Village Halls Week this year runs from 17 – 23 March and will focus on celebrating, encouraging and supporting the army of volunteers who run rural community buildings. In this staff blog, Head of Business Services, Alison, who’s responsible for the delivery of our village halls advice service, takes a sneak peak at what you can expect.

I’m always excited for annual Village Halls Week as it’s a chance for the whole ACRE Network to come together and work to raise the profile of the amazing village halls and community buildings all over the country. There’s something very powerful about knowing that colleagues all over the country and working with the exact same goals and ambitions in mind.

This year, the ACRE Network hopes to use the campaign as an opportunity to spotlight the efforts of volunteers who keep these important venues open for the benefit of local residents, groups and rural businesses.

In England alone, it is estimated that over 80,000 people regularly volunteer their time with village halls, from those on management committees who oversee the day-to-day use of the building and its finances, to those who organise events and group activities for the benefit of the local community.

In Cambridgeshire, we’re putting a spotlight on the people who make village halls the beating heart of the community. From event organisers, to washer uppers, gardeners, accountants, delivery drivers and cake-bakers there’s no end to the variety of tasks volunteers are involved with. Without this army of helpers, community buildings would not be the glowing successes they are today.

During Village Halls Week we will be:

• Posting a number of blogs from our team focusing on the importance of village halls to rural Cambridgeshire; why you should volunteer at your local village hall; the challenges and celebrations of being a village hall volunteer; and why village halls should take part in the Hallmark accreditation scheme.
• Showcasing a series of social media posts using the hashtag #OurBrilliantVillageHall looking at the brilliant things village halls do for their community.
• Hosting a ‘Celebration and Thank You Event’ for trustees and volunteers on Tuesday 18 March 2025, from 10am – 2pm at Cottenham Village Hall. If you’re very quick, there’s still time to book your free place, if you haven’t already: book here.

I hope you will join me in celebrating. If you haven’t popped along to your local village hall recently, maybe just take this opportunity to drop in and take a look. I can guarantee you’ll be amazed at the activities that take place there.