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Blackwood Deputy Town Mayor Jan Griffiths, centre right, and representatives from One Voice Wales
Blackwood Town Council has been recognised at a national awards ceremony for its role in the campaign to save the town’s Miners’ Institute.
The council was highly commended in the Best Heritage and Culture Initiative category at the One Voice Wales National Conference and Awards Ceremony 2026.
The event was held at the Royal Welsh Showground in Llanelwedd on Wednesday July 1.
Councillor Kevin Etheridge and Deputy Town Mayor Jan Griffiths accepted the certificate on behalf of the council.
In a joint statement, Cllr Etheridge and Deputy Mayor Griffiths said: “This is a community award for all the residents in Blackwood who supported our heritage and marched through Blackwood.”
The council was also commended in the Best Community Engagement Initiative category during the same event.
The recognition follows a public campaign to protect the Grade II listed venue. Caerphilly County Borough Council had previously proposed mothballing the site to cut costs, which prompted protests
The local authority is now looking to appoint an external operator to manage the day-to-day running of the institute to secure its long-term future.
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