Knighton and District Community Centre
  • Home
  • Advice from the Hub
  • News / What's On
  • Market
  • Volunteer Hub
  • Job vacancies
  • Knighton Festival
    • About the Festival
    • Programme
    • Authors / Musicians
    • Tickets
  • Weddings
  • Gallery
  • Practicalities
  • Contact Us
  • Map
  • Join our email list

Community Centre bids to fund major makeover

8/17/2012

2 Comments

 
Knighton Community Centre this month cleared a major hurdle in its bid to establish sustainability into the future and to fund the improvements necessary to turn the centre into a lively and inviting “community hub” for the town and surrounding region.  Many in the local community will be aware that the centre’s financial situation has been precarious for years, with urgently needed repairs to the roof and the mounting cost of maintenance and energy bills adding to  the troubles faced by the small group of local volunteers who make up the management committee.

Now, after months of hard work by the management committee, and in particular its funding coordinator Dominique Jones, full grant applications have been submitted to the Big Lottery and the Welsh Assembly’s Community Facilities and Activity Programme, which between them could provide £800,000 towards the cost of a major makeover for the facility as well as the employment of a Project Manager and Administrator to oversee the changes.

As part of the process leading to these applications, a feasibility study has been carried out in recent months by South Wales-based Community Development Consultant Mel Witherden who has analysed responses from a huge number of interviews with local people, as well as questionnaires circulated in the community.  His aims were to establish the local community’s attitudes to the centre, local needs and how the Community Centre might have to change to have a viable future.  His findings and recommendations have now been published and have been central to the business plan underpinning the current funding applications and development plans. 

Powys County Council has been onboard throughout the process, having agreed to take on the cost of roof repairs once a viable business plan was produced to take the centre into the future.  PCC have agreed to take responsibility for the much-needed roof repairs and meet certain other running costs .  PCC has also provided greatly appreciated support by appointing architects to draw up plans for exciting changes to the current buildings which will make the management committee’s vision of the centre as a “Community Hub” become a reality.

Dominique Jones, while relaxing after her efforts producing the grant applications to a very tight deadline, knows that much more hard work lies ahead if the ambitious plans are to be realized.  Chairperson of the Management Committee Karen Plant stresses that “If this regeneration plan is not successful the Centre’s  future existence is in doubt.  It can no longer limp on as it has done”.  She and Dominique are meeting next week with Kirsty Williams AM to show her at first hand the problems keeping the present building open and the ambitious proposals for its future, in the hope of securing her support.

Meanwhile anyone interested in finding out more about proposals should come along to the Centre’s wine and soft drinks bar in the Reynolds Room on Knighton Show and Carnival Day when a display on the topic, including architect’s drawings, will be on view.


And if you really want to know more, here's the entire business plan to download.
Picture
Architect's drawing of how the centre might look after the planned remodelling.
2 Comments
Christopher Homfray
8/28/2012 10:23:30 am

wow seriously impressive business plan. well done all who have been part of this and particularly my friends the Plants.

Reply
Roofing Contractor Sarasota link
5/28/2013 08:54:34 pm

The process of leading the application carried out in recent months.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Download the latest Directory

    Archives

    June 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    November 2021
    August 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    December 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    November 2012
    October 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • Advice from the Hub
  • News / What's On
  • Market
  • Volunteer Hub
  • Job vacancies
  • Knighton Festival
    • About the Festival
    • Programme
    • Authors / Musicians
    • Tickets
  • Weddings
  • Gallery
  • Practicalities
  • Contact Us
  • Map
  • Join our email list