Community Buildings

• Information Sheets: view the full list of available information sheets via the ACRE Publication Order Form Feb 2022. These are free to all Community Building Subscribers by email.  A copy can be requested by emailing at info@communityimpactbucks.org.uk or calling 01844 617218.
• Model documents: these template documents are produced with expert input from solicitors specialising in charity law and are free to all Community Building Subscribers by email. A copy can be requested by emailing info@communityimpactbucks.org.uk or calling 01844 617218. Model documents include:
  • Model hiring agreement
  • Occupational licence (including a version to use with pre-schools)
  • Lease of land and trust deed
  • Transfer of freehold land and trust deed
  • Charitable Incorporated Organisation model constitution for a village hall (with template lease or land transfer document)
  • Articles of Association for a village hall

We can help with finding grants and other funding opportunities to enable you to maintain and improve your community hall or centre:

• Download our Guide to Community Buildings Funding
• Find out more on our Funding page and our Local Funding Opportunities

It’s sometimes said that village hall charities do not have much responsibility for ensuring people using the venue are safe from harm, because that is up to the organisers of all the different activities that take place in halls.  Obviously, it is true that hirers have a key role in ensuring (as best they can) the safety and wellbeing of their participants, but the village hall committee has an important role too.

Guidance and information leaflets:

• ACRE guidance: ACRE, our national partner charity, has revised its safeguarding guidance booklet and model policy as part of a  project funded by the National Lottery Community Fund.  This booklet is part of a library of resources available to community buildings in Buckinghamshire.  Please email Frankie Hockham to receive the booklet.
• Charity Commission guidance: read the Commission’s guide, Safeguarding duties for charity trustees.
• Disclosure and Barring Service leaflets: the DBS produces a range of guidance leaflets,  of particular relevance is ‘Working with adults in the charity sector’ and the equivalent leaflet regarding children.
• DBS eligibility checker tool: check out this essential tool on the main DBS guidance page.

Safeguarding training opportunities and local contacts:

• Training for those working with children: view NSPCC’s training and resources for those working with children (i.e. under-18s)
• Safeguarding Adults: find out more information about safeguarding adults courses with Ann Craft Trust.
• Reporting concerns: Buckinghamshire organisations should report any concerns about the welfare of a child or adult on 01296 387146 or to the Police if someone is in imminent danger. Specific links for children and adults are below:
  • Children partnership (someone aged 17 or under)
  • Adults Board (someone aged 18+)
  • More information can be found on our safeguarding webpage.

• Facebook Group: we provide an online discussion forum on Facebook for members to ask each other questions and share ideas and experiences.  Email info@communityimpactbucks.org.uk or call 01844 617218 if you would like to join the closed group.
• Community Buildings Zoom Sessions: we run regular online events where you can meet and share ideas with other people running community halls and centres. These sessions are your opportunity to discuss and share information on everything related to community buildings with other management committees in Bucks.
  For future sessions we would like to focus on key topics of interest.  Please can you let us know what topics you would like to see covered at future sessions?  Email your suggestions to info@communityimpactbucks.org.uk 
• Local Voluntary Sector Networks: if you would like to the opportunity to network with other organisations in Buckinghamshire, Community Impact Bucks is hosting a series of online forums for Bucks-based charities, voluntary and community groups, and social enterprises to share information and collaborate on the local issues that matter most. These free forums – Local Voluntary Sector Networks – provide an informal space where not-for-profit organisations can discuss local needs and explore opportunities for change in local communities. Find our more on our Local Voluntary Sector Network.
• Training:  for training opportunities, please visit our events page.

Community Impact Bucks has received many enquiries from halls about reducing energy costs. A simple and effective way to do this is to use an energy broker to check you are on the best tariffs.

Community Impact Bucks has chosen to partner with Utility Aid* as it specifically works with village and community halls and has worked with ACRE (our national body) for several years. If you use the Utility Aid service, Community Impact Bucks will receive a small commission which helps fund our work.

How to work with Utility Aid

1. Go to our unique page on Utility Aid’s website by clicking on Utility Aid’s contact form.
2. You will be offered the following:
   • A free desktop audit which will identify any discrepancies on invoices including consumption fluctuations, inaccurate billing, incorrect VAT, incorrect tariff, general anomalies.
   • Bespoke tailormade quotations centred around your organisations usage, budget, and appetite for risk
3. If you decide to proceed with one of the offers available, Utility Aid will carry out the switching process for you. Once your contract is in place you will receive full account management, query resolution and invoice validation for the duration of contract

When contacting Utility Aid, please use the reference “Community Impact Bucks” and let us know about your experience. If you have any queries please contact  Frankie Hockham,  our Village Halls Adviser or Emily Berry, Utility Aid’s Partnership Manager.

Web: https://www.utility-aid.co.uk/contactform/communityimpactbucks
Phone: 0808 1788 170
Email: eberry@utility-aid.com

*There is no obligation to use Utility Aid. There are over 70 energy brokers in the UK; it is important to find an energy broker that suits your needs and offers the services you require. Find a list of energy brokers: https://ukbusinessenergy.co.uk/energy-brokers-consultancy/

More information

If you are interested in learning more about Utility Aid and the services it offers to village and community halls, have a look at a recording of a recent event where the Utility Aid team talk about how they can help you reduce your energy costs. You can access the recording by visiting How to manage rising energy cost with Utility Aid Webinar.

• Help to improve heating: watch the video to find out how the Community Buildings Service at Community Impact Bucks helped to support Frieth Village Hall with its heating project.
• Tackling the rise in cost of living: read how Bierton Parish Council created a warm, welcoming and inclusive space to help residents with rise in cost-of-living
• Creating an outdoor hub: read how Ashley Green created an outdoor community hub that could cater for all its residents to allow their community to meet and overcome social isolation.
• Governance support: read how the Buckinghamshire Community Buildings Service helped the Hall’s management committee with their governance queries.