Advice and Information Service

CCD offers a wide variety of services to village halls which include: support, training and information about funding, current legislation, governance, sustainability or other topics specific to community buildings.  The CCD community buildings advice service provides an opportunity to network with other village halls in Devon, administers a capital works grant scheme, provides particular advice on disability access and social enterprise initiatives and there is a consultancy service on request [Link to Community Buildings Flyer]

There are information sheets and publications available to you, specifically designed for use by village halls and other community buildings in rural Devon. These information sheets and publications are listed on the Index [ Link to Information Sheets ] page and can be obtained through contacting us with a self-addressed envelope with a note of your request.  For information on Village Hall training events go to Devon Rural Training Events 2006

The Village Halls Advice and Information is a valued service by village hall committee members, parish councils and other interested organisations.  We aim to be as responsive as possible to each individual request.  We are able to source information from a variety of organisations and publications and can often act as your first point of call.  For information on the County Grants Scheme [ Link to Funding Village Halls’s page ].

The first village hall annual conference for Devon was held at Boniface Centre, Crediton in April 2006 and was attended by over 40 delegates.

Disability Access and Awareness

Are you worried that your building is not accessible?  By taking part in the Disability Access and Awareness Project it will inform and empower your hall management committee around their roles and responsibilities in terms of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. Community building committee members can participate in a training programme, receive a reduced rate disability access audit and receive funding to develop a new activity or service in the hall for older and/or disabled people (to improve the quality or range of local services for people with disabilities) (link to Penny’s web page).  For further details contact Penny Thame (Disability Access and Awareness Officer) (penny@devonrcc.org.uk)

Disabled parking at Clinton Hall, Merton 2006.

Social Enterprise

Do you need support to develop your community building into a more sustainable asset? SUPPORTis available from CCD’s Parish Regeneration Project for community buildings across Devon.  An experienced and dedicated support worker, will come out to meet you, help you to identify your project development needs and support you throughout the process of turning your idea into reality.  For further details (LINK  to Social Enterprise) contact Dawn Eckhart (Social Enterpirse Officer) (dawn@devonrcc.org.uk).

Belstone Village Hall earns an extra income by letting a work space to a local entrepreneur 2006.

New Developments

The Village Halls Advice Service and Information Service are now in the process of developing a Devon Association for Village Halls, which will provide rural community buildings with a strong representative voice, direct influencing of support services, improved networking and sharing of good practice. Also a quality assurance initiative for village halls is being developed to encourage the development of good practice for community buildings in Devon.

An Association will provide effective lobbying on issues such as the new licensing act.  Northleigh Village Hall 2006.

If you would like to get involved in these new initiatives or find out more information contact David Kinross at davidk@devonrcc.org.uk