Community Spaces Partnership – futureproofing village halls
10th Jan 2025
A £1.5 million programme to futureproof village halls has successfully supported 39 community spaces to be upgraded across Northumberland, Durham and Cumbria over the past two years.
The National Lottery Community Fund supported the establishment of the Community Spaces Partnership in April 2023 with Community Action Northumberland (CAN), Action with Communities in Cumbria (ACT) and Durham Community Action (DCA). The three charities have come together in partnership to futureproof village halls and community spaces, building upon a 3 year pilot in each rural area.
The Partnership commissioned capital investment to improve these community spaces with the aim of achieving long term sustainability and net-zero improvements whilst supporting these communities to address barriers.
The sustainability journey of 150+ halls has been supported by project workers who have given information, advice and guidance to become capital funding ready. There has also been access to energy audits and feasibility commissions.
Examples of some of Northumberland’s Community Space projects include:
- Installing solar panels and battery storage at Hexham Community Centre.
- Purchase of a generator and installation of new toilets at Matfen Village Hall.
- Improving insulation, energy efficient lighting and fitting thermal blinds at Stamfordham Village Hall and Sports Pavillion.
- Small extension for storage area and batteries for solar panels at Etal Village Hall.
- Ground Source Heat Pump installation and internal and external LED lights at Shilbottle Community Hall.
- New accessible, energy efficient toilets at Matfen, Felton and Hepple Village Halls.
- New energy efficient kitchen, double glazed windows and LED sensor lighting at Dalton Village Hall.
- Insulation to the external kitchen walls, electrical improvements, kitchen re-fit for Chatton Village Hall.
- Roof insulation and ceiling re-varnish at Acklington Village Hall (pictured at top).
The National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise (NICRE) is evaluating the impacts of partnership to support communities to achieve resilience, cohesion and transition to Net Zero.
All the community spaces have highlighted the positive impact the new facilities have had on those using their buildings and the environment. This includes comments that the buildings are warmer, lighter, brighter, fresher and a pleasure to use. At Etal Village Hall the Yoga and Pilates instructors have said they now have a better space for classes. Others said “Everything is accessible and in one place, the hall is nice and tidy’”
A trustee from Matfen Village Hall said:
“From the go, we understood how the programme worked. I learned to say, “I am the chairperson of Matfen Village Hall and we have the money to spend now”, otherwise we would not have got a contractor.
“More people have now wanted to get involved with the hall because they have seen that we make improvements and can get funding. Really good feedback from hirers has also made trustees feel more confident and wanting to continue to update the hall.”
A Chatton Village Hall trustee said:
“Everything was easier having a person sat beside Trustees at the beginning of the project. This help with planning showed us what was expected from the project and gave us the understanding so we didn’t need any help delivering the project.
“Showing us what the funder needed gave us real understanding to explain how villagers would benefit from the new kitchen.
“We did not realise that having a new kitchen shortly after the new playground opened would mean so many more children’s parties and family functions.
“Getting Lottery funding for the new kitchen, delivering the project on time and on budget made us feel confident to continue to develop our hall. Toilets and the roof are our next projects.”
The Community Spaces Programme will run until March 2025, giving halls information, support and investment. It is hoped this pilot will develop into similar partnerships in the future across the UK.
For further details contact:
Tracey Morgan, Village Halls Community Development Officer
traceymorgan@ca-north.org.uk
