Meeting bid to make better use of village halls

Hambleton District Council is overseeing a scheme to boost the use of community buildings in the Bedale area by securing funding as well as building a network between village hall committees to share resources and expertise.

A workshop is being staged on Tuesday next week in the market town by the Bedale and Villages Community Interest Focus Group to provide advice on issues including finance, book-keeping and the legal responsibilities of being a treasurer.

The session will also give anyone involved in running community buildings across the Bedale area the opportunity to voice their views about the future and management of village halls.

The Bedale and Villages Community Interest Focus Group is part of the Bedale and Villages Community Forum launched in 2002 to encourage community-led projects and develop initiatives to improve the quality of life for people living in Bedale and the surrounding villages.

The meeting will be held in the lounge at Bedale Hall on Tuesday next week from 2pm until 4pm.

Meanwhile, a small Yorkshire Dales community is celebrating after a 14,000 scheme has been carried out to improve their village hall.

The building dating from 1877 in Gunnerside in Richmondshire has new windows and external doors after a series of grants was secured to pay for the work to be carried out.

David Crapper, of the Gunnerside Village Hall Association, said: "The project has improved the quality of the service offered by the village hall, making it an even more attractive venue for community activities."