The Village Halls Podcast

Discover the secrets behind the extraordinary transformation of Great Whittington Village Hall with insights from Philip Hinchcliffe. This episode promises to reveal how a once cold and underused school building became a bustling, eco-friendly community hub. Philip shares the challenges they overcame, including raising funds for solar panels and a heat pump, which not only modernised the hall but also brought the community together like never before. Learn how this inspiring project turned the hall into a vibrant space, now hosting National Theatre Live productions and serving as an essential emergency hub.

The podcast focuses on Ellingham Village Hall and its journey from being an outdated, underused space to a vibrant community hub. The guests, Chris Stevenson and Gustav McLeod, share how they led the Village Hall Committee through extensive fundraising efforts, overcoming challenges like rising construction costs, opposition to demolishing the old hall, and navigating a tight budget. Key moments include:Community Support & Feedback: Despite some initial resistance, around 88% of the community supported the hall's rebuild, which was driven by surveys and in-person consultations.Fundraising & Partnerships: The team secured significant funds, notably from the National Lottery and local trusts, including creative fundraising efforts like crowdfunding and donations from community members.Construction Phases: The project was done in phases due to rising costs, with the team adjusting plans as needed. This incremental approach helped them gain additional funding, including for sustainable features like solar panels.Post-construction Success: The hall is now a thriving venue for a range of community events such as toddlers’ groups, art clubs, parties, and weddings. It’s also a "warm hub" in emergencies, providing shelter and power during extreme weather.Future Plans: The team is working on further improvements, such as expanding storage space to accommodate growing community needs.The podcast highlights teamwork, resilience, and the importance of a strong community spirit in bringing the project to life.

In today's episode, we’re talking about the North Moreton Village Hall, winners of the Village Halls Inspirational Awards 2023. We’re joined by Jo Nickless, who played a key role in their success. North Moreton stood out for their innovative approach, reaching out to the village digitally and receiving an overwhelming response from the community. Tune in to hear their inspiring story and how they brought their village together through technology.

In this episode of the Village Halls Podcast, Marc Smith introduces himself as the new host, taking over from Johnny, who has been the voice of the show since 2021. The episode reflects on the journey of the podcast, highlighting memorable moments, inspiring stories, and the important role village halls play in communities across the UK. Marc and Johnny discuss the impact the podcast has had on listeners and the unique insights gained from conversations with unsung heroes who keep village life vibrant. Tune in for an engaging conversation that honours the past while looking forward to the future of this vital community podcast.

Johnny and Gavin are back after several months away to announce the three winners of our 2023 Village Halls Inspiration Awards. Judging was incredibly challenging, but we managed to finally whittle all the entries we received down to three, and here are the winners of £1,000, £1,500 and £2,500 of vital funding for 2024...

Worminghall Village Hall in Buckinghamshire has attracted more than 20 volunteers and an enviable number of visitors thanks to a community business it's developed. Linda Hughes, who has entered their project into our Village Halls Inspiration Awards this year, tells us all about it...

You can now enter our Village Halls Inspiration Awards on line, with the chance of winning either £1,000, £1,500 or £2,500 in funding for your hall, courtesy of our show sponsors Allied Westminster. So what are you waiting for? Start thinking about who you know in your community, or what great work you've done that is inspirational, and simply tell us all about it...

Has your village, church or community hall delivered or achieved something that could inspire others around the country? If so, you could receive £1,000, £1,500 or even £2,500 in this year's Village Halls Inspiration Awards. Find out more...

There are many unsung heroes in villages across the UK and for this episode we celebrate with one of them, Joan Maxfield, our very first Unsung Hero Award winner. We also hear from Daphne Gwilliam, who nominated Joan for her award, and Simon Bland who led the judging...

How can you encourage young people to get involved at your Village hall? For this episode, Johnny is joined by Sue Lees and Netty Firman from the Stafforshire village of Grindon, who nominated 26 year-old Hannah Blissett for our Young Person’s Award last year. Hannah explains why she's so passionate about her village hall and community. Could someone like Hannah help your hall?

Internet connections in outlying villages are not often the best, but is having a super-fast network always a good thing? Our latest guest is Marc Smith, who is majorly responsible for an unbelievably fast connection being available in his remote village and elsewhere on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. Marc tells us how he and the community achieved this, and how there's also a bit of a downside.

Sharing old stories can often create a sense of belonging for those who live in small rural villages. Stuart Plant, Chairman of Middleton & Aislaby Village Hall joins us to talk about a book and a digital memory bank designed to preserve the past for future generations...

We look back at a few of our episodes from Season 2 and 2022, covering everything from community businesses to fancy-dress frivolity. Enjoy our round up of the year. Thanks to all of our guests who joined us in 2022 and special thanks to all of you who listened in. Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year everyone and see you in '23.

It's the one you've all been waiting for! Who are the winners of this year's Wonderful Villages Awards? Our judges have reached their decisions and Johnny is joined by two of the panel, Simon Bland from Rauceby Village Hall and Gavin Mitchell from Allied Westminster, to announce which five halls are to receive £1,000 in funding...

Almost a quarter of adults in the UK say they’ll be keeping their heating turned off this winter because of rising energy prices. So what can halls do to help? Lizzie Kingston from Framlingham Unitarian Meeting House tells us how they, together with a group of halls in Suffolk, are providing a warm welcome to those in need this winter...

Entries have now closed for our Wonderful Villages Awards, so what happens next? Johnny is joined by Gavin from Allied Westminster and Finn the dog, to keep village halls up and down the country up-to-speed with when and how our five winners of £1,000 each will be announced...

Energy costs have gone through the roof recently and this has presented a big challenge to community buildings up and down the country. However, one village hall has thought of a great idea that not only improves the efficiency of their heating system, but also makes it easier and more comfortable for anyone organising events there. Nick Cole from Shustoke explains how it all works...

Losing someone close to you is never easy.  However, when people come together to celebrate their life and remember them fondly it can help to ease some of the pain. Last year, the village hall in Croft-on-Tees became the centre-point of an event to remember a much loved member of their community who had sadly passed away far too early in life. One of the group who brought the entire village together was Richard Coates, who tells the sad but inspirational story of what happened.

Sadly, some village halls are no longer the big attraction they once were. So how can things be turned around? Andrew Ayers is a committee member at Irby & Bratoft Village Hall, where in the space of just a few years, the hall and village community have been thoroughly revitalised. Andrew openly discussed what he believes is the secret to any successful community hub...

Time is running out for the chance to win £1,000 for your village, church or community hall. The Wonderful Villages Awards programme recognises the incredible contribution village halls and other rural community buildings make across five categories. For this episode we briefly take you through these different categories and how to enter. This is a fantastic opportunity for your hall to gain recognition, share your achievements and stories and, of course, receive some funds to keep it all going. Good luck everyone!