Village halls across North Cumbria are under pressure and more support is needed from communities to safeguard them for future generations.
These public buildings, sitting at the heart of dozens of rural communities across the region, now face a range of challenges which threaten their future.
Attracting new groups and audiences, managing finances and ensuring there is a steady stream of supporters with the skills and energy needed to keep halls going, are just some of the issues faced by village hall committees.
Steven Oldfield, booking secretary at Threlkeld village hall, has been involved in its management for over 15 years. It has recently undergone a refurbishment, including the construction of a new extension, and is self-supporting financially, due to the success of its coffee shop, and events including live music performances. It also has regular groups and activities.
“Our main problem is finding trustees who are prepared to put a bit in,” says Steven. “We are constantly asking for more volunteers to come forward, because we are getting old. I am 75 now, and the lad that has just retired, he is 75! I used to go up on the roof, I still do occasionally, but I am getting past that now. We are looking for younger people to come forward.”
The hall closed in March, 2013, and re-opened the following year, after volunteers worked to rescue it. “It was old and cold,” said Steven. A local survey found there was support to keep the hall, so a committee was formed and fundraising began.
“We announce it every year at our AGM, if anyone is interested in helping out at the village hall. In fact they can help out without being a trustee, but if they want to go a bit further and become a member of the committee to have a say in how things are done and what we do, that is OK too.”
It’s also about having people with a range of skills, says Steven – IT, electrical, plumbing, management skills – but most importantly having newer people in place ready to take over the hall and steer it forward and who, in the meantime, can learn from the existing leadership about its workings.
Bob Provoncha, secretary at Skelton’s Toppin Memorial Hall, says a main challenge is finding new volunteers to come forward to manage the community facility.
“All the village halls and voluntary organisations have a really hard time getting people,” said Bob. “A lot of halls are struggling. It’s really hard to get trustees. You can get people to help on a one off basis, but to get permanent trustees is really, really difficult.
“The fact that post offices are going away and that sort of thing, all these things conspire against the village hall. It is so important, if you want to have meetings, events and social gatherings. Lots of local organisations meet here. They are very necessary things.” Skelton’s hall committee has dwindled in numbers in recent years. “I think that is very indicative of most village halls,” said Bob. “The people that run them are often older people, and it’s just hard to get newcomers sometimes.
“We welcome anybody to come up with ideas to do anything in the hall. We want to get the place used to its full potential.” He said the changing demographics of many villages can also be an issue.
“At one time, the village had a lot of shops, a blacksmith, various businesses, a petrol station, a village store and post office. The amenities fade away though, and increasingly the people in the village are much like me. They are from other places. There are probably people who live here who have never been to the hall.
“Years ago there would have been a Boxing Day dance, a farmers’ ball, all sorts of things. That stopped happening years ago. It’s changed, so we have to find other ways to get people involved.”
Skelton is always looking to introduce new activities, and has just launched a popular pickleball session. It benefits from its modern facilities, including a sports hall. The venue now has its own solar panel power source and a charging point for electric vehicles.
Carol Cutting, chair of Lazonby village hall, says its committee constantly has to look to the future and keep on top of challenges. “Our village hall is quite buoyant really, although everything costs more.
“We have had to do a lot of additional work ourselves as a committee to try to keep things going. It is energy costs primarily, and insurance. Village halls are such a valuable asset for our community.
“One of the hardest things is trying to get grant funding. It is so hard to find the time and get your ducks in a row.”
On 15th February, the hall will host a big village get-together, celebrating the groups that use it and inviting more volunteers to come forward.
“We are trying to get people together to see if we can get a bit more support.
“Like a lot of committees, we are a very small group and there is a limit to what we can do.
“There are five of us and I have been chair for just coming up to 16 years.
“It is about building up a network of people. We are looking for people to give us more support, and maybe start things. We could do with somebody maybe starting a youth club.
“Going forward we haven’t really got anybody new coming on board. The hall is not in crisis but we have got to look to the future.
“To keep villages alive, you have to understand, everything is run by groups of volunteers and if you want those services to continue it does require a commitment.
“We would like to feel that if one or two of us were to step down, then everything would not fall apart,” says Carol.
“On top of that we have to be really proactive to find ways to raise money and build community. What worked 20 years ago does not necessarily work now.”
Carol says their regular events are usually well attended and bring in funds, along with a successful cafe. The hall has benefited from upgrade and refurbishment, but more can be done, including improvements to parking.
Carol says its important to ‘love our village halls’. “It’s the spin off for the communities that make village halls such brilliant places. It is about getting more people on board and seeing what a great resource it is.”
