A Small Village Hall Making a Big Change! Barton Bendish Goes Green

Barton Bendish Village Hall has been on a steady path towards sustainability for several years now. It all started with a full renovation of the aging building.  At the time, the Hall had rotten floorboards, outdated heating, and poor-quality windows.  This spring marked a major milestone, when 18 west-facing solar panels and an 8-kilowatt battery were installed, thanks to funding from the West Norfolk Go Green Grant.  

Because the Hall doesn’t have a south-facing roof, the panels were installed on the west side, but that’s worked out well.  The roof isn’t shaded, so they still get good generation.  The Committee had considered solar panels for a while but, like many, funding was the main barrier.  Once the West Norfolk Go Green grant opportunity came along, they explored a few options with different installers and decided it was the right time to act. 

Since the system became fully operational in March, it’s made a real difference. Over just three months, energy use from the grid dropped from around 1,900kWh this time last year to just 150kWh.  The battery is nearly always full, and by mid-June they’d already earned £368 by selling surplus energy back to the grid.  Last year, their electricity bills came to around £2,000, this year, they’re estimating that figure will be closer to £500.   

“We wouldn’t have been able to install the solar panels without the grant funding.” Said Trustee Chris Parsons.  “It’s been fabulous since we had the system installed, we’re really pleased with how it’s performing,”.  

And that kind of saving matters, ACRE data shows that more than half of England’s Village Halls are currently under financial strain due to rising energy prices, so reducing bills by more than £1,500 is a significant achievement. This kind of outcome is exactly what we have been highlighting in recent years, especially in response to the growing energy crisis affecting village halls, as seen in the case of Three Holes Village Hall, which you can read about here. 

This latest round of improvements builds on work that began back in 2020, when the hall secured funding to carry out major renovations, everything they’d hoped to do, including a much-needed extension.  Old heaters were replaced with far infrared electric heating, full LED lighting was installed, and insulation throughout the building was upgraded. 

It’s not just Barton Bendish making this shift either. ACRE’s Village & Community Halls Net Zero Design Guide reports that 13% of Village Halls already have PV panels installed, with a further 8% planning to do so.  Energy efficiency is no longer a niche concern, making village halls warm, welcoming, and affordable to run is quickly becoming the new standard. 

With 340 lettings last year, the Hall is clearly a busy and valued space and that makes energy efficiency all the more important.  Before the work, they had an old pound coin meter and basic shortwave heaters.  Now, the space is warmer, more efficient, and much more affordable to run. 

There’s also been strong support from the local community throughout the process.  The Committee were proactive in sharing their plans early on, and there were no objections.  In fact, the project has had a positive ripple effect with several other Village Halls reaching out to learn from their experience.  

Looking ahead, they hope the cost savings will eventually allow them to reduce hire rates or even offer free use of the Hall for Barton Bendish-based groups.  While it’s too early to say for certain, the intention is clear, to use the benefits of the solar system to give back to the community even more. 

If they had one piece of advice they’d give to other village halls, it’s to start with an environmental audit.  

“Every hall is different, so it’s important to understand what’s possible in each case.” Chris explained.  “And above all, bring the community with you.”  

There may not be much more that can be done to the building now, at least not without major technological advances, but the Committee agrees they’ve come a long way.  Barton Bendish Village Hall stands today not just as a space for local activity, but as a great example of how it is possible for community buildings to make these changes. 

The Committee at Barton Bendish are more than happy to offer advice and encouragement, to other Village Halls across Norfolk thinking about making similar improvements to their Hall. To get in touch with them click here 

If you’re looking to make improvements to your community building but not sure where to start or what the best option is for you, contact us: office@communityactionnorfolk.org.uk.  

Hear directly from Trustee Chris Parsons as he shares Barton Bendish Village Hall’s journey to energy efficiency and the difference the Go Green Grant has made in their community: