Village hall receives charity funding to tackle rural isolation

The village hall will be able to improve facilities with the funding

A Devon village's community project has been given £9,317 of charity funding.

Broadwoodkelly Village Hall was given the funding to buy equipment that supports its programme of activities aimed at helping reduce social isolation.

The meeting room will be "transformed into a cosy warm space with soft furnishings" for clubs to meet.

Vice-chair of the village hall charity Andy Buckerfield said it was "exciting times" for the project.

The RCF was established in 2010 by King Charles and aims to tackle the decline of rural life across Britain by supporting farming and rural communities.

Broadwoodkelly is nine miles north of Okehampton and has a population of fewer than 300.

Mr Buckerfield said the money will go towards the village hall's "warm hub club" which works to "minimise the impact of the cost-of-living crisis and reduce rural social isolation".

"Thanks to RCF funding we have swapped our plastic baler wrap screens for stage curtains", he said.

The hall offers a range of other activities for villagers including a lunch club, games, energy advice and a community pub.