We know it can be a hassle choosing venues for events, whether for work or leisure the choices can seem limitless and many venues seem to merge into each other. Bland function rooms at non-descript hotels can seem uninspiring – you want your event to stand out for your guests. One way to do this is by choosing a venue that will do good with the money you are spending with them. We are working more and more with charities and social enterprise venues where the profits they make from their venues get ploughed back into either the local community or charitable causes. These venues are a win-win for you – they can often be cheaper as they often attract no VAT, and you can feel warm and fuzzy for helping a local community. As an added bonus many of these venues are very quirky – as far from bland as you could hope to get. Here is a selection of some of our favourite London community and charity venues.
The Coin Street Neighbourhood Centre has a great location on the Southbank and has seven rooms available to hire, all of differing sizes. The third floor suite has stunning views of the London skyline and can hold up to 170 guests. Profits from the venue are re-invested in the Southbank neighbourhood through the innovative Coin Street Community Builders. The venue is in the middle of the community it supports so the good work your choice of venue does is self evident.
The St Bride Foundation just off Fleet Street is a fascinating building which was built as a recreational and cultural centre for workers in the printing and publishing trade. With impressive displays of historic artefacts from the industry it supports, it also has a great selection of rooms for hire, some of which can hold up to 150, so a great venue for large and small events. As well as giving reduced rates to community organisations the money raised through the foundation helps support it’s work developing the workshops, theatre programme and exhibitions that are the centre of the Foundation’s work.
The Old Church in Stoke Newington is a consecrated church on the corner of Clissold Park in Stoke Newington, a cultural hub in East London. Specialising as an arts venue it is also a romantic venue for wedding receptions and can host evening dinners and board meetings, all in unique surroundings. Events at The Old Church are run by highly trained volunteer managers and overheads are therefore kept low so it is a great option if your organisation is on a tight budget.
Resource for London is a events centre based on the Holloway Road in North London, and easily accessible from Kings Cross. Established as a central hub for London’s voluntary sector the venue has flexible office, meeting and exhibition space. Run by a charity the venue offers a low cost alternative and has enough separate spaces to make it truly flexible. All proceeds from venue hire are used to support the voluntary sector in London, with a particular emphasis on groups working to address poverty.
