A free Ryedale Community Buildings Network event will celebrate the first ever Village Halls Week in North Yorkshire on Thursday 25 January at Middleton and Aislaby Village Hall.
Open to all community run venues, this is a great opportunity for those involved in running rural community buildings and village halls to get together, share their experiences and problems, hear about new resources and policy development, and explore topics of interest in more detail together.
The event is part of Village Halls Week 22-25 January run by the ACRE Network to celebrate the huge contribution that village halls and the volunteers running them make to rural communities throughout England.
Kathryn Chapman, Community Buildings Adviser at Community First Yorkshire says, “We are delighted to be hosting the network meeting in Ryedale to celebrate Village Halls Week, where there are so many brilliant village halls, run by dedicated and wonderful trustees who make things happen!”
Across North Yorkshire, village halls are a lifeline for our communities. They are often the only community space left in villages which have lost their pubs, shops and mobile libraries, and they come in all shapes and sizes, from old school buildings, to brand new facilities and community hubs.
Food is a great way of getting people together and many village halls offer community meals, curry nights and pop-up cafes and village pubs. Pantomimes, plays, dance events and musical evenings appeal to locals of all ages and attract new visitors and maintenance income to keep community buildings going.
Village halls are also a great venue for health and wellbeing activities. Across Ryedale there are classes in pilates, yoga, boot camp and tea dances, dance classes for young and old, all perfect for increasing fitness, meeting new people and having fun. Dementia friendly activities such as sing alongs, musical and sporting memories, to mention just a few, benefit those who live with dementia and also their carers.
“Our best village halls are vibrant, busy and welcoming, adds Kathryn, “and it’s not just about the buildings. Village Halls Week gives us a chance to celebrate the dedicated and wonderful and trustees behind the scenes who make things happen! Come along to our Ryedale Community Buildings Network in Middleton and Aislaby Vilage Hall on 25 January and be inspired!”
The doors will open at 9.30am for bacon butties, light refreshments and networking and the meeting will start at 10am to finish at 12 noon. Book your free place on Eventbrite by searching for Community First Yorkshire.
ENDS
Media contacts
Community First Yorkshire: Louise Ennis, Marketing & Communications Officer or Jo Fox, Marketing & Communications Officer tel: 01904 704 177 info@communityfirstyorkshire.org.uk.