An old chapel in Blackwood has been given a new lease of life as a multi-use community hub.
Libanus Chapel, which was built in 1829 and is one of the oldest buildings in Blackwood, is now run by a group of volunteers and offers a variety of classes and events.
Karen James, volunteer and managing director of Libanus Lifestyle, said: “We had been running fitness classes in the building in 2014, as well as doing classes for Parkinson’s UK.
“We approached the owners of the building about buying it. They then offered it to us because they liked what we were going to do with the place.
“We started work to revamp the chapel in late 2015.”
Mrs James added: “We started applying for grants and bit by bit we have developed.”
The chapel runs lunch clubs, fitness classes, dog-walking sessions, mindfulness and relaxation sessions.
Mrs James said: “We’ve even had a wedding here.”
Currently, the chapel has a kitchen area, a multi-use hall, a relaxation room and a reflexology room, as well as toilets and disabled facilities.
The chapel has made use of recycled and reused materials as part of its redevelopment.
The kitchen tables are made from reused wooden pallets and the tiles from the old kitchen wall.
Volunteer Sean James said: “We all had an input into the design of the interior. We made it up as we went along.”
Andrew Lewis, who runs mindfulness sessions at the chapel, said: “I’ve worked for many years as a psychiatric nurse and have worked at many mental health charities locally, but I’ve never worked anywhere that is more rewarding than it is here.
“People come and say this is a lifeline and it’s helped them so much. People want to come here for the sense of family.
“There is a trend in society where people are wanting to escape the hamster wheel and relax and experience the world more.”
Mr Lewis added: “I’ve worked in statutory services and it’s people in white coats with targets to meet. It’s not like that here.”
Blackwood councillor Nigel Dix is another volunteer involved in the project.
Cllr Dix said: “The commitment of Karen and the team has made it a success.
“People wouldn’t recognise the building now. The transformation is massive.
“It’s in a great location in Blackwood and it’s evolving all the time.”
Cllr Dix added: “It’s about putting the community at the forefront of our project. We’re always open to the needs of the community.
“Local government is facing cuts so I want to provide services here.”
The volunteers are hoping to create a garden area outside the chapel and want to convert the upstairs and loft into more rooms for the community to use.
They are also hoping to restore the chapel’s exterior to what it would have looked like in 1829 and offer historical activities for local school children.