Northamptonshire’s village halls to be recognised for providing warm, welcoming, and inclusive spaces

Village Halls Week 2023 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 Northamptonshire 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 23 January will include open days at local halls and an engaging social media campaign that will include touching stories from users of community buildings.

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.

Frances Harris, Northamptonshire ACRE said, “Village halls make an incredible contribution to the lives of Northamptonshire’s rural inhabitants by providing an opportunity to meet, socialise and access important local services. Village Halls Week 2023 is a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge the hard-working volunteers who run these vital community assets.”

Northamptonshire ACRE provides support and advice to village halls across Northamptonshire. During Village Halls Week 2023, the charity will give community building volunteers the opportunity to help celebrate the week by attending a free online networking event. This will take place on Wednesday 25 January when Hallmaster will provide a demonstration of their online venue booking system.

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