A project to transform the former Caerphilly Miners’ Hospital into a community centre has been awarded almost £40,000 from waste company Veolia.
The Caerphilly Miners’ Centre for the Community charity is trying to raise £1 million to bring the Beeches building, originally paid for by local miners, back into community use.
Veolia Environmental Trust have awarded the charity £39,900 towards their target.
Paul Taylor, Executive Director of The Veolia Environmental Trust, said: “We are pleased to be able to help this important project.
“Our funding process is a competitive one, as we only have a limited amount of funds to distribute every quarter to community and environmental projects from all over the UK. Therefore, the miners’ centre’s success needs to be seen as a real achievement. We look forward to seeing the work start and the new centre take shape.”
Katherine Hughes, Secretary of the Caerphilly Miners’ Centre group, said: “We want to create a base where people of all ages and backgrounds can learn about a wide range of subjects, share and develop new skills, gain experience and personal development, and be inspired to help the community, volunteer and celebrate our heritage. This grant is a major contribution to us achieving our vision.”
Work on the centre has already begun after a 99-year lease was agreed with housing association United Welsh in March this year.
The ground floor of the building should be open to the public next year and will provide a café, learning centre, IT suite, and tutorial rooms and will provide space for local groups to meet.
Visit www.caerphillyminerscentre.org.uk for more information.
An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated the Beeches building was listed.
I have grave doubts about this project. From time to time we hear of large amounts of money being provided from public and private sources and nothng much happening.
A quote from the article, “being inspired to help the community, volunteer and celebrate our heritage. This grant is a major contribution to us achieving our vision.”
What community, who is going to volunteer and whose heritage? A million pounds spent on our existing facilities in the centre of town such as the now closed St. Martin’s Hall and Neuadd Y Parc Hall may have produced a greater benefit to the people of Caerffili.