‘Traditional village hall still underpins community life’
Edited by Andy Porter: Use of England’s rural community–owned buildings has trebled since 1988, according to the research in ACRE’s 2009 national survey of rural community buildings. The findings acknowledge the success of volunteers and the buildings they manage in supporting local action and service delivery.The 9,000 halls represent the largest network of community–owned facilities in the country with a total asset value of over £3 billion. According to the report they are a crucial but largely hidden aspect of community empowerment, and many have proved ‘hard–to–reach’ in efforts to support their sustainability. Although there are significant success stories to tell, the future for most is quite fragile.
The survey responses from 2,355 rural community buildings shows that volunteers contributed 18.5 hours per week on average to run their halls and that this volunteer support was the most significant factor in whether the halls were able to sustain themselves financially. Only three per cent of halls received regular funding from their local authority. The remainder generating their income through hire charges, services and fundraising support from the local community and parish councils.
The survey also includes feedback on the valuable support service provided by the Rural Community Action Network to volunteers managing the halls; 83 per cent of hall committees seeking their advice had rated it good or excellent.
Commenting on the national research, Cambridgeshire ACRE’s chief executive, Kirsten Bennett said: “We know that managing and financing Cambridgeshire’s network of community facilities falls almost entirely to local volunteers. The traditional village hall still underpins much of community life in Cambridgeshire’s rural areas. These community spaces are vital for supporting local democratic participation and in helping those most in need because of lack of transport with which to access more distant services.
“We know from the increasing take-up of our community facilities advice service that Cambridgeshire's halls, in common with halls all over the country, need appropriate external advice and support if they are to remain viable. We will continue to raise awareness of crucial role that community–owned assets perform for local people".
To read the full report visit Cambridgeshire ACRE online at: www.cambsacre.org.uk.
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