One of David Skaith’s first points of delivery was the Village Hall and Community Buildings Programme.
Inspired by North Yorkshire Council, David was keen to see our region’s community halls and hubs thrive. He contributed £600,000 to 21 village halls and community buildings across North Yorkshire. This included Great Ouseburn and Kettlewell Village Halls.
David Burton, Chair of Great Ouseburn Village Hall Management Committee, said: “This fund has allowed us to remain a central hub for our community. We are open every day, even a village pub cannot provide that, so having a usable village hall is important for a small village like Great Ouseburn.”
Great Ouseburn Village Hall used their grant to help fund a CCTV system upgrade, new fireproof stage curtains, and a flooring refresh, which included a sealed badminton court.
He continued, “These essential updates have enhanced the experience of using our village hall. There are already 10 groups that use our space on a regular basis, and with 40 new houses in the village, I hope this number will increase.
“I know how difficult it can be to help run a Village Hall, but I would encourage anyone in my position to keep an eye out for grants from the Combined Authority and apply where possible. This grant process has been extremely straightforward, and the changes made possible with this money have already made a huge impact on our community.”
Kettlewell Village Hall in Skipton have used their grant to update their Audio-Visual system, replace their old curtains, and purchase 140 new chairs.
Peter Ward, Chairman of Kettlewell Village Hall said, “This grant has enabled us to transform the hall completely. There is nothing worse than a beautiful village having nothing in it, and now, we can continue to provide services for our community, ensuring our village remains busy.
“By updating our chairs and AV system, we can offer more services and activities. We can host bigger weddings and conferences, host our cinema club with ease, and offer a more modern space for our existing groups.
“Since our updates, the clubs have seen an increase in number, giving our community more options to connect and come together. I want to say a huge thank you for this grant, the difference this makes to our community, especially our elderly and young people, is huge.”