21st Century Community Halls Project Update

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As we enter the third year of the 21st Century Community Halls Project, we are pleased to share the progress we’ve made. It’s been a busy and productive period, and we are excited about the work ahead.

Consultations and Reports
We’ve completed consultations and reports with several halls, including Hampstead Norreys, Leckhampstead, Holyport, and Hampstead Marshall, bringing the total number of consultations to 55. If your hall would benefit from a consultation or follow-up meeting, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with David.Jennings@ccberks.org.uk

New Partnership with NICRE
We’ve partnered with the National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise (NICRE) to enhance the project. We’re currently in the setup phase, working on an impact measurement framework, establishing ways of working, and planning for wider stakeholder engagement.

Training and Support for Halls
We continue to offer training sessions tailored to support halls in developing and executing action plans. After attending training in 2024, many halls are now working on their business plans to ensure long-term sustainability, apply for grants, and maintain a vibrant future.

What to Expect from a Consultation
Each consultation involves a detailed visit to your hall, during which we review over 120 questions across seven key areas:

  • The Building and the Organisation
  • Sustainability
  • Environment
  • The Fabric of the Building
  • Energy
  • Accessibility

Following the review, we provide a comprehensive report and a pack of supporting materials for your hall’s management team. After considering the findings, we ask trustees to draw up an action plan focused on the key areas to address. The CCB team is here to assist with advice and guidance to help turn these plans into successful projects.

If your hall hasn’t yet had a consultation, please reach out to schedule one. Thanks to the generous support of The National Lottery Community Fund, this service is FREE.

We look forward to supporting your hall’s journey towards a brighter future!

Have you heard about our 21st Century Community Halls project?

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We’re one year into our five-year project – do you know what makes a 21st Century Community Hall?

We’ve just completed year one of our five-year 21st Century Community Halls project and boy has it been a busy one! So far 38 of our 80 member halls have been visited for a face-to-face audit with many lined up for visits in early 2024. Over the next four years we will also be reaching out to volunteers who run rural halls not in our network to better understand their needs and engage them in this project.

So what is a ’21st Century Community Hall’ – find out by watching the video above with great examples of how we define one and what makes a good one.

Want to find out more?

We’re running a 21st Century Community Halls Conference on Thursday 25th January 2024. This will provide a fantastic opportunity for you to network with and share issues/solutions with other trustees and individuals who run halls from across Berkshire. In the afternoon we will be looking at how our community buildings can proactively work towards a low-carbon future. Learn how to calculate both financial and carbon savings by making environmental improvements/changes. Book your place below;

NB – Any non-member halls that book and later sign up for Community Buildings Advice Service Membership will have the cost of a ticket taken off their annual membership fee.

Register on Eventbrite