Queen's jubilee £3m fund to help English village halls

Halls like this one in Knodishall, Suffolk, typically provide a focal point for different aspects of village life

Village halls in need of a facelift can apply to share a £3m fund marking the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

The money will be divided between 125 halls in England to pay for renovations like wi-fi, building extensions and modernising facilities.

Rural affairs minister Lord Benyon described the venues as "the centrepiece of rural life".

The aim is to build on schemes that helped commemorate Queen Victoria and King George V.

Three years ago 125 villages halls in England benefitted from £17m of government cash with other sources for renovations.

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Lord Benyon said of the support the halls offer: "In a changing world, they are important facilities for community groups, social clubs and local services.

"This funding [from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs] will ensure they are central to the fabric of our villages for many more years to come."

Villages halls are used for a wide variety of events, including as polling stations at election time

Charity Action with Communities in Rural England (Acre) said the 10,000 village halls across England are often the only place people can socialise locally, and refurbishments would help safeguard their futures.

Many of the volunteer-led halls are concerned about the rising cost of energy bills and need support to adopt more affordable heating and energy efficiency measures.

Acre chair David Emerson said: "This is an announcement that is especially appropriate in the week that thousands of halls across the country are hosting local celebrations of the royal jubilee."

Margaret Clark, chairwoman of the Rural Coalition, said the venues "have a crucial role to play in helping levelling up in rural areas".

The Platinum Jubilee Village Halls Improvement Grant Fund follows a tradition of investments being made in village halls for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897 and King George V's Silver Jubilee in 1935.