Surveys for Humber & Wolds Rural Action (HWRA)

Formally known as Humber & Wolds Rural Community Council, HWRA is an independent charity working to improve the sustainability and vibrancy of rural communities in the Humber region.

The charity aims to tackle the common issues faced by rural communities through various projects. Services enhance the facilities in these communities, supporting their development for years to come.

Established in 1975, the charity’s work is funded by public sector organisations and spans across the East Riding of Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire.

HWRA also works in connection with the East Riding Association of Rural Community Buildings.

Meeting at Driffield Show

As proud members of the Driffield Business Club, Delaney Marling Partnership (DMP) attends the annual Driffield Show to support the stand. In 2019, Simon Delaney Joint Director at DMP, was introduced to some members of the East Riding Association of Rural Community Buildings, who also had a stand at the event.

Following this first encounter, DMP were invited by the Association to take part in an event at the Holme on Spalding Moore village hall, to offer expert advice on the maintenance of these buildings and leading on from this, the team have been commissioned to provide a variety of surveying services.

Local Village Halls

The DMP team has visited five buildings and talked to various village hall committees, which were a combination of village halls and rural buildings - undertaking surveys at Hutton Cranswick, Harpham and Middleton on the Wolds as well as village halls in East Cullingworth and Cherry Burton.

Our Service

As experienced Chartered Building Surveyors, DMP provided detailed reports on the condition of the buildings, with specific cost estimates for the repair of the issues that were identified in the initial survey. This information helped the village hall committees to understand their buildings and repair issues as well as to plan the management of the buildings and address any concerns with their current state.

The findings of the surveys will aid the sustainability and longevity of these village halls that are so vital to rural communities.

Paul Almond from Harpham Village Hall committee explains:

“Whilst we have been generally aware of the issues around the structure of the hall for some time, the trustees found the formality of the report, which included specific cost estimates, very useful in seeking quotes for remedial work that needed to be done. The level of detail within the report also helped to formalise the specifications needed when asking for quotes for this remedial work.

“It is a very useful working document for ongoing up-keep of the premises, as well as for items legally required that might have been missed, due to lack of detailed knowledge of the trustees.”

Denise Wales from Middleton on the Wolds explains: 

“Middleton Village Hall is at the heart of this small rural community and provides a venue for young and old. With rising maintenance costs due to the age of the building the village hall committee commissioned DMP to carry out a building survey, which established that the hall had a number of issues that needed addressing, a lot of which we were previously unaware of.

“Having the detailed information provided by DMP enabled us to prioritise the repairs and put in place a business plan for the significant maintenance, upgrade and refurbishment required to ensure the future of the building.

"We were fortunate in obtaining a grant from The Smile Foundation which enabled the most urgent repairs to be carried out. We are continuing to apply to various bodies for funding to enable the completion of the refurbishment and look forward to life beyond restrictions with warmer brighter days ahead and meeting up with friends old and new in our newly refurbished hall.”

Kevin Marling, Joint Director at Delaney Marling Partnership added:

“The village halls we have visited so far vary in age and were built between the 1930s and 1980s. They now require a level of repair/refurbishment to extend their useful life to the local community. This is can be difficult to assess by the committee when there is limited budget available.

“DMP has been carrying out condition surveys, reviewed planned works and costed out the repairs. We have also provided asset management to allow the various Village Hall committees to plan any works in order of priority. This gives us a bigger picture and helps them to plan the future of their village halls and the services each one provides into the rural communities.”

If you are involved in a community organisation and need advice on the condition, building works or any type of building issue, please get in touch by email info@delaneymarlingpartnership.co.uk or call 01482 623955 or 01472 729964.