• Supporting village halls and community buildings

    Trusted advice to help you manage, protect and future-proof your community space.

    A stone village hall with a shingled roof stands beside a grassy area and a noticeboard displaying community news. Traditional stone cottages and rolling hills are visible in the background under a blue sky.

Community buildings: vital and valued

As the Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE) Village Hall Adviser for rural North, South and West Yorkshire, we support the people who run community buildings.

Whether you are a trustee, committee member, volunteer or employee, we can provide practical advice and guidance on:

  • good governance
  • safeguarding
  • finance and funding
  • policies and procedures
  • day-to-day operational good practice.

We also run a popular Community Buildings Network that’s open to everyone involved in running community buildings in North Yorkshire. It offers an opportunity to hear about new resources and policy development, explore topics of interest and share experiences and knowledge with others.

As an extension to this network, we also offer a closed Facebook peer support page with more than 400 members who regularly post questions and answers, and support each other.

If you would like to access support from our specialist team, please get in touch. We’ll be happy to discuss your needs and explore how we can help.

Community surveys

In this short video, Nicky Ruddick, our Development Officer, shares her top tips on completing community surveys.

ACRE resources for members

Community First Yorkshire members can access ACRE (Action with Communities in Rural England) resources for village halls and community buildings by contacting us on info@communityfirstyorkshire.org.uk.

Have a question, can’t find what you are looking for or need one-to-one support from a trained and experienced Development Officer? Email us at info@communityfirstyorkshire.org.uk or call 01904 704177.

Energy efficiency resources

Want to make your hall more energy-efficient and greener? Find out more about the support and grants available on our Village Green website – the home of North Yorkshire’s community climate project.

Utility Aid: helping you manage your energy use

We’re working with Utility Aid to help you manage and save on your community venue’s energy bills. Find out more about the free advice available to community buildings across North Yorkshire and how Utility Aid can help you build a more sustainable future.

Safeguarding support for community buildings and village halls

We’ve put together a range of helpful resources to make safeguarding simple and effective in your hall.

Policy templates:

A combined safeguarding policy for children and adults at risk is sufficient for most village halls – unless the hall runs activities specifically for children or adults at risk, in which case separate policies must, legally, be provided for each.

See our separate templates. If you are in any doubt, please get in touch. A combined policy is available on request.

ACRE has developed an Information Sheet around Safeguarding in Village Halls, which includes practical guidance and a ready‑to‑use combined safeguarding policy.

This resource is available exclusively to ACRE members. If you would like a copy, please get in touch and we’ll be happy to provide further details.

Accessing safeguarding information and guidance

NCVO Safeguarding information Includes resources to help you understand what safeguarding means and take steps to make your organisation safer.

NSPCC Child protection guidance for voluntary and community groups resources for those just starting out or reviewing existing processes.

NSPCC Safeguarding concerns: practice example – hiring out space – examples of common safeguarding scenarios and practical advice about how to respond to help you keep children safe. Includes an example specifically discussing the hiring out of space. The NSPCC has also created a guest podcast with The Village Halls Podcast on how to safeguard children in village halls.

Ann Craft Trust Safeguarding guidance for disabled children and adults at risk – resources to assist in achieving best practice in safeguarding disabled children and adults at risk.

Guidance on reporting safeguarding concerns in a charity – This tool will help charities in England to handle the reporting of safeguarding allegations about the behaviour or actions of a person in their charity.

Government statutory guidance, definitions, and responsibilities –  every organisation that delivers charitable activities has a responsibility to safeguard people from harm or abuse, whether they are staff members, volunteers, or other people who come into contact with your charity through its work. This guidance provides a general overview of all aspects of safeguarding.

Martyn’s Law – Martyn’s Law, formally known as the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025, is a piece of legislation that aims to ensure public premises and events are better prepared for terrorist attacks.

Other support resources

Four older adults sit around a table in a bright room, smiling and talking. They have papers, a laptop, and coffee mugs in front of them, appearing engaged in a friendly meeting or discussion.

Funding

A laptop, notebook, pen, and coffee mug sit on a wooden desk. In the background, two people are seated and talking, slightly out of focus, in an office or meeting room with large windows and noticeboards.

DBS checks

Four adults stand in a community room, smiling and talking whilst holding mugs. Behind them is a noticeboard with Health and Wellbeing and various informational leaflets.

Health and wellbeing in North Yorkshire

Four adults sit outdoors in a village setting, engaged in conversation. One man gestures whilst speaking; the others listen attentively. A stone building and noticeboard are visible in the background.

Rural support

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