Pwerdy Powerhouse Community & Arts Centre

Pwerdy – Powerhouse received £10,000 to enable them to rebuild and refurbish the buildings after the extensive damage caused by flooding during Storm Callum in October 2018.  A committed group of volunteers had worked for over 10 years to develop a creative space for an alternative curriculum which gives everybody in the community the opportunity to have access to learning and social inclusion. Following the flood, they were in a position where they were effectively unable to restore the centre to a useable state due to a shortfall in their insurance claim.

Together with match funding from both Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire County Councils, the Brechfa Wind Farm funding was used to rebuild and refurbish the centre, including:

  • installation of scaffolding
  • demolition and disposal of rubble
  • cleaning and sanitising
  • repairing the path, car park, perimeter walls
  • removing and replacing plasterwork, kitchen units, toilets and basins, boiler, pipework, solar pipes, pump and radiators.
  • replacing door frames and doors, window framing and glazing, extension roofing and exterior flooring
  • refinishing wall interiors, rewiring, redecorating. 

As a result of the flood, the centre had to close its doors in October 2018. This led to the displacement of a large number of community groups who had used the centre to deliver their services and activities.  Following the refurbishment the centre is now available for use again by their regular groups and for private hire and can once again host:

  • Music classes such as African Drumming and a monthly open mic music night
  • Weekly art classes and craft classes, monthly willow weaving, artist exhibitions and artist networking sessions
  • Dewch i Ddarllen Welsh reading group fortnightly, a weekly self-help group, monthly Merched y wawr meetings and occasional Carers’ support sessions.

“The work was completed by the end of 2019 and we are now open to the public once more. We are currently planning a Celebration Festival to mark the event of Storm Callum and its effect on the wider community.  From day one we had outstanding rapport with Moishe the Fund Manager, extremely friendly and efficient support and a swift and positive outcome, which has helped renew and even improve the functionality of the Powerhouse buildings.”

Suzanne Hughes-Owen, Pwerdy Powerhouse
www.pwerdypowerhouse.co.uk