A church in Swansea, a football club in Denbighshire and volunteer centre in Powys are among the 38 projects to receive a share of more than £4.3million support from the Welsh Government.
Cabinet Secretary for Culture and Social Justice, Jane Hutt visited the Parish of Casllwchwr and Gorseinon in Swansea recently where £300,000 funding will be vital in redesigning and repurposing the historic church building to create a multi-purpose community space. The facility already hosts over 50 community groups and plans are in place to increase this number once renovations are complete. The improvements will include space for gardening and biodiversity groups, youth clubs, school holiday activities, a larger foodbank provision, ICT support skills and financial support groups.
The funding is being provided through the Community Facilities Programme, a capital grant scheme which helps voluntary sector organisations make improvements to community facilities such as sports clubs and community halls for the benefit of the people they serve.
Other projects which have also received funding include £300,000 toward the development of a Homeless Hub on Anglesey, £95,000 for refurbishment works at Denbigh Town Football Club, and £100,000 toward a new building in Caerphilly for Community Volunteers Wales.
Jane Hutt, the Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Social Justice said:
The Community Facilities Programme is important in helping organisations improve facilities so local people can benefit from them in their day to day lives.
I was pleased to recently visit Gorseinon to hear the exciting plans they have to create more community facilities within the Church space.
Each recipient of support from the programme provides a crucial service to the people they serve and it is great the Welsh Government is able to help them do even more.
Rev Dr Adrian Morgan, Vicar of St Catherine's in Gorseinon said:
The space is used by many community groups for a wide range of weekly activities, but the limited functionality of its internal design has constrained the community's use of the Hall. However, with Welsh Government support we are now going to transform this space so that it can house many more community group activity groups on an ongoing basis.
"I’m delighted that Government can see the benefit of centres like these to support community based intergenerational activities, reduce loneliness and isolation for both young and old alike, and help communities strengthen their sense of place and be a welcoming place for all.
Photograph: Bradley Lever