ACOUSTIC SOLUTIONS THAT WORK FOR THE COMMUNITY

“Dear everyone at Woolly Shepherd,

I am writing to thank you for supplying us with a fantastic product and the advice on fixing it. Our Lunch club are delighted by the clouds, which have completely removed a serious reverberation issue. Another small music group, which is part of a registered charity, called Music In Our Bones now record weekly in the hall because the acoustics are so good. They would normally run lots of session for people to join in but have been using this method of reaching out to people. One of their leaders has told me that the clouds have completely transformed the room.

From an aesthetic point of view as you can see, we have painted the ceiling which has helped to make the clouds even more of a standout feature and has changed the atmosphere of the room.

I cannot thank you enough for being such a great company to deal with, helpful and friendly and with a great product. Please thank all of your staff.”

Kind regards,

Robert Horn

Manager

Village hall acoustics play a vital role in ensuring that your village/community hall provides a vital community space where people can come together, connect, and form lifelong friendships. These halls are a lifeline for many villages, particularly as traditional community spaces like pubs and post offices have closed.

These halls should be inclusive spaces that provide a warm and welcoming atmosphere to everyone. However, all too often when people consider the inclusivity of this type of environment, they will unintentionally exclude those for whom good room acoustics are an essential requirement.

At Woolly Shepherd we specialise in village hall acoustics, assessing the acoustic requirements of all members of the community, carefully considering the nature of the activities that currently take place in the hall and any that are planned for the future.

Creating truly inclusive spaces, helps to make these valuable community resources economically and socially sustainable.

Poor village hall acoustics can be especially problematic for the following groups:

• Young children who are still acquiring their full vocabulary.
• Anyone who is deaf or has any degree of hearing loss, formally identified or otherwise.
• Those for whom English is not their first language.
• Blind and partially sighted people.
• Anyone with special sensory needs, such as those with Autism.

For these people entering a room with poor acoustics can be uncomfortable at best and at times unbearable to be in.

So often acoustics in public spaces are overlooked and this can have a dramatic impact on so many members of the local Community.

Woolly Shepherd have a range of products and specialist advisors to help communities make the best choice in dealing with poor village hall acoustics.

If you would like to have a free informal chat with one of our team and discuss the options available, from acoustic surveys, through to products available and acoustic installations please feel free to call us on 01823 400321 or email us at info@woollyshepherd.co.uk.

Woolly Shepherd Reports and Quotations can be an essential starting point in sourcing funding for acoustic treatment of village halls and community buildings. We offer advice on how acoustic treatment can make these spaces accessible for members of the community, who may otherwise be excluded due to poor acoustics.

Useful Links:

Smart Communities – community focused consultancy

Smart Communities Ltd is a leading consultancy service and social enterprise, which works across the south west of England to enable communities to flourish. Our team of committed, passionate experts are highly experienced at working with communities at any and every level. We are here as trusted partners to strengthen emerging and existing enterprises and improve communities.

National Lottery Community Fund.

The National Lottery Community Fund distributes over £600m a year to communities across the UK, raised by players of The National Lottery.

ACRE.

ACRE is a national charity speaking up for and supporting rural communities.

We work to create thriving, inclusive and economically active communities which have the services they need. We believe no one should be disadvantaged because of where they live.

FFA AND ALL FOR FUNDING.

Funding for All provides free, expert advice to small charities, voluntary organisations, community groups and social enterprises.

Somerset Community Foundation.

We’re a charity that helps passionate people in Somerset change the world on their doorstep. We do this by funding amazing local charities and providing rewarding and impactful ways for donors to give to the causes and places they care about.