New £3 million fund will support village hall improvement projects for over 100 village halls.
England’s village halls are set to benefit from a major new renovation fund launched by the Government to mark Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
At the heart of rural life and communities in North West Norfolk and across the country, village halls are home to fitness classes, coffee mornings, community groups, jumble sales, art clubs and post office services – even in the most remote of locations. They often provide the only place for a community to meet and socialise locally and are vital in tackling loneliness, providing a lifeline for those who can’t travel long distances.
The new £3 million grant fund will be a significant boost to rural communities with 125 village halls set to benefit, allowing vital modernisation and improvements to take place.
Bigger, brighter, contemporary spaces will encourage more people to make use of their village halls, and bring people together.
The Platinum Jubilee Village Hall Improvement Grant Fund will provide grant funding over three years (to 2025) to support capital improvement projects for village halls, such as installing Wi-Fi, extending buildings and modernising facilities.
The announcement today builds on previous Government support for village halls. Defra has supported the modernisation of village halls in England through the previous Village Halls Improvement Grant Fund (VHIGF). This fund, launched in 2019, supported projects to modernise 125 village halls, which together with other sources of finance enabled village hall improvements of over £17 million.
The Platinum Jubilee Village Hall Improvement Grant Fund will build on the success of the schemes to commemorate both Queen Victoria and King George, and demonstrate that almost 200 years on, we continue to build on the legacy of the monarchy, both past and present with another 125 village halls who will carry on this legacy.
Details on how the funding will be administered will be announced in due course.
