The challenge
Worminghall Village Hall, leased to the community by the Diocese of Oxford since the 1950s, had been in need of substantial upgrades for decades. The last major renovation took place in the 1970s, and as part of a community consultation in July 2021, a number of crucial improvements were highlighted including:
- Easy access to the garden from the hall
- Kitchen restyling or refurbishment
- Creation of accessible toilets for individuals with disabilities
- Upgrading the women’s toilet block.
The solution
Responding to the community’s needs and concerns, the trustees and management committee of Worminghall Village Hall embarked on a review of potential improvements. After exploring various options, they devised a renovation plan that not only enhanced accessibility and inclusivity but also prioritised environmental sustainability. To promote eco-friendliness, the renovation plan incorporated the following measures in their new build extension:
- Restructuring external walls to minimise heating energy loss
- Replacing single-glazed windows with energy-efficient double-glazed windows to improve insulation
- Adding insulation to the roof for enhanced energy efficiency
- Installing modern low-usage water flush cisterns to reduce water consumption.
An estimate of £100,000 was agreed for the renovation work and the committee started to explore fundraising channels available to them, and they reached out to Community Impact Bucks for support under the Community Buildings Subscription Service.
Following a funding support session, Frankie, who heads Community Impact Bucks’ Community Buildings Service, sent guides on how to write a fundraising application, a guide to funding for village halls, and a comprehensive Bucks Funding Search funding report that provided details of suitable funding opportunities for the committee to explore. From this, the committee successfully secured funding from six sources including the Platinum Jubilee Village Hall Fund and their local Community Board.
Community Impact Bucks also supported the village hall with their application to the Platinum Jubilee Fund, offering a FAQ session and review of their application prior to submission as part of their role as member of Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE).
The result
With their determination and the support of expert guidance from Community Impact Bucks, Worminghall Village Hall successfully raised all necessary funds for the renovation project – raising an amazing £85,000 from six different funding sources, which added to the Committee’s own fundraising efforts of £15,000 from initiatives such as the Velo Café provided the £100,000 funds for the project.
Through these efforts, the hall will not only be made accessible and inclusive but also transformed into an eco-friendly hub that will serve the village for generations to come. This success story serves as an inspiration for other community halls looking to make a positive impact on their surroundings while going green.
“The project may well have become stuck to the drawing board if it wasn’t for the guidance on funding sources that Frankie and her team from Community Impact Bucks provided to the Trustees in the very beginning. In particular, great support and expert assistance was provided in putting together the Stage 1 and Stage 2 application documents for the DEFRA/ACRE Platinum Jubilee Village Hall Fund where a successful award of £18,000 was received.” – Bob Merry, Trustee – Worminghall Village Hall
Further information
- For more information on Worminghall Village Hall, visit the Worminghall Village Hall website.
- For more information on how Community Impact Bucks helps Buckinghamshire’s community buildings and village halls, go to our Community Buildings webpage. If you would like to speak to someone about your community building/ village hall, please email Frankie on info@communityimpactbucks.org.uk .
- For more information on running your organisation, go to our Charities and Groups webpage for a range of online resources and to see our range of practical workshops, visit our Training and events webpage.
