Desperate communities thrown a lifeline
But the cash did not simply fall into the laps of hard-working village hall committees – it was unlocked through a £150,000 project launched three years ago by the Community Council for Devon (CCD).
And the windfall, paid out in scores of small amounts, has helped revitalise many communities where the pub, shop, post office and other facilities have been lost or are under threat.
In St Giles on the Heath, in West Devon, the village hall now hopes to host some post office services to compensate for a recent branch closure.
In Rattery, South Devon, village hall members used a grant of just £200 to set up a mini library where residents can meet, as well as borrowing books and videos.
And in Kelly, West Devon, upgrades including new central heating mean the hall can be used for a wide variety of activities all year round.
The project began with a Big Lottery Fund grant of £150,000 in 2005, which allowed CCD to employ access and awareness officer Penny Thame. She brought a wealth of fundraising experience to the role and worked closely with hall committees to guide them through unlocking funding from a range of sources including councils, the Regional Development Agency and the lottery.
Many used the money to ensure they fell into line with recent disability access legislation. Although the grants were already available, the complex application procedures meant many volunteers felt unable to claim, and many were unaware of the funds which can be tapped into.
The scheme encouraged village halls to be as diverse as possible and to think about creative new ways of maximising the space, such as hosting a shop or outreach health projects. Ms Thame also had a cash pot for grants of up to £250 for projects such as setting up clubs or groups. Rattery used it to buy shelves and books for the library. Others have bought crockery and cutlery for lunch clubs and functions, computer or music equipment or items such as footballs for a youth club.
Many of the schemes were relatively minor, but they mean that villagers now have a new outlet for social interacting, bringing the community closer together.
Those that have benefited are now attracting new users from a cross-section of society, breathing new life into neighbourhood relationships and forging understanding between young and old.
Ken Hamlyn, chairman of St Giles on the Heath village hall committee said: "The community is very proud of the changes in our village hall. People come from all around to visit. It really is the hub of the area. It's now used by people aged from one to 100."
And Raymond Brewer, from Kelly village hall in West Devon, said their transformed centre was "invaluable". "It's the only way to keep people together," he said. "Otherwise, you run the risk of becoming a dormitory village where people sleep and eat, but don't interact."
Jay Talbot, chief executive of CCD, said the project had helped village halls to adapt to a changing world.
He paid tribute to Ms Thame, saying: "She has had some extremely positive feedback about how things have moved forward. A lot of our halls are now heading in the right direction and we are now at the forefront of the whole country in terms of developing sustainable funding arrangements."
He added: "Everything is closing down in rural communities. Village halls have to remain strong, at the centre of community life."
One of the basic functions of the scheme was to carry out an access audit for village halls – a complicated procedure which is required to access improvement grants.
Ms Thame also ran a series of training courses to help unravel the complexities of the Disability Discrimination Act – legislation of which many halls were previously falling foul.
And a website, www.devonvillagehalls. com, has been set up to give easy access to people looking for a function venue.
The project, which ended this summer, has been hailed a resounding success. But Mr Talbot said work with various partners would continue. He said: "There's still a huge problem with capital funding for village halls. The amount of money available from the public purse to help them update has been shrinking and shrinking, while halls keep having new legal requirements to comply with."
He said CCD was in talks with Devon County Council to see if any of the money from the sale of Exeter Airport could go towards addressing the issue.
Peter Burton, of the Cornwall Rural Community Council, said the organisation regularly issued advice to village halls. "These halls are run by volunteers and the process of applying for funds is becoming increasingly complicated," he said. "They need as much support, help and advice as they can possibly get."
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