STORM ARWEN RESILIENCE PLAN
As you all know the whole parish of Whittington was without electricity for over five days as a result of Storm Arwen. The Village Hall could not provide a warm hub during that time as it was probably a colder building than any other as it is not permanently occupied or heated.
Since then considerable time and effort has been spent in the area led by our MP, Guy Opperman, including input from the hall committee conducting a post-mortem of the failures. One of the conclusions was that some facilities like our hall need to capable of providing a warm hub, hot food and drink, communication facilities including internet and mobile phone charging and if possible entertainment.
In the last year the hall has already installed an AV system and is in the process of installing a solar pv panel, battery and heat pump system. These were all in the planning stage before the storm and so when completed we have the facility except we would not have sufficient power to heat the hall 24 hours a day and provide food and drink.
Northern Powergrid have set up a fund to support facilities enhancement and our hall is the first such facility which has been awarded money. We have been given £4000 to purchase bottled gas heaters and hobs plus a generator which can run other facilities if our panels are covered in snow or not generating sufficiently.
This means that the hall can be designated a warm hub which leads to additional support from NCC, the police and fire services including priority for bottled gas supplies so we will be able to keep the facility running for an extended period if required.
Although the equipment will be owned and managed by the hall committee and supported by the parish council there will be a need for volunteers to help organise things in the event of it being needed. It is stressed that this is an organisational role not that you spend all your time cooking or other things. It will be a self help facility and people using it will be expected to help.
You may also have seen in the Hexham Courant reports about this stating that it a project organised by the parish council. This is not correct it has been totally done by the village hall committee as the hall does not belong to them but is a self governing charity although the parish council were aware we were doing it.
If you feel able to be a volunteer organiser please leave a message the village halls email address greatwhittingtonvhc2@gmail.com