| The annual campaign is set to return next March on the theme of celebrating, encouraging and supporting the army of volunteers who run rural community buildings. |
| Village hall groups across the UK are being encouraged to put 17-23 March 2025 in their diaries by Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE). The charity hopes to use the week as an opportunity to spotlight the efforts of volunteers who keep these important venues open for the benefit of local residents, groups, and rural businesses. In England alone, it is estimated that over 80,000 people regularly volunteer their time with village halls, from those on management committees who oversee the day-to-day use of the building and its finances, to those who organise events and group activities for the benefit of the local community. A facility has been set up on ACRE’s website that village hall groups can use to register their interest in the campaign, receive news and updates as well as resources to help them get involved. ACRE’s Village Halls Manager, Deborah Clarke said, “Village Halls Week has come a long way since we first trialled it as a way of raising an awareness of rural community buildings in 2018. Our last campaign which focused on what halls could do to ‘go green’ was a hit and resulted in a real buzz of activity on social media, over 200 local events, and a good deal of media coverage. We hope even more groups will want to get involved in 2025 as this will be an opportunity to celebrate, encourage and support the people who volunteer their time and make these community buildings such special places.” 2025 will be the first time the campaign is being actively supported outside of England with Scottish Rural Action (SRA) extending opportunities to village halls north of the border. Christine Fairbairn from SRA said, “Everyone who has helped run a village hall knows how vital the building, and everything that goes on within it, is to their community’s survival. It is a remarkable contribution volunteers make, frequently against the odds, fuelled by laughter, ingenuity, determination and thousands of cups of tea. We are very excited to partner with ACRE to bring Village Halls Week to Scotland and celebrate both the halls themselves, and the volunteers that keep them going.” Thanks to sponsorship from Utility Aid, rural community buildings in both countries are being offered free resources including bunting, badges and posters to help them hold local events and draw attention to their good work. Emily Berry, Partnerships Manager at Utility Aid said, “It’s a pleasure to collaborate with the ACRE Network to celebrate Village Halls Week 2025. We understand the importance of Village Halls and Community Buildings and the extensive economic and social benefits they bring. Utility Aid will always support rural Community Buildings to become greener and save time and money on their energy provision.” Groups in England and Scotland are advised to register their interest in the campaign by Tuesday 10 December at the latest to request the free merchandise, which is being offered on a first come, first serve basis. Register and get involved here. |
