Village Halls Week is a timely reminder of the vital role that community buildings play in rural life – as places for connection, support, activity and local leadership. Throughout the week we shared a series of articles on our website highlighting the breadth of work taking place across Cambridgeshire’s community buildings and the people who run them.

A key focus of the week was our Annual Community Buildings Conference, held on 17 March, which brought together trustees, volunteers and partners from across the county. The event was designed to support those managing community buildings with practical learning, shared experience and space to step back from day‑to‑day pressures.

Our post‑conference evaluation confirms that this approach resonates. Delegate feedback shows very high overall satisfaction, with all respondents rating the conference either ‘Good’ or ‘Very good’. Workshops and case studies were widely valued for their relevance and practicality, particularly sessions focused on funding, marketing, compliance and energy.

What came through most strongly, however, was the value of peer connection. Delegates consistently highlighted the importance of meeting others facing similar challenges, comparing approaches and sharing solutions. Many reported leaving with clear next steps – from updating websites and rethinking volunteer recruitment, to commissioning energy audits or revising business plans – a strong indicator that learning is translating into action.

The evaluation also provided constructive insight into how we can strengthen future events, including building in more structured networking and ensuring accessibility and room set‑up support inclusive participation. These are refinements, not fundamentals – and they reflect an engaged, thoughtful audience invested in making community buildings work well.

Village Halls Week is about recognising that strength. It is not just the buildings themselves, but the people behind them, and the shared learning that helps rural communities to remain resilient.

 

In case you missed it, here’s our other Village Halls Week content:

• Building skills, confidence and stronger village halls: Cambridgeshire ACRE’s Head of Business Services, Alison Brown reflects on the vital role that ongoing learning plays in our wellbeing and in the strength of our community spaces.
• Community hubs in village halls – the Little Thetford story: Graham James, trustee at Little Thetford Village Hall tells the story of how their Community Hub has evolved to support the health and wellbeing of the whole community.
• Be active: how movement supports health & wellbeing – and the role our village hall plays: Julie Bampton from Ellesmere Centre in Stetchworth, talks about why their hall is a vital component in keeping local residents fit and well.
• Take notice: how cultural and creative activities in village halls enrich our wellbeing: John Mitchell, Trustee of Cambridgeshire ACRE and one the peers visitors for our Hallmark quality scheme, looks at how the cultural and creative activities that take place in the County’s village halls enrich our wellbeing.
• Celebrating the volunteers who keep our village halls thriving: Hayley Neal, Chief Executive of Cambridgeshire ACRE, celebrates and thanks the hundreds of volunteers across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, who keep the doors of our village halls and community buildings open.