Closure of the Virtual Village Hall
Royal Voluntary Service has taken the difficult decision to close the Virtual Village Hall (VVH) and the last live activity session will take place on 11 September. The service was created at the start of the pandemic to support public health and wellbeing and connect people.
VVH responded to a real and pressing need, particularly during the pandemic years, but now there is now greater online choice, and community spaces have reopened. As a charity, Royal Voluntary Service needs to focus its resources on the greatest community needs.
We appreciate this will be disappointing news. It was a difficult decision but as a charity, we have to prioritise the services that are in most demand.
The excellent YouTube archive of VVH activity sessions will remain available to use.
There are also other online resources available including We Are Undefeatable, as well as Royal Voluntary Service’s own Clubs and Groups network, and Calls with Care service.
As the VVH comes to a close, we want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has joined our activity sessions, to the wonderful tutors and session hosts, and to the volunteers and supporters that have all helped make the Virtual Village Hall such a special place.
To keep updated about Royal Voluntary Service’s work and the different ways that you can get involved and support the charity, please sign up to our regular eNewsletters.
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About the Virtual Village Hall
The Virtual Village Hall is a free online activity hub and community. It’s designed by the charity, Royal Voluntary Service, to help people stay mentally and physically active, socially connected and having fun. It supports people to better manage their health, including long-term health conditions, and healthy ageing.
Free activity sessions to try
The Virtual Village Hall (VVH) offers an extensive archive of thousands of sessions to view on demand. Imagine visiting a typical community centre or village hall, just online!
Activities include gentle exercise and dance classes, with adapted, seated and chair-based sessions, yoga and meditation, crafts and cooking, creative writing, interesting talks and more. All designed to support adult learning in a friendly, relaxed setting. These sessions offer a great way to keep learning, moving and having fun from home.
Free to use
It’s free to join and take part online, with no sign-in or subscription required. Where activities require equipment, ingredients or materials, these are low-cost and easy to source.
Is it for me?
The Virtual Village Hall is for everyone! Whether you live alone, find it difficult to get out and about, or just want to try something new at home, you’ll find a warm welcome and friendly online activities to suit your needs.
Themed events
As well as our regular activity sessions, we also offer special feature events with themed sessions, for instance, Mindspace Week (for mental wellbeing), Men’s Health Week and World Menopause Day.
Professional referrers
Health and Social Care professionals use the Virtual Village Hall to support patients, clients and residents, for instance, in GP surgeries as a social prescribing resource, on hospital wards and community health centres and in residential care settings to provide wellbeing activities.
Customise your experience
The VVH website uses assistive technology to help users customise their experience. Options include chosen language, font style, size and colour, zoom, keyboard navigation, audio description and screen reader support.
About Royal Voluntary Service
Royal Voluntary Service is one of Britain’s largest volunteering charities, with volunteers supporting the NHS, adult social care and thousands of vulnerable people in the community. The charity also works in local communities, running home libraries, companionship support, home from hospital services and patient transport. Its new digital volunteering platform, GoVo, connects volunteers to causes they care about for the benefit of charities across the country.
