Major Biffa Award Grant Secures Historic Building in Hanslope for Future Generations
Hanslope, Milton Keynes, July 2026: Thanks to a £45,000 grant from Biffa Award through the Landfill Communities Fund, and the generosity of our local community in raising the remainder of the monies needed, Hanslope Village Hall is set to undergo vital roof repairs that will safeguard one of the village’s most important historic and community buildings for generations to come.
The hall welcomes hundreds of residents every year, hosting everything from fitness classes and community meetings to family celebrations, theatre productions and local events. It has become a vital hub that brings together people of all ages across Hanslope and the surrounding area.
Built around 1840 as the village’s original “Top School”, the building educated generations of local children before falling into disrepair. A community-led fundraising campaign ultimately rescued the property, leading to its reopening as the Village Hall in 1982.
Since then, facilities have been added including staging for plays and pantos, lighting, audio visual, full kitchen and more. It serves as a venue for community events as well as private parties and celebrations.
However, with the original roof failing, the Board of Trustees looked to funding routes to carry out the extensive repairs. Dr John Sorrell, a trustee of the charity since 1976, said: ‘We just couldn’t do this extensive work without the Biffa Award and Landfill Community Fund. We are extremely grateful to them. They haven’t just given us a new roof; they’ve kept an historic building as a vital part of creating and supporting our growing community for generations to come’.
He adds: ‘We are also delighted that we have been able to use a locally based roofing company – that further helps us support our community and, of course, thank the local community for their continued support.
Rachel Maidment, Grants Manager at Biffa Award, said: ‘We are delighted to support Hanslope Village Hall with this important project. Community buildings like this play a vital role in bringing people together, and these repairs will help protect a much-loved historic asset so it can continue to be used and enjoyed by local residents for many years to come.’
Roof repair works will begin in August, with a community celebration planned upon completion. Residents will be invited to see the improvements and mark the start of a new chapter for a building that has served Hanslope for almost two centuries. Details of events held or ways to hire the Hall can be found at www.hanslopevillagehall.co.uk
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Media Contact: Gillian Glanville, manager@hanslopevillagehall.co.uk, 07515 535 898
Hanslope Village Hall:
The Village Hall is a registered CIO overseen by a Board of unpaid volunteer Trustees. It is available for private hire to groups and individuals and has full disabled access Located at Newport Road, Hanslope.
Biffa Award:
Biffa Award is a multi-million-pound fund that helps to build communities and transform lives through awarding grants to community and environmental projects across England and Northern Ireland. Since it was established in 1997, the fund has awarded grants totalling £207 million to thousands of worthwhile projects. Biffa Award is managed by The Wildlife Trusts, working with Biffa Group Limited, under the Landfill Communities Fund. For more information, visit www.biffa-award.org.
