Biddenden Village Halls and Sports Committee

Overview:

Set in the heart of the Kentish Weald, Biddenden Village Hall is owned and managed by the Village Halls and Sports Committee. A committee appointed by clubs and organisations who use the hall and grounds. They are responsible for the management of the Bowls, Changing Room, Squash and Tennis facilities at the Gordon Jones Field. 

Two grants totalling £4,000 were awarded to the committee for the re-roofing of the village hall where exercise classes, yoga, Pilates, pickleball and badminton sessions take place. Funding was also used to re-roof the pavilion supporting the local squash club, courts, changing rooms and a toilet and bar. The grants enabled the reroofing work to be carried out in a timely fashion allowing the committee to maintain reasonable levels of operational reserves to meet ongoing maintenance costs.  

Getting our sports facilities into a good shape has given the sports clubs a new lease of life and enabled them to concentrate on running their clubs rather than worrying about the condition of the facilities. 

Biddenden Village Halls and Sports Committee Member

Impact on the club: 

• Helped improve our financial position and helped secure funding from other sources 

• Helped us develop new relationships/partnerships with other organisations 

• Helped increase our confidence to deliver sport and physical activity 

• Helped us attract new participants 

Impact on the local community: 

• Provided the community with more opportunities to be active 

• Helped individuals and families connect with their local community 

• Helped people from different backgrounds mix and get on well together 

• Helped the local community manage their physical and mental health 

Biddenden Squash Club now has over 300 members and won Squash Club of the Year in 2023. The Football Club has expanded and grown from a Juniors club to a club with adult teams; both ladies and men, with over 200 members. The Tennis Club now has over 100 members and the activities run in the hall are all thriving, running close to capacity. 

We greatly appreciate the support we have received.The amounts given may not seem large in the overall picture, but without them communities will struggle to keep their facilities in good shape, particularly when they have been allowed to run down or when unforeseen problems arise.

It is hard to put a value on the benefits of having good sports and wellbeing facilities available in rural communities, but I have no doubt they provide a safety net that catches people who would otherwise need support from Social Services.

Biddenden Village Halls and Sports Committee Member

To find out more please visit the Biddenden Village Hall website.