12th January 2022
Local charity Rural Community Action Nottinghamshire (RCAN) to celebrate the County’s Village Halls whilst encouraging innovation for the future.
Community buildings across the county will be challenged to do something different as part of Village Halls Week 2022 and to make a pledge on social media.
RCAN will be raising awareness of the contribution village halls make to rural communities, as well as inspiring the volunteers who run them to get creative and enhance their offer to local residents.
#VillageHallsWeek is taking place from Monday 24 January to Sunday 30th January 2022. It will be the fifth incarnation of the popular national campaign which last year saw 800 halls complete an online ‘Domesday Book’, to mark 100 years since their foundation.
Nottinghamshire’s village halls are already doing a range of innovative things across the county. For instance, Gunthorpe village Hall has improved their payment system by going cash free with a card payment machine. South Muskham and Little Carlton Village Hall have continued to reduce their environmental impact by adding battery storage to their solar panels, helping save not only the environment but money too. Whilst Rempstone Village hall continues to offer hirers a comprehensive suite of recycling bins to help ensure waste ends up in the right place.
Jenny Kirkwood, Director at RCAN said, “We’re pleased to be supporting Village Halls Week which will be a celebration of everything that village halls can, or could do, to improve their offer to the local community. Along with Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE), RCAN continues to highlight the role and achievements of Village halls and community centres.
Whether combating loneliness by facilitating regular events for residents, like community cafes and art and craft groups, giving a home to nationwide organisations like the WI, British Legion, The Scouts Association and Girlguiding or supporting the self employed and local businesses who use these venues to run exercise classes and drama clubs. We must not underestimate the important role these facilities play in our communities. RCAN is proud to support Nottinghamshire’s Village Halls, in fact we have our very own in house 'Village Hall Advisor', who is on hand to help, advise and encourage hall committees to build, evolve, adapt and innovate for the future.”
This January, restrictions allowing, RCAN will be heading out on tour, as we visit Village Halls across the county to discover some of the great things these rural facilities do to ensure they remain the cornerstones of our communities. Whether they’ve been going the extra mile by putting on new activities and services for residents, taking action on climate change or taking steps to become more financially resilient. Along with other members of the ACRE Network, RCAN will be celebrating these pioneering halls and challenging others to make pledges to get similarly creative”. Be sure to follow us on Social Media and join our tour virtually!
#VillageHallsWeek on Twitter @RCAN_news Facebook @RCANotts or on Instagram @rcanotts If your Village Hall committee would like to get involved with the campaign or if you would like to access support for your hall. You can call RCAN on 0115 6975800 or drop them an email to enquiries@rcan.org.uk