£2m for community projects in Wales

8 Nov 2018 01:52 PM

Alun Davies, Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Public Services, has announced which community schemes are set to benefit from £2 million of Welsh Government funding over the next two years.

The funding from the Community Facilities Programme (CFP) has been earmarked for seventeen projects across Wales aimed at developing community facilities which bring people together.

CFP is a capital grant scheme which funds the development of community facilities; providing opportunities for local people to improve their day to day lives. Grants are available at two levels – up to £25,000 and up to £250,000. 

The scheme is open to community and voluntary sector organisations, including social enterprises. All applicants are expected to work with partners which can come from the public, private or the third sectors. 

Alun Davies said,

“The purpose of this funding is to help create resilient communities, where people are directly engaged with local issues. I want our communities to help to deliver the vital local services their people need and I will to continue to empower them to be able to do this. Each of the projects announced provide opportunities to deliver locally, while improving community cohesion and bringing people together.”

Since the CFP opened in 2015 it has funded 83 projects across Wales with grants totalling £17.7 million. 

The projects being funded via the latest round of funding are: 

• Tudno Community Association, Llandudno - £15,000 towards cost of purchasing new gym equipment for use by disabled users, National Exercise Referral Scheme beneficiaries and young people. 
• St Grwst’s Church, Llanrwst, Conwy - £25,000 towards total cost of the internal refurbishment of its facilities and the restoration of the Gwydir Chapel. 
• Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust, Machynllech - £250,000 to develop a permanent visitor centre and community facility to replace the current porta-cabins, which are reaching the end of their life. 
• Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch, Aberystwyth - £25,000 to improve its reception area, fit new windows and commission an arts installation. 
• Hay Castle Trust, Hay on Wye - £150,000 to provide a community learning space as part of the wider regeneration of the castle.
• Hope Church, Newtown - £250,000 towards cost of fitting out nursery and Flying Start setting in its new purpose-built facility. 
• Menter Cymunedol Mynach, Devils Bridge - £150,000 towards the cost of extending the former Capel Mynach to create a community facility. 
• Sheep Music, Presteigne Community Barn, Powys - £23,000 for building a community barn as a covered space for a variety of community activities and events. 
• Carmarthen Youth Project, (Dr M’z), Carmarthen - £209,845 towards the cost of purchasing and refurbishing its current building to ensure its future sustainability of venue.
• Hengoed Community Project, Hengoed - £176,639 towards the cost of transforming a former Welsh Baptist Chapel into a Community Wellbeing Centre. 
• Treharris Area Community Trust (TACT), Treharris, Merthyr Tydfil - £202,631 to build new changing rooms with a community meeting space. 
• Merthyr Tydfil Leisure Trust, Aberfan - £250,000 to refurbish and extend the community café and gym areas of Aberfan Leisure Centre
• St Catherine’s Church, Pontypridd - £23,000 to improve disabled access and refurbish office/interview rooms. 
• View (Dove) Ltd, Banwen, Neath Port Talbot - £10,050 to refurbish its nursery. 
• Hill Community Development Trust, Phoenix Centre, Swansea - £160,000 towards cost of extending its nursery area and refurbishing training and conference rooms. 
• Cardiff City Community Table Tennis Club, Cardiff - £24,516 towards the total cost of creating a community café at the venue.
• St Julian’s Baptist Church, St Julian’s, Newport - £180,000 to provide a larger community facility which will enable the group to expand the services on offer.