New development

Cantley Village Hall is fundraising for a new village hall to continue to provide a space for our local community to get together for events and activities. You can get involved by donating to our fundraising efforts, sponsoring a specific event or activity, or volunteering your time to help us run events and activities.

Your support ensures that Cantley Village Hall remains a purposeful hub for our community.

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Project Summary

Project Title:
Rebuilding Cantley Village Hall – A Sustainable Community Hub for the Future.
Project Lead:
Stephen Heard, MBA Chair – Cantley Village Hall Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)
Project Value:
£2 million (estimated capital build cost)
Status:
Planning Permission Granted – Feb 25 Broadland District Council (details here)
Overview:
The current Cantley Village Hall is nearly 100 years old and no longer meets the needs of
our growing and diverse community. It lacks accessibility, efficiency, and flexibility and is
uneconomical to maintain to the current requirements for a public building. This project
will replace it with a purpose-built, future-proofed community facility that delivers long-
term social, economic, and environmental value.

Our Vision

To create a welcoming, inclusive, and modern space by 2026 that doubles the current available size to support the following:

Community groups and clubs

Educational activities and youth engagement

Local events, celebrations, and cultural initiatives

Outreach services and digital inclusion

Health, wellbeing, and intergenerational programmes

The new hall will include the following new features:

Large hall with stage and flexible usage as badminton court or four table tennis tables or 32 keep fit exercise mats.
Two clinical rooms for delivery of health and social care to local providers.
Separate smaller meeting room for hire for local businesses or organisations.
Office for new part time manager to ensure access and administration of facility.
Enlarged kitchen and temporary bar facility.
Chemical toilets outside for use by visitors to the children’s playground.
Renewed car park service with space for electrical vehicle charging.
External ecological benefits to improve the environmental footprint.
Use of solar panels and other carbon reducing initiatives.
An improved external interactive community space providing playground/fitness areas.
A community garden to promote mental health and wellness, focusing on natures natural environment.

Leadership Credentials: Stephen Heard, project lead and CIO Chair, brings over 40 years of senior executive leadership across the public, private, and voluntary sectors, including:  Director-level roles in the NHS and HM Treasury.  CEO of an international financial services firm.  Delivered multimillion-pound transformation programmes.  Former Chair of a national charity (Community Network). Experienced project management team of Trustees with relevant skills.

Funding Strategy: We are preparing a funding mix in the following priority that includes: 1. National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund Largest potential grant, strong track record funding village halls. 2. Arts Council Creative Foundations Fund An open-access capital fund that aims to support creative and cultural organisations in revitalising, restoring, retrofitting, or renewing cultural assets. 3. Garfield Weston Foundation Flexible, significant funder. Recognises well-planned capital projects. Supports village halls and often co-funds alongside Lottery. Associated with Allied British Foods parent company of British Sugar 4. Bernard Sunley Foundation Good for medium-sized grants. Very capital-focused. Prefers near-ready projects with full planning permission approved. 5. Public Works Loan Board via Parish Council precept Useful to close funding gaps or unlock matched funding. Needs public consultation and clear community support. 6. The Charles Littlewood Hill Trust Strong local Norfolk focus. Good for smaller items within capital budget (e.g., equipment or fittings). Could help unlock other grants. 7. Sport England Targeted for playground equipment 8. Community fundraising and sponsorship 9. In-kind contributions and pro bono services Total Target: £1,450,000 Construction Budget TBC: £1,200,000 Contingency 17.24%: £250,000