“With thanks to the Mendip Hills Fund, we offer an environmentally-conscious community space”

If you have the fortune of meeting Pauline Drew, the Chair of Croscombe Village Hall, do ask her to show you the latest results on her smartphone’s Energy Consumption app!

With thanks to funding from the Mendip Hills Fund, Pauline and her fellow committee members have used grant funding towards purchasing 42 solar panels and back-up battery storage.

The village hall was affixed with solar panels in June, and already the committee are seeing huge money-saving and energy-consumption reductions. ‘Last June and July our electricity bill was into the hundreds of pounds, this July it was only £15!’ says Pauline, ‘this app is brilliant – take today’s results. The hall had over 100 people in here this morning and we have used 44% solar power, 52% battery power and just 4% from the grid – and it’s not even a very sunny day.’

The hall which was built in 1982 has been undergoing an environmental efficiency drive. Past fundraising efforts have also seen single-glazed windows and doors replaced with superior double glazing. ’Our energy costs were going through the roof,’ says Pauline, ‘Historically, our electric bills were £6 per hour – and that’s just for heating – it was more if you included lighting as well! When you hire the hall out for village events during the day at £10 per hour it’s just not sustainable.’

After consultation, the village hall committee realised that the roof was ideal for solar, ‘we have the perfect angle and orientation for the panels,’ says Pauline ‘it couldn’t have been any better!’

The village hall is located at the heart of the community and used on an almost daily basis, ‘We do want to be able to keep our hall hire rates low so that even more of the community can hold events or activities here,’ says Pauline ‘From children’s ballet classes to yoga, short mat bowls and NHS exercise classes, the hall is used by all ages. Once a month we host a fundraising coffee morning where everything is a £1, and we also have a regular film night which is really well supported.’

‘As a committee we work collectively and we’ve achieved a lot,’ says Pauline ‘it is with thanks to the Mendip Hills Fund alongside our other fundraising efforts that we can now offer an environmentally- conscious community space. We welcome everyone to come and enjoy our future events.’

Jim Hardcastle, Manager, Mendip Hills National Landscape says, ‘Looking after the Mendip Hills National Landscape also means helping the communities within it to make sure it’s a vibrant place to live. Village halls play a really important role in creating strong communities and I’m really pleased that the Fund is able to support the hall, reduce their bills and reduce their carbon footprint.’

You can learn more about the Mendip Hills Fund here

The Mendip Hills Fund works in partnership with the Somerset Community Foundation