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Climate friendly village halls....A recent refurbishment of Leedstown Village Hall has created a warm and welcoming space for the local community, whilst helping to tackle climate change in Cornwall. Why they are doing things to help the climate.... The village hall committee recognises that climate What they are doing.... Leedstown is in Kerrier, near Hayle. When the village hall was built in the late 1950’s it was acclaimed as one of the best halls around and their recent work is helping to re-establish that reputation, making the centre attractive and comfortable for the local community, whilst helping to protect the climate. As part of the refurbishment they took advice from Cornwall’s Community Energy Plus who advised them on how they could incorporate energy saving measures into the hall. The work they have incorporated covers:
Prior to this work taking place the hall was very cold and damp, with the walls often covered in condensation. The energy efficient measures they have installed have removed these problems, creating a space that is warm and welcoming for the local community. These sorts of steps not only help the climate, but they help to ensure local facilities are used and valued, protecting them for the future. The improvements have been carried out by a hard-working group of volunteers, led by Patrick Flower and Jim Power. They were able to fund-raise £12,000 to help with the work including money from the National Lottery, Kerrier District Council and the Clowance Trust. To help with the energy improvements they secured funding from Cory Environmental Trust and were donated the radiators they use to heat the hall from Zehnder. Why it’s important….. Village halls and other community centres are a vital local resource and are often the focus for local activity. As such they can play an important role in helping to tackle climate change and showing the local community how simple measures can make a big difference. Reducing the amount of the energy used in a village hall or community centre is one of the fastest and easiest ways to combat climate change. Such measures also reduce fuel bills and keep the halls warmer for the end users. Nearly all the energy we use to heat and light our community buildings come from burning coal, oil and gas. We do this directly by burning them to provide heat and indirectly when we use electricity that has come from a power station. Every time we burn fossil fuels we release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere that causes climate change. In Leedstown the steps they have taken will reduce the amount of energy they need to use to heat and light the building, meaning less carbon dioxide will be emitted from their daily activities. There are over 250 village halls in Cornwall, if all of them installed insulation and other energy saving measures imagine how much carbon dioxide we could save and how much more money would be available for village hall budgets. Energy efficient measures can easily be installed as part of a refurbishment project, but they can be installed at any time. Help and support is available locally and grants are often available for this sort of work. Whilst village halls come in all shapes and sizes, to give you an idea of what can be saved in an average house, the Energy Saving Trust says that approximately 50% of all heat is lost through the walls and roof. By installing cavity wall insulation in Leedstown they are helping to reduce this heat loss and the use of energy efficient lighting is saving even more energy. The result is a hall that warms up quicker, stays warm for longer, and needs less fossil fuels, whilst helping the climate.Further information.... You don’t need to make major alterations to see the difference. The right combination of small changes, many costing nothing, can reduce your energy bill and help the climate. The Carbon Trust provides free resources and help to reduce energy use in community buildings and businesses. You can call them for free on 0800 085 2005 or visit their website. Leedstown were given advice on the measures they could take and possible sources of funding from the Community Team at Community Energy Plus. You can contact Neal or Ben on 01209 614973 or visit their website. The Cornwall Rural Community Council provides resources and advice on all aspects of village halls, their website provides a summary of what they offer. There is also a funding resource for village halls from Cornwall Money Matters which details grants and loans that are available. To download their latest update (PDF file) click here. Nationally, Defra provides information and advice on village halls including information on funding, energy efficiency, regulations, news and statistics. Patrick Flower also installed cavity wall insulation in his own home. Cornwall Energy Efficiency Advice Centre (EEAC) provides free and impartial advice on all aspects of saving energy at home. They can also advise on sources of grants that are available to households in Cornwall to install measures such as cavity wall insulation. You can call them for free on 0800 512012 or email them on advice@cep.org.uk Finally if your local community is interested in sustainable energy issues there is a free national network you can join. Community Action for Energy provides up to date news on community-based energy initiatives, funding opportunities, case studies, resources and free training sessions. You can call their helpline on 08701 261444 or visit their website. CWI Photo courtesy of & copyright of EST
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change will be a big issue for Cornwall affecting the local climate and the way we live and work. As a centre for community activity in Leedstown the committee decided that they could do something to help the climate by reducing the amount of energy they use, whilst helping to make the hall easier to heat and cheaper to run. 
the amount of heat lost through the walls, making the hall easier to get warm and stay warm;