Seventeen local community projects have been awarded a share of over £1.2m in funding by the Welsh Government.
The Community Facilities Programme funds well-used amenities to improve sustainability, providing opportunities for local people as part of their day-to-day lives.
The latest awardees up to £250,000 are:
- Parochial Church Council Parish of Llandyfodwg and Cwmogwr, Bridgend – £153,000 towards providing a community hub with modern facilities.
- Cymer Afan Community Library, Neath Port Talbot – £163,000 towards refurbishing the community library, including a children’s area.
- Bethel Community Church Trust, Newport – £249,000 towards expanding building capacity to accommodate more community projects. The building was burnt down previously.
- Pontypridd YMCA, RCT – £250,000 towards redeveloping the YMCA. This money will specifically be used for the nursey and community areas.
- RSPCA Llys Nini, Swansea – £195,000 towards building ‘Yr Ysgubor’, a café with children’s play area, meeting/classroom, charity shop and donations point.
The latest smaller fund awardees (up to £25,000) are:
- Beaufort Theatre, Blaenau Gwent – £7,000 for a modern and energy efficient lighting system.
- Blaina Community Sports Club, Blaenau Gwent – £20,000 towards completing the first phase of their refurbishment.
- Friends of Six Bells Park, Blaenau Gwent – £10,000 towards resurfacing their tennis courts.
- Treowen Star Sports and Social Club, Caerphilly – £25,000 towards renovating the club house for use as a community centre.
- Friends of Eco Park, Caerphilly – £10,000 towards purchasing a converted container for use as an office / school room / canteen.
- Llanarthne New Village Hall, Carmarthenshire – £25,000 towards completing disabled toilets, baby changing facilities and shower facilities.
- St David’s Church Council Capel Dewi, Ceredigion – £6,500 towards improving the heating system and refurbishment to the outside toilet.
- Basecamp Co-op Chepstow, Monmouthshire – £9,600 to provide a safe space for young people in the community to gather and engage in activities.
- Gelligaled Park Community Action Group, RCT – £25,000 towards constructing a multi-use games area.
- Garnswllt Welfare Association, Swansea – £22,500 to renovate their hall, including washrooms and baby changing facilities.
- St Fagans Church Aberdare, RCT – £20,000 towards repairing the fabric of their building due to water damage.
- Merthyr Tydfil Sailing Club, Merthyr Tydfil – £25,000 to upgrade their facilities to include a training room, kitchenette and changing spaces.
The Minister for Social Justice, Jane Hutt, said:
“As always it is fantastic to see such a range of projects and organisations from across Wales benefitting their local communities thanks to this funding.
“After the last 20 months and now more so then ever, our communities and the wonderful facilities within them are centres for bringing people together and building back a stronger, fairer Wales for all.”
Pontypridd YMCA, in Rhondda Cynon Taff, has been awarded £250,000 towards redeveloping the YMCA.
Jên Angharad, CEO, Artis Community Cymuned said:
“The Pontypridd YMCA building has been serving the people of Pontypridd for 111 years. It has always been a place that brings the community together and with this re-imagining of the space we are thrilled to be bringing the building alive once more on Pontypridd High Street, as a place for culture, creativity and the arts.
The Community Facilities Fund will enable us to complete the redevelopment of the building and realise the vision of Pontypridd YMCA, Artis Community Cymuned and the many people who have been involved in sharing ideas for the reimagining of the building, as well as our principal partners and funders; Arts Council of Wales, RCT Council, Welsh Government, Moondance Foundation and Garfield Weston Foundation.
Once completed the building will house the 150-capacity Shelley Hall, complete with sprung dance floor, a studio theatre, an art room, cafe, retail space and rooms for hire for meetings, conferences, presentations, parties and more and will be managed by Artis Community Cymuned.”
The Parochial Church Council of Llandyfodwg & Cwmogwr Parish, based in Bridgend, have been awarded over £150,000 to create a community facility after villagers recently lost their primary school, public house and local shop.
Funding Co-Ordinator for the Church Council, Gill Morgan, said:
“We have for many years organised community and fundraising events for charity, but the lack of necessary utilities meant we had not been able to expand for wider community use. Thanks to this funding our role in the local community can now be redefined and reimagined through the provision of vital local services and by being a point of connection that re-establishes the church at the heart of local life.
“The Church is a historical building of architectural interests with strong heritage links. The Community Facilities funding will safeguard the future of the building that will become a focus for the village’s sense of pride in its historical past, as well as a centre for the regeneration of the community.”
