Community Buildings

New COVID-19 Guidance March 2021

Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE) has prepared updated information to help volunteer management committees negotiate the latest easing of COVID-19 lockdown measures. Issue 9 of the‘Re-opening Village and Community Halls’ information Sheetsets out what village halls can and cannot do over the next few months as Covid-19 restrictions are eased. You can download this information here:

CLICK HERE

Hear from our members

It’s good to know that CCS is there to answer queries about procedure and legislation, vital to the day-to-day running of our hall.

Wendy Hobbs Committee Member

Become a Community Buildings Member

Membership includes:

• Friendly, independent and expert support for all your queries (first hour FREE).
• FREE access to OVER 90 specialist information sheets WORTH £680.
• Access to our private Facebook networking group
• Online access 24 hours a day in the ‘Members Only’ area of our website.
• Regular e-newsletters/bulletins
• FREE ENTRY into the nationally recognised Hallmark Quality Standard Scheme
• ££’s off training
• Full promotion and listing on our Community Building Locator.

New Safeguarding Guidance

Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE) has been awarded over £100k from the National Lottery Community Fund to promote good safeguarding practice to village and community halls throughout England.

CCS will be working to ensure that community hall management committees across Somerset have the knowledge and confidence to provide a safe environment for all.

Hand Sanitiser for Community Buildings

With community buildings reopening, CCS is working with Exmoor Distillery to supply discounted hand sanitiser to our member halls. This is clinical-grade sanitiser which is being supplied to frontline services across the county. Distribution is being arranged through our incredible network of Village Agents.

NEW 2021 Community Buildings Event Calendar

We have our first series for Community Buildings online events for 2021.

Topics:

Long Road out of Lockdown

Governing Documents: How and when to update them

Meetings and AGMS for Community Buildings

Incorporation for Community Buildings

& many more… sign up today

Government Restart grants from district councils. 

Don’t forget to keep an eye on your district council website for information about ongoing financial assistance for community buildings. The Restart Grant is available from April 1^st based on rateable value and the discretionary Additional Restrictions Support Grants remain available. Community Buildings should also receive 100% rate relief until 30th June 2021.

Mendip

Sedgemoor

Somerset West and Taunton

South Somerset

Sally Sargent, Community Buildings Adviser

Sally has a professional background in community development, working across the UK and in Africa. Raising a family in a Somerset village, she understands the vital role that community buildings play in supporting residents and bringing people together. She is a trustee of her local village hall and runs a community biodiversity project. In her spare time, Sally also enjoys portrait photography and gardening.

Robert Horn, Community Buildings Adviser

Robert is passionate about supporting Village Halls and the community events that go on in them. Coming from a background in Building Surveying, he has been advising Village Halls in several counties for 15 years. He has been a trustee for his local village hall and now manages a small community centre on a part-time basis. A founding trustee and volunteer for a recreational charity, he also enjoys making music and messing about with old cars in his spare time.