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  "description": "Village hall advisers from across England will gather in Staffordshire for a two-day training and networking conference hosted by rural charity ACRE.",
  "path": "/rural-charity-set-to-host-countrys-largest-gathering-of-village-hall-advisers/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-05-03T10:44:12.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.thestaffordshiresignal.co.uk",
  "textContent": "Village hall advisers from across England will travel to Staffordshire later this month for a one-of-a-kind networking and training conference hosted by the country’s only dedicated charity for rural communities.\n\nAround 30 delegates are expected to attend the annual two-day event, which is delivered by national charity Action with Communities in Rural England, making it the largest gathering of village hall advisers anywhere in the country.\n\nThe 2026 edition is set to take place on Wednesday 13 and Thursday 14 May at Yarnfield Park Training and Conference Centre, which is located in the Staffordshire market town of Stone.\n\nThose coming along will have the opportunity to meet others working in a similar\nrole, share learning and receive training from industry experts, which can then be taken away and used to offer practical support to the vast army of volunteers who work tirelessly across England’s 10,000 village halls.\n\n_Action with Communities in Rural England is the national charity for all rural\ncommunities, as well as the umbrella body for the ACRE Network. _\n\nMade up of 38 standalone member charities, with each one representing the rural interests of its respective county, the Network collectively campaigns for change, enables on-the-ground action and unlocks support for those most in need.\n\nEach member also operates a local village hall advisory service, with its advisers working to provide local volunteers with the support needed to keep their community building up and running.\n\nDeborah Clarke, Village Halls Manager, ACRE, said:\n\n> “Village halls are not just simple spaces-for-hire, but true community assets that have the power to bring people together and to enhance the lives of rural families.\n\n> “Despite their enormous social contribution, most village halls are run entirely on goodwill, which makes our annual advisers conference so important.\n\n> “By bringing village hall advisers together under one roof, we can guarantee that essential information – on everything from securing lower energy bills to negotiating complex insurance policies – can be shared with the volunteers on the ground who work so tirelessly, often without any training or prior experience, to keep their venue’s doors open and lights switched on.”\n\nIndustry experts from a range of fields and backgrounds, including nearby Keele\nUniversity and Cannock Chase District Council, along with local professional\nservices firms Cubed Tax and Ellis-Fermor & Negus Solicitors, will also be at the\nevent to share their knowledge and insight. Among the sponsors for this year’s event is Norris and Fisher Insurance Brokers, who work exclusively with charities, village halls and other voluntary groups.\n\nJade Winter, Director at Norris and Fisher, said:\n\n> “We are delighted to once again be partnering with ACRE to deliver this extremely useful and worthwhile event.\n\n> “At Norris and Fisher, we understand just how important community buildings are to everyday life in rural areas, and that protecting these valuable venues from the unexpected is a necessity that shouldn’t be complicated or overly expensive.\n\n> “We look forward to what promises to be a fantastic two days, and would\n> encourage any community group in need of help with their insurance to contact us directly.”\n\nOther event sponsors include Hallmaster, Utility Aid, Sound Reduction Systems,\nARC Thermal, TJB Community and Easyfunding.\n\nFor more information about ACRE and its work in supporting the more than\n10,000 village halls across England, visit www.acre.org.uk.\n\nRegistered Charity No 1061568 VAT No 477763003 Company Limited by Guarantee 3336101\n\n####  Enjoyed this story?\n\nThe Staffordshire Signal is a not-for-profit, community-funded publication. Every tip helps keep local journalism free, independent, and focused on the stories that matter across Staffordshire.\n\nEvery contribution supports reporting, photography, and storytelling across the county.\n\nExplore the heart of our county Use the interactive map above to discover local landmarks, heritage sites, and community-vetted spots. Every interaction helps support **The Staffordshire Signal’s** mission to keep local news free and independent.\n\nSupport independent local journalism by selecting ****The Staffordshire Signal**** as a ‘Preferred Source’ on Google. Help us stay front-and-centre in your news feed.",
  "title": "Rural charity set to host country’s largest gathering of village hall advisers",
  "updatedAt": "2026-05-03T11:06:42.079Z"
}