Rural Community Action Nottinghamshire has helped secure over £150,000 worth of funds to help towards a new Village Hall for residents of Langar and Barnstone in Rushcliffe. The new Hall will replace Langar cum Barnstone Village Hall which was built over 100 years ago.
Thanks to successful grant applications written by RCAN, on behalf of the Trustee of the Village Hall. Tarmac Landfill Communities Fund and the Bernard Sunley Foundation have granted the Village Hall charity £140,000 and £15,000 respectively, towards the new village hall build.
The funds, coupled with a Public Works Loan and additional capital and generous support from Rushcliffe Borough Council, Nottinghamshire County Council and locally based businesses; John Deere, Skydive Langar and Merrivale Energy, have enabled Langar cum Barnstone Parish Council to give the go-ahead to the new build, with demolition of the current hall commencing in August and completion of the new hall by September 2023.
Jeff Fry, Chair of Langar cum Barnstone Parish Council commented: “We are incredibly grateful to RCAN for the support and guidance they have given us in helping raise funds for a new Village Hall, their support has been invaluable. The current hall was built in 1922 by the employees of The Barnstone Blue Lias Lime and Cement Co. (now TARMAC) to keep locals in work during the great depression. Sadly, time has taken its toll and the current hall is no longer fit for purpose. We are therefore thrilled that, thanks to the generous funding allocation from Tarmac Landfill Communities Fund, this local business, which is integral to the community, will once again be ensuring residents have a safe and welcoming space to come together, benefitting our community for generations to come.”
Langar cum Barnstone Village Hall is a busy facility utilised by a number of groups from across the community, including The Vale Market Community Café, 1st Barnstone Brownies, Belvoir Archers, Vale Ventures Entertainment Group, Mary Munford Dance Group, Vale Arts Group, and a yoga group. In addition, it is hired out for parish council meetings and birthday parties, it also hosts a mobile post office on a Tuesday. Thanks to support from the community, these groups will be hosted by the local primary school, church and Tarmac itself, whilst building works take place.
Jenny Kirkwood, Director at Rural Community Action Nottinghamshire commented: “Village Halls are the corner stone of Rural Communities. We are delighted that our fundraising expertise has enabled the parish of Langar cum Barnstone to secure a wonderful asset that will be enjoyed by the local community for years to come. RCAN appreciates how important these facilities are in enabling communities to come together to share, learn and celebrate. We can’t wait to see the new hall and look forward to its opening next year!”
RCAN has a bespoke Village Hall advisory service which is on hand to support village hall management committees and Town and Parish councils across the county. Offering not only fundraising expertise and guidance but support with policies and procedures, and advice on maintaining and upgrading facilities. Their Village Hall Advisor can also support committees in encouraging greater engagement and succession planning, ensuring these halls can continue to work hard for the communities they were built to support.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Jenny Kirkwood, Director, RCAN, jkirkwood@rcan.org.uk | 0115 6975214
