Huge cash boost to aid hall (From Free Press Series)

Huge cash boost to aid hall

THE community of Cwmavon is celebrating after securing over £120,000 from the Welsh Assembly Government towards rebuilding the village hall.

The money has come from the Assembly's Community Facilities and Activities Programme for match funding to demolish and rebuild the hall, because the existing centre cannot accommodate disabled users. Over 30 people, including cllrs Gwyneira Clark, Ken Clark and Ray Williams, and community cllrs Wayne Tomlinson and Denise Nichols, attended a special lunch, provided by Cwmavon Lunch Club, to celebrate the news.

The scheme has already received funding from the Big Lottery and Emerson Salkeld, project officer, said the latest grant means the demolishing of the existing hall can begin this summer. "This brings the funding total to £321,450 and will enable work to commence very soon, hopefully to be completed by the summer of 2007," he said.

"The award of the Welsh Assembly grant is gratefully acknowledged by the people of Cwmavon, and is the culmination of three years work by the Village Hall management committee."

Mr Salkeld said the committee wished to thank Torfaen Council, the Garnsychan Partnership, architects CDG and everyone who is supporting the project.