Do you work in the NHS or health or social care?

Find out more about using the Virtual Village Hall

The UK’s health and social care system faces extreme challenges, exacerbated by financial pressures, long waiting times and health inequalities.

How the Virtual Village Hall can help

The Virtual Village Hall is a free, fully funded health and wellbeing intervention, designed by Royal Voluntary Service. It is an easy-to-use, free online activity resource where health and social care professionals can refer or signpost clients, patients, service users and residents.

It helps people that face challenges getting out and about to in-person events, facilities or activities, that experience social isolation or loneliness, or that need support to better manage their health, including long-term health conditions. It can also help people that are waiting for operations, treatment or appointments.

Everyone is welcome and there is no formal referral process.

Who uses it?

Professional users and referrers are using the Virtual Village Hall, for example, social prescribers in GP surgeries, NHS teams on hospital wards, and activity co-ordinators in residential care settings.

What does it offer?

Think of the Virtual Village Hall as an online community centre. It offers more than 3,000 activity sessions, from exercise and dance, yoga and meditation classes to crafts, cooking and creative writing. There are interesting speakers, fun quizzes and music performances too.

Sessions take place live on weekdays on Facebook and YouTube and are led by expert tutors, including some well-known faces. On Instagram and TikTok, we offer shorter, bite-sized activities. For those wanting the routine of a regular class, we offer weekly sessions at the same day and time. Followers can take part in real time or can view on-demand when suits. New sessions are added regularly. A timetable is shared every week on our social media and by email on request.

The VVH is free for all, thanks to support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery. Where activities require equipment, ingredients or materials, these are low-cost and easy to source. No sign in or subscription are required.

Themed activities

The range of activities reflects the NHS 5 steps to mental wellbeing. Our themed categories are easy to search and can be matched to individual needs and desired benefits, making it a useful tool for health and social care professionals, including those looking for social prescribing resources. Session links and lists can be saved and shared as an ‘activity prescription’.

There's something for everyone!

Select the Activities tab at the top of the page to find details of all our activity categories.

Accessibility

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. Designed to ensure accessible online activities for all users.

Motivation:

To support physical wellbeing and to encourage people to be more active, there are exercise, dance and movement classes, including gentle exercise classes, dementia-friendly sessions and adapted and chair-based sessions for those with mobility challenges.

To support mental health and wellbeing and promote mindfulness, there are coaching sessions, yoga, meditation and music, arts and crafts, and nature and writing workshops.

To promote nutrition and a balanced diet and support independent living, there are cooking and baking sessions to cook along to or watch on demand.

To develop new hobbies, interests and skills or to rediscover old ones, there’s something for everyone to try, including regular sessions that run every week.

To promote social connection and a sense of belonging, there are live sessions every day where people can exercise or join activities with other Virtual Villagers, share comments, chat, and meet session tutors.