Bell backs new campaign for village and community halls

12.00.00am GMT Mon 19th Jan 2004

Mike Bell, Woodspring constituency Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesman, is backing a new campaign on behalf of village and community halls.

Mr Bell has thrown his support behind a countrywide campaign organised by the National Village Halls Forum calling for greater funding for village and community halls. The Forum have launched a petition campaign to persuade the Government to commit more lottery cash to the cause amid fears that the recent merger of the Community Fund and New Opportunities Fund could see

support slashed.

The National Village Halls Forum's petition reads: 'We the undersigned, urge the Government to encourage the new fund created from the recently merged Community Fund and the New Opportunities Fund lottery boards, to set up a long-term nationwide capital grants programme for village and community halls'.

Mike Bell commented: "Village and community halls are at the social heart of many neighbourhoods. They allow the community to come together for Christmas fetes, summer fayres, amateur dramatics, sports events and a huge range of other activities.

"Many villages also take a huge amount of pride in their halls and many have benefited from lottery funding. Cleeve, Winford, Claverham and Weston-in-Gordano village halls have all received grant aid in recent years from the Community Fund.

"Most village and community halls struggle with tight financial budgets. They are often fairly expensive to run and, because they serve a small community, they do not raise large amounts of money.

"The social benefits from having thriving village and community halls make them a deserving cause for the merged Community Fund and New Opportunities Fund. The petition organised by the National Village Halls Forum deserves to be a success, and I hope it leads to greater financial support for village and community halls across Woodspring and North Somerset".