The team at Brierley Hill Civic Hall have again won praise for turning it around from a loss-making concern to a thriving venue as a charity. Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565 At the Dudley Council for Voluntary Service (DCVS) 50th Anniversary AGM and awards it was praised as a 'spectacular venue'.
Since it was taken over by DCVS in 2020, general manager James Challis has led a small team which has successfully put on 150 events annually post-Covid. The Bank Street venue is now run on a not-for-profit basis and any money made is put back into renovation and running costs. They can also apply for funding for associated projects.
Recently they were provided with a grant from the Commonwealth Games Inclusive Communities Fund (ICF) for £100,000 to refurbish the front of house toilets as well as the downstairs and backstage ones. A spokesman for the fund said: "The ICF was designed to support communities across the West Midlands by bringing to life solutions that addressed challenges in their neighbourhoods and local areas. "The fund was inspired by the momentum generated by the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and was made available by the UK Government through the department for Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS).
"The West Midlands Combined Authority oversaw the fund, while the Heart of England Community Foundation administered the funding across the region and we were delighted to award the grants for some great causes." At the ceremony.