Reinforcing the resilience of a Dutch Community Hall 

A LEADER project in Overijssel has modernised a community hall, helping it become a valuable local social asset that brings people together by providing a space for interaction and collaboration while also serving practical purposes such as hosting events and offering essential services.

Community halls are an integral part of many rural societies, serving as a hub for various activities and events. LEADER continues to help sustain and improve these versatile spaces, which can play crucial roles in fostering social cohesion, promoting cultural exchange and providing essential services to local populations throughout rural Europe. 

A typical example of how LEADER projects can create multi-purpose benefits from modernising community infrastructure like halls is shown in the Dutch settlement of Herxen. Here, the ‘Village House’ was completely modernised in 2020 with help from LEADER co-funding, which was used to improve the fabric of the building and its outside areas, resulting in an all-access community facility.  

Energy savings were another result of this LEADER good practice project. The hall now allows the local community to have an attractive meeting place where they can come together to share ideas and discuss important matters collectively. The upgraded Herxen Hall will also be able to provide opportunities for cultural performances that showcase the talents of local artists and, in doing so, promote creativity and  provide opportunities for cultural enrichment. 

Community resilience 

LEADER support to community halls has also enabled the provision of key essential services such as being used as polling stations during elections or as venues for health clinics or vaccination drives. In times of crisis or emergencies such as natural disasters or pandemics, these community spaces can also be converted into temporary shelters or relief centres. For all these reasons, Local Action Groups are likely to continue to include funding options for community infrastructure in their Local Development Strategies during the 2023-2027 period. 

Hence, thanks to LEADER support to modernise the Herxen village hall, the community is now much better equipped than before to provide different services and host events for the community. This project has helped support the longer-term resilience of the rural population and has also been successful in helping to safeguard two jobs. In addition, the hall’s heating costs have been reduced by around 15%, which is useful in the current energy supply situation.  

Roos Meijer is the Village House manageress. She has noticed how the LEADER project has helped reduce risks of local people feeling ‘left behind’ or isolated in rural communities, saying: “What gives me a special feeling of warmth is the homeliness of this village house. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday you can come here for a meal. As a result, people come here that you would otherwise not see very often. The people here are absolutely helpful and warm towards each other.”