The Village Halls Podcast

We unpack how village and community halls can manage changing risks, legal duties, and rural challenges with smart, simple practices. Daniel Noonan from Kent Fire and Rescue explains how a living fire risk assessment ties alarms, signage, training, hirer rules, and new tech into a clear plan.

• who the responsible person is under the Fire Safety Order
• why annual reviews and change-triggered reviews matter
• commo...

We trace how our village hall uncovered mislabelled “refunds,” challenged erratic post-fire electricity bills, and unlocked an £8,600 correction by fixing VAT status and metering. Calm persistence, clear records, and a smart meter turned chaos into £14 monthly bills and new capital repairs.

• the hall’s role as a community hub and user groups
• solar installation, electrical fire, and meter replacement timeline
• e...

The North Northumberland Village Halls Consortium demonstrates how 80 village halls work together to share knowledge, resources, and support across their rural communities. Their volunteer-led network provides crucial services like affordable PAT testing and trusted contractor recommendations, creating a sustainable model for village hall collaboration that has thrived for over 20 years.

• Nearly 80 village halls in North ...

We dive into the world of energy efficiency for village and community halls with experts Andy Mitchell and Phil Strickland from 21 Degrees, exploring practical solutions to reduce carbon footprints and energy costs.

• Heat pumps can work effectively in any reasonably insulated building when properly designed and installed
• Understanding the difference between how boilers and heat pumps heat spaces is crucial for optim...

We discuss the crucial yet often overlooked topic of village hall insurance and launch a new listener poll to shape future episodes on insurance topics that matter most to trustees and committee members.

• Insurance often becomes a priority only when something goes wrong
• Most trustees delegate insurance to one person with little collective oversight
• Insurance is a legal contract protecting your building, people...

We explore spot heating technology with Joe Bristow from BN Thermic, diving into how this instant, energy-efficient solution can transform village halls by heating people directly rather than warming the air.

• Spot heating provides immediate warmth without needing to pre-heat spaces, making it perfect for sporadic hall usage
• Spot heating targets people and objects rather than air temperature, working even with doors...

We dive into the practical world of internet connectivity for village halls, exploring everything from 4G to Starlink, fiber to copper, sharing real-world experiences to help you make the best choice for your community space.

• Internet is now classified as a human right, yet many rural communities still struggle with speeds below 0.5 Mbps
• Community-led solutions like Hebnet CIC have successfully provided internet co...

The hidden dangers lurking in your village hall's water system could be putting your community at risk. Water safety expert Dee Thornton joins us to shed light on Legionnaire's disease - a potentially fatal lung infection caused by bacteria that thrive in stagnant water systems.

Dee expertly breaks down the perfect storm conditions that make village halls particularly vulnerable: infrequent usage leading to water...

The 2025 Village Halls Inspiration Awards are announced with a £5,000 prize fund to celebrate the beating hearts of rural communities across the UK. Marc Smith and Allied Westminster MD Gavin Mitchell discuss how these awards evolved from a photography competition to an initiative showcasing inspirational stories from village halls nationwide.

• Awards open from May 1st to September 30th, 2025
• Total prize fund of £5,...

Louise Beaton returns to discuss her new book "Halls for All," co-authored with David Clark, chronicling the 500-year evolution of village halls from exclusive reading rooms to vital community hubs.

• Village halls evolved from reading rooms and mechanics institutes that often excluded women until after WWI
• Women's Institutes became a driving force for more inclusive community spaces after the First Wo...

Securing sustainable funding remains one of the greatest challenges for village halls across the UK. In this eye-opening conversation, we explore a straightforward path to financial support through the Movement for Good initiative by the Benefact Group.

Chris Pitt, Impact Group Director for the Benefact Group, reveals how their charitable program works through a refreshingly simple nomination process that anyone in your co...

This episode uncovers the role of village hall trustees, delving into their responsibilities, the importance of governance, and how they can engage younger members of the community. Through dialogue with community expert Caro Hart, listeners learn about the journey of becoming a trustee, the collaborative nature of the role, and the joys and challenges associated with it. 
• Exploring who can and cannot become a trustee 
• ...

In this episode of The Village Halls Podcast, host Marc Smith interviews Bernard Hammick, Managing Director of Hallmaster, a digital booking system tailored for village halls and community venues. Bernard shares his journey into the digital realm, which began in the late 1990s when he developed a website for his campsite to provide detailed information and facilitate email communications with customers. This experience led him to c...

Unlock the secrets to preserving the heart of your community as we uncover the art of floor maintenance in village halls with renowned experts Tim Derbyshire from Total Floor Care and Graham Hickman from Junckers. You'll learn why choosing hardwoods like oak and beech over softwoods can make all the difference in durability and sustainability. We dissect the vital construction principles for creating robust new floors, whether...

Discover the secrets behind the extraordinary transformation of Great Whittington Village Hall with insights from Philip Hinchcliffe. This episode promises to reveal how a once cold and underused school building became a bustling, eco-friendly community hub. Philip shares the challenges they overcame, including raising funds for solar panels and a heat pump, which not only modernised the hall but also brought the community together...

The podcast focuses on Ellingham Village Hall and its journey from being an outdated, underused space to a vibrant community hub. The guests, Chris Stevenson and Gustav McLeod, share how they led the Village Hall Committee through extensive fundraising efforts, overcoming challenges like rising construction costs, opposition to demolishing the old hall, and navigating a tight budget. Key moments include:

1. Community Support & ...

In today's episode, we’re talking about the North Moreton Village Hall, winners of the Village Halls Inspiration Awards 2023. We’re joined by Jo Nickless, who played a key role in their success. North Moreton stood out for their innovative approach, reaching out to the village digitally and receiving an overwhelming response from the community. Tune in to hear their inspiring story and how they brought their village together t...

In this episode of the Village Halls Podcast, Marc Smith introduces himself as the new host, taking over from Johnny, who has been the voice of the show since 2021. The episode reflects on the journey of the podcast, highlighting memorable moments, inspiring stories, and the important role village halls play in communities across the UK. Marc and Johnny discuss the impact the podcast has had on listeners and the unique insights gai...