parties. South Lakeland District Council hires the hall as a Polling Station for elections and regular users include the Parish Council, the WI, Kirkby Lonsdale Scouts, Casterton Community Trust and Yoga classes. Talks, coffee mornings and plant sales are organised by the committee and we started hosting live entertainment provided by the Highlights company in 2019. We have used the lockdown period to do repairs to the cellar and the outside of the building and are looking forward to welcoming back our regular users.
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Castle Acre Village Hall
Norfolk
Next to the medieval castle, the village hall used to be a baptist chapel and pair of cottages. A hall with history, it’s the only venue in the village for meetings, concerts, exercise classes, art groups, craft fairs and many other local events. A fantastic hall for wedding receptions, with an enclosed garden and romantic view of the castle.
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Catshill Village Hall
Herefordshire & Worcestershire
Catshill Village Hallwas built in 1897 on land donated by Cadbury Bros( of Chocolate fame ) and has been used for multifarious uses ever since ie. dances, soup kitchen, cinema, and many more. It now rents out the space to a selection of groups in the community : dance classes, mother and toddler groups , slimming world, karate the list goes on, as well as being used by the Parish Council for formal meetings
Catshill Village Hall. co.uk
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Catworth Village Hall
Cambridgeshire
Formerly a Church of England Primary School, acquired for use as a Village Hall in 1968. Significant refurbishment in 2010 and extension to complete the project in 2018. Now have a large entrance lobby, meeting room able to open up to the main hall and a store room. Step free throughout. Used by our Cinema Club, Vinyl Club (records not clothing), Yoga, Quilters, Sewing Group, Sign language teaching, Drama Group, Games Club, Bowls Club, Yoga, Strength and Balance, Prayer Group, Coffee Mornings, Wedding Receptions, Banquets, Quiz Nights, private parties and more.
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Cavendish Hall Thurston
Suffolk
The Village Hall, Thurston (known as the Cavendish Hall) opened in 1914 as a memorial to Tyrell Cavendish who lost his life on the Titanic. The hall was extended and refurbished in 2002 and is used by many local groups such as scouts, brownies and WI, to name but a few. During 2021 we are planning to update the hall with a new kitchen and a new, environmentally friendly, heating system; ensuring that the hall remains fit for purpose for the rapidly expanding population of the village.
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Cawthorne Village Hall
Yorkshire
This characterful Hall was built in 1850 by the Spencer Stanhope family of Cannon Hall, as a school for the benefit of local village children. In 1953 the Spencer Stanhope family sold the Hall to Cawthorne Parish Council for the further benefit of the community. Although the Parish Council holds it in trust, the Hall is run by a Management Committee composed of representatives of all the groups using it. They take responsibility for day to day organisation, fundraising, maintenance and bookings. Over the last twenty years the hall has been re-roofed, re-wired, decorated and brought up to date.
The Village Hall is composed of a large hall, a small committee room and two kitchens. It is the hub for a diverse rural community, providing both educational and social groups for Babies, Toddlers, Brownies, Guides, Pilates, Zumba, Choral Society, Brass Band, and a venue for Fundraising, weddings and social events.
There is an active Facebook page and a new website is under construction.
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CAYTHORPE & FRIESTON VILLAGE HAL
Lincolnshire
The Village hall is located in the centre of the village - this stone built property was originally built as the coach for the now demolished Holy Cross House. During the war it was requisitioned by the Army as a billet for soldiers and also accommodated a NAAFI store. It became the Village Hall in 1951. It is used by many village organisations, Brownies, Badminton Club, Yoga classes, Keep-fit classes, Pilates classes, Children’s Musical Theatre, Craft Club and the Parish Council. Once a month it hosts a Sunday Village Breakfast which is very well attended and has become a great social event.
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Chalfont St Peter Community Centre
Buckinghamshire
After the First World War, the village wished to have a Memorial Hall of those who had lost their lives. A wooden army building in Denham was purchased and re-erected on a site at the corner of Market Place and Church Lane. This served the community well for many years until the major population increase in the 1950’s following the end of building restrictions on new homes.
By 1957 the old building was becoming uneconomic to maintain, nor could it be enlarged. A Committee was set up to find a site and negotiate with the County Council for a new “Community Centre”. The old building and site was sold, to be replaced by shops and living accommodation.Bucks County Council erected a new Community Centre in 1961-62 on a site at Mill Meadow owned by Amersham Rural District Council. The original building comprised the Hall and Stage, Players room, Mary Smithells room, Foyer, office and toilets.
A wooden plaque commemorates the formal opening on 15th.March 1962 by Lord Curzon of Bucks C.C. The full title, as required by the Charity Commissioners, was “Chalfont St.Peter Memorial Garden and Community Association”, to maintain the link with the former Memorial Hall. The Book of Remembrance, displayed in the Members room, contains the names of all village residents killed in the 1914-18 and 1939-45 World Wars.
