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Rushcliffe residents, does your Village need some Va Va Voom? – Apply now…
Rushcliffe residents, does your Village need some Va Va Voom? – Apply now…
Defra have announced that The Platinum Jubilee Village Hall Fund is open to applications.
Initial applications to the fund can be made until midnight 20 January 2023. Another window for applications is expected mid-February but the duration of this will depend on the value of unallocated funds remaining.
Do note: Grants are for capital improvements only, where projects aim to either upgrade, extend or improve facilities, or where capital items need to be purchased. They cannot be used for maintenance, repair or renewal work.
Please make sure you read through the fund criteria and guidance information before applying.
More details can be found here.
Voluntary organisations and community groups helping local residents can now apply for two new Local Community Fund (LCF) cost of living grants from Nottinghamshire County Council.
Open to groups who need a contribution towards their energy bills to help keep community centres/premises open
Open to groups helping those who are struggling to buy nutritious food
Groups can now apply for up to £5,000 from both grant funds before Sunday 29 January 2023.
For more information click here.
Save the date! Action with Communities in Rural England’s (ACRE) National Village Halls Week campaign takes place from the 23rd to the 29th January.
Village Halls Week is a national campaign, shining a spotlight on the contribution England’s 10,000+ village halls make to rural communities. It is an opportunity for hall management committees to celebrate their work and get inspiration from others.
ACRE’s sixth annual campaign will look at how village halls can provide warm, welcoming and inclusive spaces; something which is especially important as the country faces a cost-of-living crisis.
ACRE will be sharing inspiring stories online and encouraging halls to host open days during the week.
RCAN will be recognising Nottinghamshire’s Rural Community facilities by Hosting a FREE Network event on Thursday 26th January at North Muskham Rural Community Centre from 11am – 2pm. For more information email enquiries@rcan.org.uk
If you would like to join the campaign, you can register now to receive more information. Just click here.
RCAN has received funding from The National Lottery and Newark and Sherwood District Council to deliver their Talk Learn Connect project. Working with the management committees of Community Buildings and local stakeholders, Talk Learn Connect aims to encourage greater engagement from the local community through identifying a regular event which can bring everyone together.
If you feel your rural facility would benefit from this kind of support, please do get in touch using the contact details below.
Rural Community Action Nottinghamshire has helped secure over £150,000 worth of funds to help towards a new Village Hall for residents of Langar and Barnstone in Rushcliffe. The new Hall will replace Langar cum Barnstone Village Hall which was built over 100 years ago.
Thanks to successful grant applications written by RCAN, on behalf of the Trustee of the Village Hall. Tarmac Landfill Communities Fund and the Bernard Sunley Foundation have granted the Village Hall charity £140,000 and £15,000 respectively, towards the new village hall build.
The funds, coupled with a Public Works Loan and additional capital and generous support from Rushcliffe Borough Council, Nottinghamshire County Council and locally based businesses; John Deere, Skydive Langar and Merrivale Energy, have enabled Langar cum Barnstone Parish Council to give the go-ahead to the new build, with demolition of the current hall commencing in August and completion of the new hall by September 2023.
Jeff Fry, Chair of Langar cum Barnstone Parish Council commented: “We are incredibly grateful to RCAN for the support and guidance they have given us in helping raise funds for a new Village Hall, their support has been invaluable. The current hall was built in 1922 by the employees of The Barnstone Blue Lias Lime and Cement Co. (now TARMAC) to keep locals in work during the great depression. Sadly, time has taken its toll and the current hall is no longer fit for purpose. We are therefore thrilled that, thanks to the generous funding allocation from Tarmac Landfill Communities Fund, this local business, which is integral to the community, will once again be ensuring residents have a safe and welcoming space to come together, benefitting our community for generations to come.”
