Community Buildings
Community buildings, such as village halls, town halls, church halls and community centres, are at the heart of our communities in Somerset. CCS offers a friendly, independent service providing local expert advice and practical support to volunteers managing these facilities.
If you have questions about running a community hall, have just stepped up to be a hall trustee, or need help expanding the work you’re already doing – or for anything else – feel free to contact Sally Sargent, our Community Buildings Officer. We look forward to hearing from you!

NEW Environmental Future Proofing your Community Building
We have a wide range of resources on making environmental improvements to community buildings, which will support your facility on its carbon reduction journey:
- information sheets
- case studies
- events
- and useful links.

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 and events
- Full promotion and listing on our Community Building Locator.
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.

CCS and ACRE have joined forces with the energy broker Utility Aid. Utility Aid is the largest energy broker for the not-for-profit sector in the UK, offering bespoke services for community buildings. Utility Aid have created this short video to explain how they can help halls reduce their running costs and how to sign up for their services.
Get in touch with your local adviser
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.
Contact
sallys@somersetrcc.org.uk
Call
07946 461560
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.
Contact
robert@somersetrcc.org.uk
Call
07931 871375
Join our members’ Facebook Group
Our Community Buildings Members’ Facebook Group is a new forum for trustees to ask questions and share ideas with each other.
Learn more