The Centre was originally built by Buckinghamshire County Council, who provided a paid part-time Warden as manager. Chiltern District Council took over the arrangement, but halved the grant in 2001. The District Council and Chalfont St.Peter Parish Council both made generous grants towards the £50,000 cost of the 1992 extension. The Parish Council were our tenants from 1992 to 2006, and have made grants to various improvement projects over the years. Both the District Council and Parish Council appoint representatives to the Executive Committee. The Community Centre holds a 21 year lease from Chiltern District Council expiring in 2021.Over the years the Centre has been enlarged by the addition of a Members room, a bar, a boiler house, toilets for the disabled, the Chiltern room and most recently in 1992 by the Tony Graham room, named in memory of our late vice chairman. The Parish Council occupied part of the extension, which is now occupied by Apex Physiotherapy until 2006. Recently the bar was converted into the Misbourne Room and the Members Room was enlarged. The Community Centre also holds the lease for the Garden Club and St. Peter Player’s storage huts. In view of the age of the building, the cost of maintenance and the demand for more space plans are afoot to replace it with hopefully with a new building. A Feasibility Study has been completed and the New Building committee are considering the next steps to achieve this end. Watch this space.
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Chapel Hall
Berkshire
Chapel Hall in Woodley is available to hire for daytime parties, classes, clubs and meetings. Decorated in neutral tones, the hall has kitchen facilities, toilets and a small room at the rear with a maximum capacity of 80 people. It is regularly used by local community groups and businesses to run classes and meetings. Please email: for enquiries.
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Charlestown Victory Hall
Dorset
Run entirely by a small group of volunteers.
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Charlton Horethorne
Somerset
Charlton Horethorne Village Hall stands as a memorial to lives lost in the First World War. The land on which it is built was obtained from the Digby Estates in 1923 and a wooden building, which had been the Royal Engineers’ Dining Hall at Larkhill Camp, was purchased from the Army Surplus Depot in Yeovil. This building has been maintained and nurtured ever since and, such is the dedication of past and present Village Hall Trustees, it was awarded “Hallmark 2” rating in 2010. A focus for a variety of popular village activities and events, it hosts an annual pantomime, a youth theatre group, arts and crafts classes, country dancing sessions, short mat bowls, Pilates sessions, a number of exercise classes and a great deal more besides.
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Charlton Marshall Village Hall
Dorset
Our original hall was built in the 1930s and whilst it had been the venue for many village and local family events for 70+ years, by 2010 it was in urgent need of repair or replacement and plans were put in place for an ambitious contemporary hall fit for the 21st century. After a mammoth fundraising effort and with grants from The National Lottery and others, the grand opening of our new and spacious hall was held on Saturday 7 September 2019. After so much optimism for this long anticipated new beginning, 2020 was unfortunately a year of stop and start for both our community events and the local activity groups that have used the hall for many years, including youth groups, yoga, indoor bowls and more. However, we are looking forward to welcoming our regulars back and to restarting our Film Nights, craft fairs, quiz nights and village celebrations in 2021 and for years to come and to once again playing our part in community life in our corner of Dorset.
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Charlton Recreational Centre
Wiltshire
Our village hall usually provides a wide range of activities for all ages and abilities and this has been much missed during the Covid pandemic. We very much look forward to be able to re-open the hall but in the meantime the outside space is still providing a much-needed opportunity for local people to walk and exercise and the car park has been used for pop-up takeaway. Our play area has continued to provide a vital space for local children to let off steam and have fun.
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Chartham Hatch Village Hall
Kent
Chartham Hatch is a small hamlet near Canterbury in Kent. Our Village Hall lies in the centre. Originally built in 1873 as a school that closed in 1966, the hall is now a well used community facility. Before Covid Lockdown in 2020 our regular hirers included Guides, Rainbows, Dance classes, art and craft clubs, a Quilting Group, a Tea Club, a Brass Band and a Jazz Group. The hall is also available for anyone to hire for parties and occasions.
The Village Hall is a registered Charity run by a Committee of volunteers who like to organise Community Events like Breakfasts, Games Nights and regular Quiz Nights for anyone that wants to come along – everyone is welcome. Funded by a Grant from KCC we were able to purchase a projector and screen this year for future Film Nights.
Fund Raising events are fun community occasions. In recent years they have included Plant and Book Sales; Christmas Fair; Summer Fete; Firework Night, Curry Night and an Afternoon Tea. We also run a 100+ Club which is well supported. We are grateful to receive donations every year from the local Croquet Club.
