MS calls for longer-term support for voluntary groups

Caerphilly’s Senedd Member has called for longer-term support for voluntary groups.

Speaking in the Senedd on Wednesday, April 26, Labour’s Hefin David spoke about the Caerphilly Miners’ Centre and its funding.

The centre, which is based at the former Caerphilly Miners’ Hospital, reopened as a volunteer-run community centre in 2015, spearheaded by its secretary, Katherine Hughes.

Dr David spoke about the classes and activities held at the centre, as well as the “huge work” it does to tackle social isolation.

Dr David mentioned a recent meeting he had with Ms Hughes and spoke of the concerns she has over funding.

“The centre provides classes and activities for people who require those activities and does huge work in tackling social isolation,” Dr David said, “but the funding that she receives is very short term, and she finds it difficult, then, to maintain staffing.

“She’s uncertain as to whether that provision can be provided in the year ahead.”

Posing his question to social services deputy minister Julie Morgan MS, Dr David said: “In order to ensure that the funding is not too little, too late, the centre feels that support needs to be more sustainable and funded on a longer term basis.

“So, would the deputy minister discuss with her colleagues, the minister for social justice [Jane Hutt MS] and the minister for finance [Rebecca Evans MS] how this can be facilitated, so that these cherished voluntary services can be maintained?”

Responding, Mrs Morgan thanked volunteers at the Miners’ for the work they’re doing and hailed them as a “huge strength in the community”.

She highlighted funding the centre has received from the Welsh Government’s Loneliness and Isolation Fund, which has gone towards running a warm hub and activities for Ukrainian refugees, among other things.

Mrs Morgan said: “The £1.5 million Loneliness and Isolation Fund is to build the capability and the sustainability of frontline grass-roots voluntary and community organisations like the Caerphilly Miners Centre for the Community.

“This is a three-year fund, so it’s not short term in the sense that it’s just one – it’s a three-year fund.”

She added: “There has been a real increased demand for voluntary services since the pandemic and in the cost-of-living crisis, so I really do appreciate what they are doing.

“We also know how important the warm hubs are, which they also provide. So, I do recognise the call for the voluntary sector funding to be on a more sustainable and longer-term basis, and when we can, we do provide three-year funding.”