Village Halls in Ryedale hailed as an inspiration ahead of Village Halls Week

With more and more changes to technology and the way we live, village halls across North Yorkshire are working hard to make sure they’re not left behind.

Many village halls are already doing innovative things.

Some, like Hovingham village hall in Ryedale, have installed electric vehicle (EV) charging points to cater for residents who don’t have the opportunity to charge their cars off the street.

Others are getting creative on a smaller scale but making equally important contributions to their community.

Leah Furniss, a development officer at Community First Yorkshire, said: “It’s been inspirational hearing about village halls like Hovingham.

"They really wanted to embrace new technology and support their community’s ambitions to be more environmentally friendly by installing an electric vehicle charging point.

"We’ve captured their experiences in a podcast to encourage other village halls to follow in their footsteps.

"Our team can support halls with every step of the process, from consulting with the community on what they would like, to helping them find and apply for funding to make their dreams a reality.”

Terrington and Hovingham Village Halls in Ryedale have installed EV charge points, solar panels and energy audits to become more environmentally friendly.

Community First Yorkshire, the Rural Community Council for North, South and West Yorkshire, will be raising awareness of the contribution village halls make to rural communities this #VillageHallsWeek,which runs from Monday January 24 to Sunday January 30.

It also aims to inspire the volunteers who run them to get creative and improve their offer to local residents.

The popular national campaign gives village halls and community venues the chance to showcase how they are at the heart of their local communities.

This year the focus is on innovating for the future.

During Village Halls Week, trustees from across North, South and West Yorkshire are invited to meet Community First Yorkshire’s community buildings. This is your opportunity to find out more about how we can support you and your hall. The virtual event on January 26 is open to all.

Jane Colthup, Chief Executive at Community First Yorkshire, said: “Village halls are often the beating heart of a community and this week gives us a chance to applaud the contribution they make."

For further information about how we can support your village hall get in touch [email protected] or call 01904 704 177. You can also visit our website to find support for your community building.

You can also visit the website of ACRE (Action with Communitires in Rural England) for more information about the campaign, along with ideas to get involved.