History

2008 – 2010

Shilbottle Community Hall is the Phoenix which rose from the ashes of the old Miners Welfare Hall which was destroyed by fire in 2008. The new hall was designed by the architects Purves Ash LLP and the main construction contractor was Stephen Easten Building. The building design incorporates the latest “green” technology which includes ground source heat pumps, a rain water harvesting system and a wind turbine electricity generator.

The construction of the new building was part funded from grants by the following:-

The Big Lottery Community Buildings Fund

The Football Foundation

Alnwick District Council/Northumberland County Coucil

Shilbottle Parish Council

The Rural Development Programme for England (Leader)

Trusthouse Charitable Foundation

The Joicey Trust

His Grace Duke of Northumberland

Sir James Knott Trust

Sherburn House Trust

William Webster Charitable Trust

We are grateful to these organisations for supporting this project and also to the community of Shilbottle who have worked hard to raise funds locally and help the project in many other ways.

We now have a new hall that the whole community can be proud of and we hope everyone enjoys. There are lots of activities planned and clubs already established so please visit our other pages for more information.

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2010 – 2017

Since the hall was opened in September 2010, along with the user groups working hard to raise money for the ongoing costs of running the hall, we have continued to apply for and receive grants towards the upkeep of the hall and the costs of operating various activities such as our two youth groups.

During this period of time we are grateful to the following organisations who have made a grant to us:-

The Community Chest ~ bowls trolley and storage equipment

Sainsburys ~ youth club equipment

Scholefield Trust ~ funding for Junior Youth Group

Northumberland Childrens Trust ~ funding for Youth work

Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance ~ curtains for the main hall

The Lendrum Family Community First Fund ~ a years funding for the “What’s On” and funding for internet access so the Junior Youth Group can produce a newsletter

Community Foundation ~ “What’s On” production costs

Community Foundation ~ IT provision

Community Foundation ~ blinds for the main Hall

Community Foundation ~ new hearing loops for the Main Hall and the Grange

Scholefield Trust ~ Art Workshops Materials

Lloyds Community Fund ~ “Challenge Yourself” project to get new groups running and run one off events for the community

Joicey Trust, Hadrian Trust, Hospital of God at Greatham and the Barbour Foundation ~ Youth Worker

NCCCommunity Chest ~ Youth room storage, Flooring, TV and Toddlers equipment

As of October 2013, the Hall had internet access and a telephone line thanks to a grant obtained via the Community Foundation.

In November 2015, the Hall had blackout blinds installed in the Main Hall, again courtesy of a grant via the Community Foundation. In 2016, we received a further grant to update the hearing loops in the Main Hall and the Grange Room. If you need to use the hearing loops, please ask how to access them.

We have continued to apply for grant funding for a variety of activities and for a half time Youth Worker for the village. We have been successful in securing grants for the Youth Worker, and Phillipa Compson took up the position at the end of April 2017. Phillipa also secured grant to fund a variety of activities and workshops for the young people in the village, including a Circus Skills Workshop.

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2018 to present

In 2018, we hope to secure grant funding to update our security systems.