• Belmont Parish Hall was officially opened by Reverend Dr Robert Innes in April 2006, it was the culmination of a fifteen year search by the Scouts and Guides for a new home, and six years of intense research and development work, planning and fundraising by a dedicated group of enthusiasts known as the New Hall Reference Group.
• The closure in the late 70s of the old Scout Hut in the Vicarage grounds and the Old School Centre (in 1993) nearby created a real need for a central community facility.
• The Scouts and Guides had successfully raised nearly £100,000, and this gave a great head start to the project, with a further £575,000 raised between 2000 and 2005. Fundraising included filling Smarties with 10p pieces (£4,000), sponsored bricks (£12,000), and Lottery funding (almost £200,000).
• Belmont Parish Hall Association became a registered charity in 2006, and its Constitution changed from a fundraising/hall-building group to an Association managing the many different aspects of a busy community facility.
• Since 2006 the Hall has thrived. There is an ever increasing range of community activities and often a waiting list. The Hall continues to serve the young, the aged and infirm or isolated, according to our Community Fund Grant targets, as well as the community in general.

Belmont Parish Hall – Major Sponsors

 

£675,000 was raised over a six year period, although if Scout and Guide activities are included this period could be considered to be nearer twenty years!

In round terms the fundraising broke down as follows:-

NationalLottery	£200,000
Scouts & Guides	£100,000
Private donations	£100,000
Parochial Church Council	£50,000
Other grants	£200,000
Bank interest	£25,000

 

The Hall’s main supporters in terms of large grants were the Lottery Fund, a Biffa Environmental Award and Northern Rock but there were many more as can be seen on the plaque in the Hall entrance. The Parish Council and then City Council were also most supportive in cash terms and many other ways. The Hall benefited in a most timely manner from being the first major recipient of the Durham City Council Flourishing Communities Fund. From the title it is evident that the hall hit all the right buttons…”Flourishing community” “self help”, “proper research”, established need” and £63,000 was awarded in2005.

In more recent times, Belmont Parish Hall has benefied from grants from organisations such as The Co-operative, County Durham Communiy Foundation, Area Action Plan, and local Parish and County Councillors to help fund, for example, new IT equipment, re-furbishment of the wooden floor, an energy audit and various community events.