Bringing Village Halls Online: Smart Tech for Community Spaces
Village halls are the heart of many UK communities — hosting everything from yoga classes and toddler groups to parish meetings and polling days. But behind the scenes, they’re often run by volunteers with limited time and even less tech support.
The good news? A few simple tools can make managing your hall easier, improve communication, and support grant funding — without adding more work.
1. Online Booking and Calendar Systems
Ditch the paper diary. Online booking tools give hirers an easy way to see availability and make requests.
Popular choices for UK halls include:
HallMaster (designed for community venues)
Skedda
SimplyBook.me
Benefits:
Public view of availability
Admin approval of bookings
Automated invoices and reminders
Avoid double-bookings and phone/email back-and-forth
Some even support repeat bookings and deposits.
2. Better Communication with Users and the Community
Clear communication builds trust and boosts use.
You can:
Send newsletters with Mailchimp or Sender.net
Create a basic website with WordPress or Carrd
Use WhatsApp Broadcast or Facebook Pages for last-minute updates
Post upcoming events via Localgiving or Nextdoor
Keeping users in the loop helps increase bookings and attendance.
3. Volunteer and Committee Coordination
Managing a small committee or volunteer group doesn’t need to be chaotic.
Use:
Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 for document sharing
Trello or Slack for project planning or repair schedules
Shared calendars for meeting reminders
This creates continuity, especially as volunteers change over time.
4. Financial Tracking and Grant Support
Accurate records are key for funding bids and trustee reporting.
Free or low-cost tools:
Wave Accounting or QuickFile for bookkeeping
Google Sheets for simple budget tracking
Xero (discounted for charities) for more advanced needs
Digital copies of receipts stored securely online
Having your records organised builds confidence with funders and makes bids easier.
5. Showing Impact and Supporting Grant Applications
Funders want to see that halls are well-used, well-managed, and responsive to the community.
Digital tools can help:
Track usage trends from your booking system
Gather feedback via Google Forms or QR codes at events
Share photos or testimonials on social media
Provide evidence of digital inclusion or environmental steps
Even a basic impact report can help you stand out.
Small Steps, Big Difference
Most village halls benefit hugely from just one or two changes:
A simple online booking calendar
A shared email address and cloud folder for committee use
A basic website to promote what’s on
No need for complex tech — just tools that make life easier.
We’re Here to Help
At Infracto, we support small community spaces and village halls with friendly, jargon-free tech guidance. Whether you're just getting started or modernising long-standing processes, we can help you set up affordable systems that make your space even more valuable to your community.
