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A minister hailed the “fantastic” work of scores of volunteers who dedicate a combined 10,000 hours a year to running the Caerphilly Miners’ Centre for the Community.

Julie Morgan, the Welsh Government’s deputy minister for social services, visited the centre on Thursday December 7 for a guided tour of the former hospital which was saved from demolition.

Mrs Morgan said Wales has a proud history of volunteering and there’s almost no better example than the collective effort of the community at the Miners’.

She told Caerphilly Observer: “I think it’s absolutely great.

“It’s nice to come back. The last time I was here was when it was a hospital, so it’s great to see how it’s being used for the community.

“It’s excellent that it’s been kept by the community and, obviously, it depends so much on volunteers who are absolutely fantastic.”

‘Vulnerable’

Mrs Morgan, the Labour MS for Cardiff North, praised the centre for its work to tackle increasing problems of loneliness and isolation.

She said: “That’s one of the things we’re concerned about in the Welsh Government.

“We’ve got a strategy to try to tackle it because we know many people are vulnerable and isolated, especially after the pandemic.

“Some people have not gotten back into their way of living since Covid.

“Something like this gives people contact and it’s great that they’ve got a warm hub.”

‘Fantastic’

Mrs Morgan chatted to people who had popped in for the centre’s twice-weekly men’s morning 

She said: “The men’s shed movement is fantastic.

“It’s so important. Men are much more introverted and might sometimes think it’s weakness to express feelings 

“Everyone I’ve met who has been in a men’s shed group has got so much out of it.

“It’s great, I’ve been so impressed by everything that’s going on here – it’s fantastic.”

Mrs Morgan’s visit was the second ministerial visit to the centre in recent weeks, after climate change minister Julie James visited in November.

Transformation

Katherine Hughes, chair of the board of trustees at the centre, thanked the Welsh Government for helping transform the Miners’ into a bustling community hub.

She said the total cost of transforming the building over the past ten years has been £2.4m, with support from the Welsh Government, lottery, trusts, and the council.

Mrs Hughes added that the miners spent the equivalent of £2.4m in today’s prices when converting the building into a hospital from 1919.

She heaped praise on the centre’s 80-strong band of volunteers, saying a survey found they donated 10,000 hours of their time over a year.

Mrs Hughes added: “At the moment, we have about 72 hours of community activity every week, supporting 500 people.”

The Miners’, which was built in 1910, has been home to Caerphilly Observer since November.

Anyone who would like to join the men’s morning is welcome to pop along to the centre in Watford Road between 10am and midday on Thursdays.

For details of what’s on at the Miners’ or to get involved in volunteering, visit caerphillyminerscentre.co.uk