Practical support to help your village hall thrive

 

Community buildings are the lifeblood of our villages. They are places where people meet, celebrate, and come together in times of need. But we know that managing these buildings can sometimes be challenging. Trustees and volunteers are juggling rising energy costs, ageing facilities, recruitment pressures and time constraints.

That’s where our Futureproofing Cambridgeshire’s Community Buildings project comes in.

This hands-on programme is designed to give village halls and community spaces across Cambridgeshire the tools, confidence, and connections they need to thrive. Whether you are a long-standing management committee or a trustee just getting started, we are here to help.
Futureproofing Cambridgeshire’s community buildings advice service is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund with match funding provided by Defra and through members’ subscriptions.

What’s on offer

We have built a flexible, practical programme based on what local trustees told us they need. It includes:

Sustainability support and free energy audits

Energy costs remain one of the biggest concerns for village halls. That’s why we are offering a fully funded energy audit to eligible community buildings in Cambridgeshire.

Each audit includes:

• A visit from our specialist energy advisor
• A clear report with practical recommendations
• Support to apply for grants or implement changes

 

Over the next 3 years we aim to deliver 50 audits for community buildings in Cambridgeshire, saving energy, improving the facilities and reducing carbon emissions.

Alongside this, our new Sustainability Advice Service offers support on:

• Choosing energy-efficient upgrades
• Reducing carbon footprint
• Improving heating, lighting and insulation
• Planning for long-term environmental resilience

 

Events and training

We run regular events across the year, both in person and online. These are mostly free to attend and open to anyone involved in running a community building.

Every session is designed to be practical, friendly and easy to follow. We make time for questions and for people to chat and connect with others doing the same work.

Peer mentors

Our peer mentors are trained volunteers with years of experience managing community halls, they are available to offer practical, one-to-one support. Whether you are reviewing your hall’s policies, planning a refurbishment, applying for funding, or simply feeling stuck, a peer mentor can help you work through it.

District forum pilots

We are piloting two local networking forums in Fenland and South Cambridgeshire, to bring together trustees and volunteers who run village halls and community buildings.

These forums are designed to be informal, supportive spaces where people can share experiences, ask questions, and learn from one another. Each session is hosted in a village hall and led by the group.

Cambridgeshire ACRE’s Lisa Chambers (Village Halls Advisor) and Oli Bachini (Sustainability Advisor) are on hand to support the groups, helping to support with discussion topics, bring in relevant expertise when required, and ensure everyone has the opportunity to link with peer mentors in their area. Their role is to support, not to lead, making space for trustees to take ownership of their group.

These pilots are helping us understand what an ongoing, locally driven network might look like. The long-term aim is to build a structure that’s community-led, easy to sustain, and continues to offer support and inspiration well beyond the life of this project.

Guided by local voices

The Futureproofing Community Buildings project is shaped and steered by a dedicated group of people who know village halls inside out. Our Steering Group includes experienced hall trustees and representatives from our trustee board along with our officer team.

We meet quarterly to review progress, highlight emerging needs, and ensure the support we offer remains practical, relevant and rooted in real-world experience.

“It’s so important this project is shaped by people who understand what it’s really like to run a village hall. That’s what makes it work.” – Hayley Neal, Chief Executive and Chair of the Steering Group

The members of the Steering Group have already helped us to:

• Shape the peer mentoring approach
• Choose relevant event topics
• Develop the pilot forum model
• Make sure the energy audits are tailored to community buildings, and meet the needs of trustees

We are grateful for their time, care and commitment in helping us support halls right across Cambridgeshire.

Why this matters

This project is about more than just saving money or improving buildings. It’s about making sure our community spaces can stay open, welcoming and sustainable for future generations.

By working together, sharing knowledge and offering support at the right time, we can help village halls and community centres to thrive.

How you can get involved

If you help run a community building in Cambridgeshire, you can:

• Request a peer mentor to support you
• Attend a local forum meeting
• Speak to our Sustainability Advisor
• Come along to a networking event
• Get advice from our Village Hall Advisor

We work with you to find the right support, in a way that suits your committee’s time and capacity.

How do I get in touch?

You can complete our simple online contact form and one of our team will get back in touch with you.

For general community buildings advice, please contact Lisa Chambers, Community Development Officer, on 01353 865048 or email lisa.chambers@cambsacre.org.uk.

If you are interested in sustainability advice for your community building, please contact Oli Bachini, Sustainability Advisor, on 01353 865039 or email oli.bachini@cambsacre.org.uk.