According to the Charity Commission there are over 9,000 village halls and community centres recognised as charities in England and Wales — representing more than 5% of registered charities — and their combined annual income is around £0.25 billion.

Research carried out by the Charity Commission shows that a successful village hall or community centre charity usually has:

• a governing document that is workable and up-to-date, containing provisions for everything that the trustees need to do
• a trustee body that is diverse, knows the extent of its role responsibilities and powers and presents potential new trustees with a realistic picture of what is involved
• a building that meets legislative requirements and that can facilitate a range of activities
• an effective means of communicating and consulting with the local community to ensure that its needs and interests are understood and that the community knows about the charity’s activities and plans
• a funding regime that is sustainable and diverse enough to allow trustees sufficient flexibility to direct their activities in accordance with local needs and interests
• a strategic plan, however simple, that takes account of the impact of proposed changes on all aspects of the running of the charity