A Light in the Village When It Matters Most

For generations, the village hall run by The Netherton and District War Memorial Institute has stood quietly at the heart of this rural community. Built in 1921, its wooden frame has weathered storms, celebrations, and countless moments of everyday life. But in recent years, the community it serves has faced new challenges, particularly the reality of prolonged power outages that left residents without electricity, communication, or even water for days at a time.

With a predominantly elderly population and an increasingly unpredictable climate, the Hall Committee knew they had to think differently. Their vision was simple but vital: to ensure that the village hall could remain a warm, safe, and reliable refuge for everyone. Especially when the lights go out.

Having experienced major powercuts in the past, the community was anxious to build resilience. The hall applied to become both an emergency rest centre and a designated warm space, ready to offer temporary support during major incidents or power failures. To make that vision a reality, the committee identified three essentials: solar panels to provide cleaner, greener energy and a standby LPG generator to guarantee power when it is needed most.

This was not just about future-proofing a building - it was about protecting people.

Thanks to a £20,000 grant from Northern Powergrid Foundation, the installation of solar panels has transformed the hall’s energy use, bringing it firmly into the 21st century while respecting its historic roots. Producing its own electricity has reduced energy bills, lowered the hall’s carbon footprint, and even allowed surplus power to be exported back to the grid. These savings have had a direct benefit for the community: hire charges have remained stable, keeping the hall affordable for local groups, events, and organisations.

Siobhan Sheehy, Trustee of The Netherton and District War Memorial Institute, said:
“The support from Northern Powergrid Foundation has made a lasting difference to our village hall and the wider community. The funding enabled us to install both a standby generator for emergencies and a solar and battery system that is helping us reduce our energy costs every day. Those savings can now be reinvested back into the hall, ensuring we can continue to improve and maintain this vital community asset. Just as importantly, we now have the confidence that, during a prolonged power cut or emergency, the hall can remain operational as a safe, warm place for people to come together when they need support most.”

The standby generator provides something just as important as electricity… reassurance. While it has not yet been needed in an emergency, residents take comfort in knowing the hall can remain warm and operational during prolonged power outages. Charging points for phones, computers, and essential devices mean the hall can quickly become a hub for communication if networks fail elsewhere. 

For a rural, isolated community, this matters enormously. When help may take time to arrive, having a safe, secure place of temporary refuge can make all the difference.

The response from the community has been overwhelmingly positive. Locals are proud that their village hall is exporting electricity back to the grid and actively contributing to a greener future. They are grateful that costs have been kept low, and that the hall remains accessible to everyone; not as a commercial enterprise, but as a shared community asset. Most of all, they are thankful that, should the need arise, there is a warm, welcoming place to gather, free at the point of use, when circumstances are at their toughest.

Today, the hall stands ready. A symbol of resilience, sustainability, and care. Thanks to practical investment and forward-thinking support, this much-loved building is no longer just a place for meetings and celebrations. It is a lifeline, quietly waiting in the background, prepared to serve its community whenever the call comes.

If you think you could make use of these amenities during a power cut and would like to be contacted by the village hall as and when the hall is operating as a warm space, then please get in touch with the Hall Secretary on 07786947278 or [email protected]