Nearly £2m Welsh Government funding brings new life to community spaces

DEPUTY Minister and Chief Whip, Jane Hutt, has announced funding of £1,946,849 for improvements to community-based facilities right across Wales through the Community Facilities Programme (CFP).

This programme, which funds projects up to a maximum of £250,000, or up to £25,000 for smaller grants, helps well-used community facilities to improve their financial and/ or environmental sustainability, providing opportunities for local people to improve their day to day lives.

Since the CFP opened in 2015, the Welsh Government has funded 222 grants across Wales totalling £35.4 million. Each project represents a well-used community facility which brings people together. Some of these facilities are also community owned.

Some of the projects receiving funding in Wales in the latest round include:

Llansaint Welfare Hall, Carmarthenshire – additional £35,000 to extend and refurbish the welfare hall. These additional costs will be incurred due to the unexpected rise in costs of materials due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ebbw Vale Community Cricket Pavilion, Blaenau Gwent E- £204,000 towards the total cost to improve the changing area, disabled toilet facility and make roof repairs.

Penydarren Boys & Girls Club, Merthyr Tydfil – £250,000 towards the cost of replacing the grass pitch with a 3G artificial playing surface, floodlights and additional changing rooms.

Clwb Y Bont, RCT – £101,000 towards the cost of rebuilding the Club following the flooding in the area in 2020.

Advance Brighter Futures, Wrexham – £145,818 towards the cost of enhancing and extending their current premises, providing additional one-to-one rooms and a fully-accessible toilet, installing enhanced level 4 certified fire alarm system and creating visitor parking.

Agape – Ty-Sign Community Hall, Caerphilly – £250,000 towards the cost of building a new community hall in the centre of Ty-Sign estate, giving better access to services for the whole community.

Ieuenctid Tysul Youth, Ceredigion – £7,500 towards the cost of refurbishing the kitchen at the youth centre to meet food hygiene standards.

Y Tŷ Gwyrdd Limited, Denbighshire – £17,702 towards the cost of creating a new community hub.

View (Glynneath) Ltd, Neath Port Talbot – £23,888 to create an Indoor/Outdoor Play area for Children.

Hafod Ceiri, Gwynedd – £25,000 towards the cost of renovating and extending a Grade 2 listed Chapel to include a heritage centre, enterprise and business workshops, gallery, café and multi-use space including place of worship.

St Michael’s and All Angeles Church, Monmouthshire – £25,000 to install disabled toilets and a kitchen, and provide new moveable chairs to make the space a more flexible community area and repair damaged flooring.

Jane Hutt said:

“The Covid-19 pandemic and recent flooding has highlighted some specific challenges within communities, like mental health and social well-being. Shared commitment reinforces vibrant, caring communities, where citizens are bound together by close ties of co-operation and team work, inequalities are reduced, and the most vulnerable among us feel supported.

“The Welsh Government’s Community Facilities Programme supports some fantastic local projects to evolve and grow to meet the specific needs of their area.

“Offering grants like these to community-led projects helps to improve much needed facilities, which play such an important part in the lives of people throughout Wales. I want to thank the third sector organisations and volunteers who work so hard within their communities to deliver vital help and support where it is most needed – your efforts are inspiring.”

Finance Minister, Rebecca Evans, said:

“Community facilities provide local access to a range of important services, such as health and well-being activities and have been a focus for activity throughout the pandemic. This new money will support these invaluable assets to continue to thrive and grow both now and in the future.”