The Folk Hall is a thriving community venue in the village of New Earswick, York. Opened by Joseph Rowntree in 1907, the Folk Hall, which is a Grade II listed building, was given as a gift to the people of the village as “a place for meeting”. Everyone is welcome (including our canine friends), at the Folk Hall. Growing numbers of people of all ages – babes in arms to
centenarians, regularly spend time in the Folk Hall. We are proud to be the place many people and community groups from across York choose to meet.
Footfall
179,258
Looking forward – we will continue to bring you essential services – postal and banking services, free wi-fi, good food, information and help to access the services that you need. Keep telling us what you like, and dislike and we will continue building what you want and need. Thanks to all of you –customers, volunteers, staff and visitors, who contribute to making the Folk Hall the success it is. Together, we are stronger, healthier, happier and have more fun!
Katherine Blaker, Communities Lead, JRHT
People make the Folk Hall what it is and our amazing staff create a welcoming atmosphere that can be felt from your very first visit.
“I would just like to say that I find EVERYTHING and EVERYONE extremely kind welcoming and helpful at the Folk Hall! There is always a lively atmosphere and a massive “Community Feel”, Thank you”
2024 a year in numbers
18,383
48 visits to the library, with an average of books loaned per day.
3,897 Around people came along to a Folk Hall event –that’s a lot of friendly faces through the doors!
25,501 The Post Office served of you, fantastic to see so many of you.
40,450 hot drinks enjoyed with friends.
19,000 You enjoyed over delicious lunches in the comfort of our cafe.
Community groups benefitted from hours of free room hire. 848
468,792 Our posts reached people -
that’s a whole lot of you keeping up with what’s happening in and around the Folk Hall!
Post Office and Shop
“The Team at New Earswick go above and beyond to give their customers outstanding customer service. The Branch is run efficiently and to very high standards.”
Cath Ogelsby – Post Office Area Manager
In 2024 we introduced Evri and expanded our popular Drop & Go service. We saw a 4.8% increase in customers and a 49.4% rise in income compared to 2022.
4.8% 49.4%
We have grown the shop to meet your needs, now offering more cards and snacks. Every penny spent in the shop supports the Folk Hall. Thank you.
I have a Blue Badge, therefore, I am able to park quite close. ... There is always a friendly face waiting to assist you and so far, everyone I have dealt with has been knowledgeable, able to answer my questions and have provided a quick and efficient service.”
PO income increased 49.4% since 2022/15.3% on 2023.
49.4% 2022 15.3% 2023
Café
Our café team are famous for their lovely customer service - getting to know you and making sure everyone leaves with a full belly and a smile. It can get really busy, but with the new buzzer system, now you can grab a seat and have a natter while you wait!
7460 breakfasts enjoyed 18,240 cakes and scones sold
Thanks to your feedback, we brought more cakes and variety to our specials - new iced coffees, yummy Bakewell tarts and nutritious salads.
“I have recently moved into the area and had my Mum over for the weekend. We decided to try the cafe for breakfast this morning. ... Great quality, value for money and the staff were exceptional!! ... ”
Library
Making a Difference in New Earswick
17,671 library items borrowed
1,260 volunteer hours given to support the library
107 local children took part in the Summer Reading Challenge
2,135 people attended 256 library events throughout the year
Explore brought stories to life with immersive theatre performances and Makaton story sessions. During the Summer Reading Challenge we welcomed a hive of bees and learnt how vital bees are to our ecosystem. We added more seating, giving you extra space to sit together and share stories.
Discovery Room and Community groups
In 2024, community groups - Stay Play and Weigh, Mindfulness Rocks, and Andy’s Man Club enjoyed using the newly opened Discovery Room. The weekly gathering at Open House brings people together to relax, connect, and enjoy food and drinks.
“I joined in January 2024 after the death of my husband when I was lonely. I now come every week and attend something every day at the Folk Hall”
“I look forward to coming to the Thursday group [Open House] each week . I look at them as my extended family. 10/10 +”
Community members: Debs, Cathy and Sophie
“I come to the Folk Hall because you always get a friendly welcome and the staff are wonderful. It gets me up and out the house, meeting different people, learning something new and joining in lots of groups so I am not lonely. I started coming when I moved to the village and now come because I know the staff and it is a safe place I can always come, even when I am feeling unwell. I feel part of the Folk Hall and try to help others as much as possible by taking part in groups and letting them know it’s a place you can come to get involved or ask for help and advice.”
The room was created to help more people join in community life offering a relaxed space where people feel at home and empowered to do things for themselves and support one another.
Fun in the holidays – easing the burden on families
High quality fun provided by community partners enabled adults to connect with each other whilst caring for children.
“The session has been brilliant…the help with food has also been a godsend as I have been struggling with money. The fact my coeliac son’s dietary needs have been met is fantastic”
FH Events highlights
The Folk Hall loves putting on events for everyone and we had some brilliant ones this year.
Party by the Park
The 2024 event was a fantastic day. Even though the weather was a bit soggy, the energy stayed high – we just moved the fun indoors and kept the party going!
“Thank you so much for all the time and effort that was put into the event – it was a fantastic family fun afternoon. So much for kids to enjoy, great to see all the happy kids faces (painted) carrying balloons and coloured windmills, and no one left out as they were all provided ‘free’ ...”
Party by the park rated 4.75 out of 5
Comedy nights
Our hugely popular comedy nights made a comeback in 2024 – two brilliant evenings packed with top-notch laughs from some well-known comedians. What a blast!
“We just wanted to give some feedback on the recent comedy night we attended at the Folk Hall. ... We are big fans of comedy, and this is by far the best show we have ever been to.”
Where does our money come from?
Folk Hall Incoming Resources 2024
How do we spend it?
Folk Hall Outgoing Expenses 2024
JRF Annual Subsidy
Room Hire
Post office and Shop
Bar
Local Authority
Staff
Building and Facilities
Business Direct Costs
Administration
2024 was a challenging year financially for households and community organisations. Inflation substantially increased energy and food costs. Despite these increases we were able to continue to provide our usual levels of service whilst reducing percentage spend on staffing. Post Office business increased by 15%. These funds directly support the Folk Hall. Thank you.
