Harvel Village Hall applied to Kent Community Foundation for funding for their community hall which plays such a valuable part in the lives of so many village residents. Last week they received the news that their application had been successful.
The small semi-rural village of Harvel is in the west of Kent on the southern edge of the North Downs. The village has no public transport links, and the Hall offers a lifeline to many of the residents.
Ruth Blake, Trustee and Secretary, Harvel Village Hall Management Committee, said, “Our village hall needed some crucial maintenance. Woodworm-riddled wooden planks needed replacing and loose planks refixing. The noticeboard, windows and guttering required painting, we needed a new fire door and the fire exit steps needed rebuilding.”
This important community resource usually hosts village coffee mornings, offers toilet facilities for the annual village fete, and takes bookings for celebrations. With the pandemic halting use of the Hall, there were insufficient funds to meet ongoing maintenance costs and they needed assistance to ensure the Hall would be in a condition to meet the necessary health and safety criteria and continue to be a valuable hub for village residents.
Josephine McCartney, Chief Executive, Kent Community Foundation said, “Kent Community Foundation is proud to support grassroots charities and small organisations who are making a real difference to the community. We were impressed that during lockdown, the Village Hall noticeboard had been used as a main contact point for anyone without a computer to follow the latest news and advice with phone numbers for those who might be able to offer additional help for vulnerable residents. They explained that their hall was a community asset for the village residents and without their usual source of income they desperately needed financial support to make sure it’s safe for use.”
Ruth Blake, continued, “This was our first application to Kent Community Foundation, and they made the process very easy. Our Village Hall is at the heart of village life, and we are over the moon that with the help of a £2,000 grant, the building will be reinvigorated. We look forward to welcoming our first guests.”
Josephine McCartney, continued, “Kent Community Foundation receives hundreds of applications each month and many are from community groups who have never applied for support before. We have a team of experts who can advise on the application process. If you know of a community group or small charity who need help, please do suggest they get in touch with us.”
To contact Kent Community Foundation call, 01303 814500 or visit www.kentcf.org.uk
About Kent Community Foundation
Grant-maker Kent Community Foundation has been finding, funding, and supporting some of the smallest voluntary organisations in the county for 20 years. In this time, it has distributed over £44 million to support thousands of small charities and deserving causes where a modest sum of money can make a significant impact.
They are part of a UK wide accredited network of forty-six Community Foundations who are committed to improving the lives of local people and communities, particularly the most vulnerable, isolated, and disadvantaged by matching those who want to help, with those who need the help.
Responsible for more than 80 philanthropic funds, Kent Community Foundation is unrivalled in its knowledge of local causes and assists individuals, families, and businesses, who want to help, to establish and administer their own charitable funds.
