£2.6m to improve Community Facilities across Wales

Eight community projects across Wales are celebrating after being awarded a share of £2.6m funding to improve their buildings and facilities.

Communities and Children Minister Carl Sargeant today announced that the latest projects to be funded from the Community Facilities Programme are:

Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent Citizen’s Advice Bureau for a project to renovate a former social club in the centre of Bargoed into a community facility offering community meeting and training space, access to computers, Wi-Fi and IT skills training.

River Dee Community Church in Flint to create a multi-functional, fully accessible community facility for the people of the Communties First ward of Flint Castle.

RAY Ceredigion in Aberaeron, to improve the energy efficiency and sustainability of their building. The project provides services for young and old and is also working in partnership with Flying Start to deliver services in this rural area.

Valleys Family Church in Brynmawr, for a project to refurbish a former Baptist Chapel and bring the building back into community use, through hosting a range of services aimed at tackling poverty in the area.

St Peter’s Church in Fairwater, Cardiff to refurbish the building and create a more flexible space to increase the number of groups able to use the facility. The hall and gardens are used by a variety of groups including Communities First, Rookwood Brain Injury Unit and the children in the adjacent primary school.

AGE Cymru Gwynedd a Mon in Bontnewydd, Gwynedd to convert a former children’s home into an Aging Well Centre providing services for the over 50s including day care, income maximisation and benefit advice, IT skills training and a job club for the over 50s. The facility will also be used by the wider community for a range of uses.

Cwmni Cymunedol Cletwr in Tre’r Ddol, Ceredigion to rebuild the former A487 service station which currently houses a community shop, café and meeting space. The facility is the only community space in this rural community and offers a range of volunteering and work placement opportunities.

Lifepoint Community Church in Swansea for a project to extend its facilities and replace the roof. The Centre works with three local schools in Communities First areas to identify families in need of support. It provides food and clothing to these families and also works to help the homeless of the city.

Making the announcement at St Peter’s Church in Fairwater, Cabinet  Secretary for Communities and Children, Carl Sargeant said:

“The £2.6 million I have announced today is set to breathe new life into these buildings and will help ensure they help to play a valuable role in improving the lives of the people who use them.

“These projects truly are the heart of their communities, providing a huge range of important services, to young and old and space for groups to come together.  The funding will enable these projects to expand their work further, throwing open their doors to even more people in the local community.”