A POWYS community centre has revealed that it has received a £10,000 grant to make improvements at the venue.

The grant for the Penybont and District Community Centre comes from the National Lottery Awards for All scheme and will be used to contribute to the funds currently being raised to replace the emergency exit ramp and steps at the rear of the main hall, which leads to the safety of the garden of the Severn Arms Hotel.

The hall’s management committee is grateful that the pub’s new owners, Mr and Mrs Collard, have agreed that the project, once fully funded, can proceed as planned, as previously agreed with the prior owners.

This project has been planned for some time and with the support of Penybont and District Community Council, regular user groups of the village hall, especially the local history group, the Short Mat Bowls Club and the Coffee and Company group, the committee hopes their application to the Welsh Government Community Facility Fund will secure the rest of the funding needed to proceed.

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Philip Collison, chairman of the Short Mat Bowls Club who meet weekly at the hall, said: “I am pleased that the committee are aiming to make improvements to the fire exit doors and provide a safer ramp for easier and safe evacuation if it were ever to be needed in an emergency.”

Geraint Hughes, of the Penybont Local History Group, added: “We use the hall each month and many of our members are elderly and have mobility issues.

"We are delighted to know that this work is being planned.”

Monday, September 18, is the next date for the monthly Coffee and Company coffee morning. Everyone is welcome to come along between 10.30am and midday to meet and make friends over coffee, tea and biscuits.

At this time of year the popular bring-and-buy stall often offers home-grown produce and preserves as well as a good selection of books, bakes and bric-a-brac.

Entrance is free, donations are welcome towards costs and the upkeep of the hall, including this project.

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The Annual General Meeting will take place on Thursday, September 28, at 7.30pm in Penybont Village Hall where the accounts will be presented and a report on the year will be given.

The committee for 2023-2024 will be elected from nominations made at the meeting. All adults living in the parishes of Cefnllys, Llandegley and Penybont are eligible to attend, make nominations and/or join the committee.

New users and more regular uses of the community centre are important to keep the centre thriving, so if you have ideas and suggestions for extending the use of the centre with new activities, interest groups, events or classes, for example, please come along and share your thoughts.

To book Penybont Village Hall for your own activity or event, or find out more about regular activities and events, contact booking secretary Luan Price on 01597 851718 or look on Facebook for the monthly list of regular activities and events.