The volunteer trustees of Witcham Village Hall had plenty to celebrate last weekend when they were presented with a certificate to mark their achievement of the second level in the Hallmark quality award. Hallmark is a nationally recognised quality standard for village halls and community facilities.
Cambridgeshire ACRE oversees the award in the County and checks that any halls applying are reaching the high standard required, before independent assessors inspect the hall to check that all is in order. At Level 1, halls must demonstrate that they meet rigorous requirements for good charity administration and management and at Level 2, the focus is on protecting users, health & safety and maintenance & security. Witcham Village Hall was accredited at Level 1 in 2018 and successfully reached Level 2 in June this year.
David Gibbs, a trustee of Cambridgeshire ACRE who also acts as an independent assessor, said: “Congratulations to everyone at Witcham Village Hall on this achievement, which demonstrates how well the hall is being run for the local community. I’m delighted to be able to formally recognise all the hard work that the hall’s volunteers put in to making it a special place to visit.”
Benefits of achieving the Hallmark standard for village halls include formal recognition that the community facility has embedded good practice and procedures, discounts on insurance and giving residents and hirers confidence that their community venue is safe and well managed.
Joy Walker, Chairperson at Witcham Village Hall, said: “Our Management Committee are very proud to have achieved the Hallmark 2 accreditation. We put a lot of work into providing a hall with excellent facilities for the community to enjoy. This award acknowledges everyone’s efforts and makes it all worthwhile.”
If you are in need of support or advice regarding your community-run assets, do not hesitate to contact us via email at enquiries@cambsacre.org.uk or via phone on 01353 850860.
