New funding for facilities will boost community wellbeing
Cyllid newydd ar gyfer cyfleusterau a fydd yn hybu lles cymunedol
Today, the Deputy Minister and Chief Whip, Jane Hutt, announced Welsh Government funding of £900k for improvements to community-based facilities through the Community Facilities Programme.
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.
Projects receiving funding in Wales include:
- Awel Aman Tawe, Swansea - £250,000 towards the total cost of £750,000 to develop a Zero Carbon Hub (Hwb y Gors) which will facilitate climate action through education, skills development, social enterprise, practical support and community workshops.
- Ray Ceredigion, Ceredigion - £25,000 towards the total cost of £28,860 to create internal access space between ground floor rooms.
- Llanmorlais Community Hall, Swansea - £15,500 towards the £30,000 cost of replacing the roof and installing a new PA system.
- Maindee Unlimited, Newport - £204,177 towards the total cost of £230,000 to create public toilets, a community space with kitchen facilities and to landscape the outside green space area.
- Cwmbran Youth Centre, Torfaen - £148,556 towards the £193,556 cost of creating a training base with kitchen, toilets and community garden as well as a new entrance with lift and resurface courtyard area for disability access.
- Beaufort Theatre, Blaenau Gwent - £10,000 towards the £12,000 cost of upgrading their boiler system.
- Smart Money Cymru, Caerphilly - £7,000 towards the total cost of £10,700 to upgrade their existing portakabin.
- Llanyrafon Junior AFC, Torfaen - £25,000 towards the cost of £41,056 to upgrade their changing rooms and senior pitch.
- Llanfairpwll Memorial Institute, Anglesey - £200,000 towards the £302,400 cost to upgrade, extend and renovate the memorial hall for wider community use.
- Newvol (Denbighshire Voluntary Services Council), Denbighshire has requested £25,000 towards the £60,000 cost to upgrade their building internally and externally.
- Bethesda Chapel Narberth was originally awarded £200,000 towards the £400,000 cost of extending the Church building to improve disabled access, provide better kitchen and toilet facilities and improve the entrance to increase community use. There has been an increase in the total cost of £40,000 due to additional work required, and a corresponding increase of £32,000 in grant funding.
Jane Hutt said:
“The Covid-19 pandemic 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 likes 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 reflect on and celebrate the huge contribution made by the third sector organisations and volunteers who work so hard within their communities to deliver vital help and support where it is most needed.”
The Minister for Finance and Trefnydd, Rebecca Evans, said:
“I am pleased to be able to provide funding for the community sector across Wales.
“Despite the unprecedented challenges we have faced during the pandemic, community spirit and the resilience of Welsh people has shone through. The funding we are announcing today will continue to help bring communities together through support for local projects.”
Gill Byrne, project co-ordinator of Ray Ceredigion, said:
“This funding will help us massively, enabling us to open up a part of the building, which will make social distancing so much easier.
“We run a range of groups for local people, including dementia support and activities for young people. We can now make the space work much better, and continue to support vulnerable people in the local community with socially distanced activities.
“This grant will make a huge difference to the community.”
Applications for the Community Facilities Programme are open year-round and organisations can find out more by searching for Community Facilities Programme on gov.wales.
Notes to editors
Case studies
Awel Aman Tawe, Swansea grant was to develop a Zero Carbon Hub (Hwb y Gors) which will facilitate climate action through education, skills development, social enterprise, practical support and community workshops.
The grant will help refurbish a former school which has been purchased for the project. There is a vision to decarbonise the community in line with the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act.
‘Hwb y Gors’ will be developed as a focal point for many activities including education, food, transport, lifestyle, training of apprentices etc. There will also be social enterprise opportunities such as community arts and crafts, artisan bakery and a small café.
Ray Ceredigion, Ceredigion grant was to create internal access space between ground floor rooms to create a doorway to join up two large rooms for break out activities to allow for social distancing.
RAY Ceredigion are an organisation who support the health and wellbeing of individuals from across the county of Ceredigion, focussing on those who are disadvantaged and vulnerable.
They are applying for a CFP grant to refurbish their current Community Centre making it more accessible for its users. The number of participants are increasing for the activities that are provided by the Centre. The plan is to:
- Create a doorway to join up two large rooms to enable break out activities
- Box off stairs to the first floor office with a fire proof division
- Install fire proofing between the ground and first floor
- Install up to date lighting and fire safety measures. As usage of the premises increased, there is a corresponding need to upgrade the fire safety measures within this old building
- Create an extra storage space
The proposed works will enable easier access throughout the centre. At the moment, in order to go between rooms, users have to leave the building and re-enter. The expanded rooms downstairs will be partitioned to enable use by multiple groups, as well as being soundproofed.
Cwmbran Youth Centre, Torfaen grant was for the cost of creating a training base with kitchen, toilets and community garden as well as a new entrance with lift and resurface courtyard area for disability access.
CCYP is a drop in centre for young people and a safe haven to relax, meet other people, access support services and 1 to 1 support staff. They can also access traineeships, volunteer and use the internet for job searching. The centre caters for over 500 young people a week.
The grant will be used to renovate the current building. The present office and kitchen will be combined to create a training and working kitchen. A large disabled multi use toilet area will also be created.
A training and community facility will be created and all entry areas will be widened to improve accessibility.