Langar cum Barnstone Village Hall is a busy facility utilised by a number of groups from across the community, including The Vale Market Community Café, 1st Barnstone Brownies, Belvoir Archers, Vale Ventures Entertainment Group, Mary Munford Dance Group, Vale Arts Group, and a yoga group. In addition, it is hired out for parish council meetings and birthday parties, it also hosts a mobile post office on a Tuesday. Thanks to support from the community, these groups will be hosted by the local primary school, church and Tarmac itself, whilst building works take place.
Jenny Kirkwood, Director at Rural Community Action Nottinghamshire commented: “Village Halls are the corner stone of Rural Communities. We are delighted that our fundraising expertise has enabled the parish of Langar cum Barnstone to secure a wonderful asset that will be enjoyed by the local community for years to come. RCAN appreciates how important these facilities are in enabling communities to come together to share, learn and celebrate. We can’t wait to see the new hall and look forward to its opening next year!”
RCAN has a bespoke Village Hall advisory service which is on hand to support village hall management committees and Town and Parish councils across the county. Offering not only fundraising expertise and guidance but support with policies and procedures, and advice on maintaining and upgrading facilities. Their Village Hall Advisor can also support committees in encouraging greater engagement and succession planning, ensuring these halls can continue to work hard for the communities they were built to support.
Ends…
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jenny Kirkwood, Director, RCAN, jkirkwood@rcan.org.uk | 0115 6975214
RCAN supports village halls and rural community buildings across Nottinghamshire in welcoming citizens displaced by the war in Ukraine. Through our network of village halls and parish councils, we can help signpost both hosts and guests looking for opportunities to engage with their local communities. For more information call us on 0115 6975800 or email enquiries@rcan.org.uk
If you are a village hall wanting more information on how you can welcome Ukrainian refugees that are being hosted in your local community, please click through to ACRE’s briefing for Village Halls here.
Alternatively, please get in touch with our Village Hall Advisor by emailing jcarterdavies@rcan.org.uk
ACRE has updated their December briefing with details of the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant.
Details of the new grant scheme to support the hospitality and leisure sector in England were announced on 31st December 2021, called the Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant (OHLG).
One-off grants are available to businesses and organisations on the rating valuation list (as with previous Hospitality and Leisure Grants). Village halls, scout halls and similar premises are included in the list of eligible leisure businesses/organisations at Annex A of the guidance to local authorities. Local authorities have discretion to make awards to other similar businesses/organisations not listed.
Grants are based on rateable value:
• Businesses/organisations with a rateable value of £15,000 or under on 30 December 2021 will receive £2,667.
• Businesses with a rateable value over £15,000 and less than £51,000 on 30 December 2021 will receive £4,000.
• Businesses with a rateable value of £51,000 or over on 30 December 2021 will receive £6,000.
Sections 22 and 23 of the guidance to local authorities explains that where premises are not used wholly for an eligible purpose an award should be based on the “main service principle”, whichever use forms 50% or more of the overall income. This may affect awards to halls which host a service such as a community shop or Pre-School in a defined
part of the premises. Those with a Social Club selling alcohol should be eligible as the Social Club would fall within the list of eligible hospitality businesses.
Decisions will be at the discretion of local authorities, which are expected to exercise reasonable judgement. All businesses will be required to self-certify that they meet all eligibility criteria and local authorities must verify the evidence provided as part of pre-payment checks.
It is expected that Local Authorities will provide local businesses with grant funding as soon as possible. The application closure date for this scheme is 28 February 2022. Grants cannot be awarded or offers issued after this date.
Further information can be found here.
Coronavirus Additional Restrictions Grant
The Additional Restrictions Grant scheme is again available to support businesses and organisations which do not quality for other forms of support such as the Hospitality and Leisure Grant. Church halls, Sports and Social Clubs which do not have a rating valuation of their own may be eligible. Grants are at the discretion of the local authority, to whom any enquiries should be directed. For more information see: Check if you’re eligible for the coronavirus Additional Restrictions Grant here.