It's nearly spring! And there's lots of training and events coming up over the next few months - including Village Halls Week!

We'll be joined by guest speaker Louise Beaton OBE who will share an engaging presentation on the 2025 book ‘HALLS FOR ALL’ - a history of village halls.

After the talk, you're invited to stay for lunch with the chance to chat with other Village Hall Trustees & Managers.

10 am – 1.30pm (registration & coffee from 9.45am)

Village Hall, Pinewood Crescent, Hermitage, Thatcham, RG18. 

Hermitage village hall is just over the border of Oxfordshire into Berkshire, 3 miles from the Chieveley turn off on the A34.

Cost    

£8 per person 

We hope that you will enjoy meeting and chatting with other hall volunteers and have some time to relax.

You can find directions to the halls below:

Carterton WI:   https://www.google.com/maps/@51.7596184,-1.5932074,17z?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDIwOC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D   

Holton Hall:   https://communityfirstoxon.org/community-action/hubs-halls-shops/community-halls-directory/holton-village-hall/  

Please call or email Tessa if you can come so that we know how much cake to supply!

tessa@communityfirstoxon.org or 07595787104

    

We have some posters and badges which we can post to you - get in touch if you'd like some.

You can also register any activities with ACRE and explore their resources for social media here.

The terrorism (protection of premises) act 2025, commonly known as Martyn’s Law.

Last April the terrorism (protection of premises) act came into place, and we were told that there would be an implementation period of at least 2 years. ACRE, our umbrella organisation has been liaising with the home office and Defra to try and make the legislation reasonable and proportionate in terms of what it requires of community venues.

The act requires larger premises and outside public events to ensure that steps have been taken to prepare for potential terrorist attacks and get ready to help keep people safe in the event of an attack.

The Act affects community halls with a capacity of 200 + and outside events where 200 or more people may attend. Halls with this capacity are in the Standard Tier.

Any halls with a capacity of under 200 are not required to take these steps, however if you feel that you would like to adopt any of the ‘reasonably practicable’ measures for your hall and add them to your risk assessment you can do.

The Home Office are working on the guidance and regulations now which are expected to be fully in force in 2027 and Information will be sent out about this as soon as we have it.

In the meantime, here are some links to information that you can look at:  

19 March: How to Conduct a Risk Assessment for Your Charity Building (from the Ethical Property Foundation).

We'd like to share these 2 great podcasts from the Ethical Property Foundation who are interviewing Jade Winter director of Norris and Fisher. They're only 15 mins each and full of useful information.  

With elections coming on 7 May, political meetings are becoming more frequent in some areas. A hall’s adviser from the Midlands has reported that some halls are being approached by political parties who are not being open about the reason for their booking. This is causing tension locally and some halls are worried that their reputation will be damaged if they allow political meetings to take place.  

In a typical governing document for a hall charity the standard charity ‘Objects’ will say that the hall should be hired out 'without political distinction'.   

Here is a full example of a halls charitable objects:

'The property shall be held upon trust for the use of the inhabitants of the parish of….in the county of….(the area of benefit) without distinction of political, religious, or other opinions including use for meetings, lectures, classes, and for other forms of recreation and leisure-time occupation with the objects of improving the conditions of life for the said inhabitants.'  

But what does it mean? We think that it is talking about people’s beliefs on a personal level. However, some halls asked if they must hire their hall out to any political party? Halls advisers have discussed this and have conclude that if a hall has been hired out to political groups in the past, then trustees can’t say no to political groups wanting to hire it now. However, If the hall has not been hired out to political groups before, then hall committees can decide not to hire the hall out to any political group, if they so wish.   

If political groups have hired your hall and you feel that you need to be open to all, but you have reason to think that use by a political or religious group could lead to tension or violence then you could take advice from the local police. If the police confirm your fears (due to similar experiences) you are within your rights to refuse the booking. If you are challenged, you can explain that you will not condone activities that spread hate or fear or make anyone in your community feel fearful.