Sponsored by:

Community Insurance

Helping village halls provide warm, welcoming and inclusive spaces for all, with tailored insurance packages underwritten by Zurich.

Village Halls Week 2023 in Wiltshire and Swindon is sponsored by Community Insurance, which offers specialist insurance for village halls and community buildings. Our policies, underwritten by trusted provider Zurich Municipal, offer comprehensive insurance for village halls locally and nationally. All profits generated through the service are reinvested back into local communities.

For more information and a free no obligation quote email: communityinsurance@communityfirst.org.uk

Village Halls Week is a national campaign organised by Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE), in support of thousands of village halls and community buildings in England. This year, #VillageHallsWeek23 will celebrate the many ways these volunteer-run rural community buildings support local residents, groups and businesses, particularly during difficult times.

As the country endures a cost-of-living crisis, rural communities have come to rely on the humble village hall as a place to keep warm, access basic services and socialise without the expense of travelling elsewhere.

Halls across Wiltshire and Swindon will be taking part in the national campaign week, showcasing what they are doing for their community, and the opportunities they provide to people locally that would not otherwise exist.

Activities beginning Monday 23rd January 2023 will include open days at local halls and an engaging social media campaign that will include touching stories from users of community buildings. Village Halls Advisor Helen Akiyama will be live on BBC Radio Wiltshire with a number of halls and buildings who are hosting open days as part of the campaign. Community First will also be actively sharing content relating to local village halls throughout the campaign week.

Research conducted by Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE), who organise the annual campaign, found that in 60% of countryside areas, community buildings are the only place for local people to socialise.

Aside from hosting a wide range of social and recreational activities for residents, they also host vital services such as post offices, doctors’ surgeries and convenience shops, whilst supporting an estimated 50,000 people whose livelihoods depend on use of these buildings.

Helen Akiyama said:

“Village halls and community buildings in Wiltshire and Swindon are a vitally important local meeting space for people to come together and offer a warm, welcoming and inclusive space for hundreds of activities and events every week. We have a varied programme of events happening throughout Village Halls Week and look forward to sharing some of the interesting activities on offer at local village halls.”

Community First provides support and advice to village halls in Wiltshire and Swindon through the Wiltshire Village Halls Association Network. During Village Halls Week 2023, the charity will be meeting local hall representatives, sharing facts/figures from our recent energy survey and sharing more information about the important role village halls are playing in bringing disabled and non-disabled people together to be more active.

Village Halls Week takes place from Monday 23rd to Sunday 29th January 2023.

 

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Notes to editors

Media contact: Ellie Ewing (eewing@communityfirst.org.uk)

Village Hall management committees are advised to visit the Community First website for information about activities and events locally: www.communityfirst.org.uk

ACRE’s website also provides guidance and resources to help village halls get involved in the campaign.

Community First is a registered charity (288117) which supports vibrant communities and brighter futures for the people who live and work in Wiltshire and Swindon.  It is a member of the ACRE Network, England’s largest rural grouping of community support charities which together reach over 35,000 community groups annually, and lever in over £34 million each year in support of initiatives that equip people with the knowledge, skills, and connections needed to improve their local community.