We have carried out an extensive maintenance programme during lockdown to ensure our facilities remain of a high standard and are very much looking forward to welcoming our villagers back into the hall.
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Cheapside Village Hall
Berkshire
It all started with a Nissen hut bought from the MOD in 1947 which was upgraded to the current timber version in the early 1970s. There were initially three Affiliated Societies, but now only the Horticultural Society remains and holds shows twice a year. Coronavirus has hit all activities bar our Preschool. However over past years the community has benefitted from all sorts of events: all age group parties, a Choral Society (now relocated in Sunninghill) and various keep-fit sessions in the evenings and at weekends. Also in previous years we teamed up with the Big Lunch Group to provide a wet weather facility for the June annual gathering. Now we Zoom together, and it is our hope for the future to plan a greater range of activities in the community.
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Chebsey Parish Hall
Staffordshire
Chebsey Parish Hall was originally constructed in the late Victorian era as a school for the local children in the Chebsey area and remained so until its closure in the early 1960, after which it was taken over by the community as a village hall.
In 2012, the organisation was registered as a charity. Following a fund raising campaign, and with the help of local authority and other grants, a large refurbishment and modernisation project was subsequently undertaken in 2015 and the hall now provides all the facilities required to make it an ongoing viable hub for Chebsey village and its surrounds.
Over the years it has proved to be a focal point for the community providing a venue for activities, clubs, celebrations and community events and remains so.
The Village Hall is used for many different activities which cater for diverse age groups including Yoga, Keep Fit, Live and Local presentations and a very popular whist drive group for the more elderly local residents. With its very large integral car park it is also very popular for hire for private events such as weddings and special occasion celebrations such as birthday parties, anniversaries etc.
The Village Hall is a focal point for the community. It provides a vital, convenient, accessible and affordable venue for many activities and it is conveniently located within the village. This is really important to the local residents who would otherwise be deprived of these activities as Chebsey village is poorly connected to the surrounding area which makes it difficult to travel to alternative venues.
The ongoing aim is to continue to improve the hall so that it is an even more attractive and vibrant facility for the local community.
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Cheddleton Community Centre
Staffordshire
Our Community Centre was once the village school and is managed and owned by the Parish Council. It is a lovely building and we look forward to re-opening our facilities to help provide the heart of the village community in its various groups who use it and hope to attract new users in 2021.
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Cheddon Fitzpaine Memorial Hall
Somerset
Due to the pandemic we are presently only supporting a local special school. We are also ensuring all of the maintenance is up to date so we can open for our regular users, Dancing, Zumba, Yoga etc as soon as the Government allow.
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Chedworth Village Hall
Gloucestershire
Chedworth Village Hall, which was opened in 1976, replaced an old YMCA Hut that had served the village well since 1919. Our recently re-decorated spacious hall, with parking for 80 cars and free super-fast wifi has, frustratingly, been closed due to Covid restrictions. The wide variety of activities which would normally be taking place include dinners, talks, conferences, indoor games, especially table tennis, exercise and fitness classes. The large rear projection screen has enabled us to show films on a regular basis as well as live sporting events and live theatre. We are a popular venue for weddings and all events can be supported by the bar. It is therefore, disappointing that we have had to be closed to all users except the Pre-School which continues to run in its own rooms, and look forward to the time when we can open for business again.
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Chelmarsh Parish Hall
Shropshire
Founded in the 1930’s, the Hall has been the home for many local groups and the centre of village activities, including running the annual Fete for over 40 years. The challenge today is keeping the Hall relevant to villagers with changing lifestyles. We have an active Committee, and are working to make the Hall more energy efficient and cheaper to heat, so hire charges can be kept low.
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Chelmer Village Hall
Essex
Chelmer Village Hall is ideally situated in the heart of Chelmer Village and is home to many local clubs and organisations as well as a local pre-school. The hall is a Registered Charity run by a management committee on behalf of Springfield Parish Council.
The Hall has been extensively refurbished and is available to hire seven days a week. There is also a Committee Room available to hire, which is perfect for meetings or small groups and has it’s own small kitchen area. The main hall has a larger kitchen and there is also a bar available for hire.
The hall is situated in a pedestrianised area surrounded by local shops and backing onto a village green which gives this hall a real feeling of being part of the local community.
https://chelmervillagehall.co.uk/
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Cherhill Village Hall
Wiltshire
Prior to lock down the hall was a very busy place with activities, classes, clubs and groups, village events, theatre productions and parties filling almost every part of the diary. There was something for everyone and all ages from toddlers to lunch clubs for older folk. Lockdown has clearly changed all that but we are hopefully that we will get back to some kind of normality in the not too distant future. In the meantime we have been busy with hall maintenance jobs that were always tricky to schedule with so little free space in the diary.