Selaine Saxby MP met with Keith Routledge, Trustee of Chittlehampton Village Hall, District Councillor, Sue Whitehead and the team to congratulate the community on their successful bid in the Community Ownership Fund, awarded by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
Selaine wrote an endorsement letter this August to support the project. The village hall was erected by the community over 70 years ago and is in desperate need of renovation and renewal. The money awarded by the Community Ownership Fund is over half of what is needed to renovate the village hall building by replacing the asbestos roof, cladding the walls, renovating the old school kitchen, replacing doors, windows, the fire and heating systems.
The Community Ownership Fund is a government fund, managed by the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and will provide £150 million to support community groups across the UK. Thanks to this scheme, over 70 community treasures including historic theatres, pubs and museums will be protected with £25 million Conservative Government funding in this round, with successful community projects receiving up to £2 million for the first time, and three heritage theatres winning the top awards.
The Community Ownership Fund allows unsuccessful applicants to bid again. The fund is running until March 2025 with regular bidding windows, the latest window is open now and closing on the 31st January 2024, expressions of interest are open all year round.
Selaine Saxby, MP for North Devon said:
“Fantastic news that Chittlehampton Village Hall has received £264,510 from the Community Ownership Fund and it was great to congratulate the team who have worked so hard to secure this large grant. I wholeheartedly endorsed this project back in August and wrote in support of the bid and it is a lovely early Christmas present for the community. I fully support the community’s plan to upgrade the building to modern safety standards, which will ensure that it is both energy efficient and sustainable for the future. These improvements will secure the Hall’s future viability as a community asset and having taught aerobics in village halls for over a decade I know first hand the diverse uses village halls fill in remote rural communities.
“It was great to visit Chittlehampton to congratulate Keith Routledge in person and thank him and the team for all their work on the project. I’ve had the pleasure to visit Chittlehampton on many occasions, and it is such a fantastic village with a vibrant community. I look forward to seeing the progress made on the village hall and visiting again very soon.
“The next round of the Community Ownership Fund closes on the 31st January 2024 and I encourage local community groups in North Devon to apply.”
Keith Routledge, Trustee of Chittlehampton Village Hall said:
“Thank you Selaine for your support. This is a major step forward in our funding plans, but it is only the first step. This will resolve the most urgent problems, but we need more funding to renovate the interior, which is not in good shape, so we shall continue fund raising and applying for further funding applications. However this result will give a great lift to the community which is what it's all about.
We are currently seeking further avenues of funding and would welcome any private or business donors interested in working with the Hall to help us on our way.”
Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said:
“Investing in communities improves lives – whether that’s rebuilding a community centre, rescuing historic pubs and theatres or upgrading sports facilities used by families every day.
“These are unique and cherished places, valued by local people of all ages, and we know how much they mean to communities. The Community Ownership Fund is about restoring pride in the places people call home and I’m delighted to be funding these projects.”
