VILLAGE halls across Teignbridge are being encouraged to register and join a national campaign raising awareness of England’s more than 10,000 rural community buildings.

Action with Communities in Rural England’s (ACRE) popular campaign - Village Halls Week - takes place from March 16 to 22, 2026.

Next year's campaign will focus on the important role that village and community halls play in the health and wellbeing of their communities.

By providing spaces for exercise, social clubs, health sessions, and peer support, they help prevent isolation and promote wellbeing at every stage of life.

ACRE’s Village Halls Manager, Deborah Clarke said: ‘We are pleased to share that the 10th Village Halls Week will highlight health and wellbeing.

‘Volunteers managing halls play an essential role in connecting people and helping to create resilient, healthier rural communities.

‘ACRE will share more details later in the New Year, but we expect the week’s campaign to highlight the NHS 5 steps to wellbeing’.

Village hall management committees are urged to put the dates in their diary and register to receive updates on how to get involved.

There will also be bunting and badges, but be quick to register as there is a limited supply.

ACRE is a charity speaking up for and supporting rural communities.

It is the national body of the ACRE Network, England’s largest rural grouping of charities which facilitate a wide range of community-led initiatives that encourage a culture of volunteering and mutual aid, reduce social isolation and loneliness, increase the supply of affordable housing, boost the local economy, and reduce impact on the environment.