12

milfordmercury.co.uk

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Bloomeld House
Community Centre
regenerating the local community and providing a wide range of activities and facilities for the benet of local people. Im very pleased the Welsh Government has been able to provide almost 300,000 of funding to support this recreation hall project, which will allow the team to develop their services further and have a positive impact on the lives of even more local people. Research by the Tavistock Institute has described Narberth as a former backwater regenerated into a lively, dynamic town through the efforts of local people working with a support organisation and key funding partners. In Narberth, a good place to live has become a good place to do business in, said the report, which highlighted the role of Bloomeld. As long ago as 1994, the Sports Council for Wales said Bloomelds success was an example to other communities. The centre continues to play a considerable role in making Narberth a thriving community in which to live and work, said Glinys Meredydd, the centres chairma Its day nursery and after school club make it easier for young families to work, and easy access to IT and other learning and advisory services also contributes to increasing employment opportunities. We are very proud that there are over 70 people who are employed full or part time or gain some of their income directly as the result of the centre and many local businesses such as caterers also benet. Bloomeld is an example of good collaboration between members and partners, and all the people who use the Centre feel that its there for them, not an

Narberth renewal continues with 750,000 community recreation hall

IRST Minister, Carwyn Jones was in Narberth yesterday (Tuesday) to open a new community recreation hall. Its the latest development at Bloomeld House Community Centre, one of the most successful social enterprises in rural Wales. Bloomeld is community owned, managed and developed by the Narberth and District Community and Sports Association, a charity run by a committee of volunteers. It provides education, training, child care, sport and leisure activities for up to 3,000 users a week. The centres launch, over 30 years ago, initiated the towns community-led regeneration, which has become known and admired as the Narberth effect. The David Watkins Community Recreation Hall has been designed with users with disabilities in mind. The hall will be used by social activity centres, for Urdd competitions, Cylch Meithrin and the Bloomeld After School and Holiday Clubs. Sports use will include ve-a-side football, netball, cricket, tennis and badminton,

Centre manager Janine Perkins said:Bloomeld is used by more than 40 groups and societies. All developments have been undertaken as the result of close consultation and involvement of local people. Longterm planning and sustainability have been key driving forces in the centres development. In total, more than 70 full and part-time jobs have been created. The centre organises 50 adult education classes, houses Learning Pembrokeshire Community IT computer courses and has helped to revive the Welsh language in Narberth through Ysgol Feithrin and Welsh classes. Children are collected from local schools and driven to the centres After School Club in the Bloomeld community minibus, which also enables nursery children to benet from three year old funded places at Narberth Primary School.The bus is also used to operate a dial-aride service to rural areas. First Minister, Carwyn Jones, said:We want communities across Wales to be vibrant, viable places to live and work. Through the dedication of a team of volunteers, Bloomeld House is contributing to this vision, actively

Sunday & Monday: Closed Tuesday - Wednesday 10am-6pm Thursday 10am-9pm Friday: 10am-7pm Saturday: 9am-4.30pm

WISHING BLOOMFIELDS EVERY SUCCESS

The David Watkins Recreation Hall
With plenty of opportunities for play and recreation Now Open

01834 860 008

Badminton 5 a Side Football Boccia Tennis

Volleyball

Basketball
Rooms for hire, Fitness Suite, Exercise Classes Dial A Ride, Lee Davies Day Care Centre, Adult Education including IT, Languages, Creative, History, Part Time Degree, Welsh, Food & Safety We have over 40 groups and societies using the facilities too, so you should be able to nd something you fancy.

Netball
We Also Provide......

CricketRugby

Football Parties

Free no obligation survey and quotation 24/7 emergency callouts We would like to Congratulate Bloomelds on their New Development Web: www.scaffold2000.co.uk email: prescaff@btinternet.com

We specialise in the highest quality scaffolding at prices suitable for everyone

Tel: 01834 811984

Keep up to date on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/bloomeldcentrenarberth or on our website www.bloomeld.narberth.co.uk. For any enquiries please call 01834 860293 or email bloomeld.learning@pembrokeshire.gov.uk

Pleased to have been involved with Bloomelds and wish them every success for the future The Haggard, Llangwm Hill, Llangwm, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire SA62 4NG TEL: 01437 890920 FAX: 01437 891566 E Mail: info.ggthomasandson@btconnect.com

INDUSTRIAL & DOMESTIC HEATING & PLUMBING SERVICES BOILER MAINTENANCE

G.G.T. THOMAS & SON LTD

Thursday, December 19, 2013

milfordmercury.co.uk

13

institution imposing its will with too many restrictions. Every small rural population needs a Bloomeld. The vision for Bloomeld we had at the outset is still valid, says founder member and President Joan Asby.We are providing a facility, which is community owned and managed, run professionally and which people can enjoy right through their lives, from our day nursery for babies and toddlers to the day care centre for the elderly run by the county council. Since 1980, year on year, we all have worked towards that. The new, energy-efcient hall replaces a 15-year-old air dome for indoor sporting events, which was costing 12,000 a year to heat. The hall is named after David Watkins, a former Bloomeld manager, who died earlier this year. David overcame his disabilities to become one of Bloomelds rst volunteers and its rst manager, who oversaw much of its development.At the time of his death he was still a very active volunteer. At the opening ceremony there were demonstrations of football and netball, and Christmas carol singing by schoolchildren from Narberth Primary, the school that David, as a county councillor, lobbied hard to have built in its current location.A tree will be planted in memory of founder member, volunteer and immediate past chairman Aubrey Mason, who died suddenly in August. The hall has cost 748,685, raised through grants from the Welsh Governments Community Facilities and Activities Programme (298,455) and Aggregate Levy Fund (275,000), the Collaborative Communities European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government and the Collaborative Communities partners

- Targeted Finance Package (50,000), Pembrokeshire County Councils Community Regeneration Fund (20,000) and Section 106 Funds (24,805), PLANED, through the Rural Development Plan for Wales 20072013 funded by the Welsh Government and European Union (19,000), Sport Wales (24,000) and the Gareld Weston Foundation (15,000). 9,000 was raised through community events organised by Bloomelds development ofcer Vicki Travers Milne, whose post was part-funded by the Lankelly Chase Foundation, assisted by Eric Bates, several Association members and friends of the centre.

Ive been using the facilites since 1989. Its fantastic. Its lovely to be in a centre that really does serve all the community.The facilities are used by little babies, right through to old people, and in between every aspect of society is using it. I use Bloomeld several times a week. I have always been accommodated there. I go to a French class every week.You can take part in pretty well anything you like.Theres such a lot of variety, something for everybody in the community. Over the years I have seen Bloomeld really grow. Its really expanded, a credit to the people working there that they have got the funding and the support of everyone to keep going. Alice Russell,Alice Russell School of Dance

Biomass Boilers Heat Pumps Solar Thermal Solar Photovoltaic Heat Recovery

YOUR LOCAL RENEWABLE ENERGY CONSULTANTS

WISHING BLOOMFIELDS CONTINUED SUCCESS WITH THEIR DEVELOPMENT

FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES RELATING TO: ACCOUNTANCY, AUDIT, TAXATION, BUSINESS CONSULTANCY & OTHER FINANCIAL MATTERS

www.llewelyndavies.co.uk

For further information contact:

WHITLAND (01994) 240254 NARBERTH (01834) 860291 PEMBROKE DOCK & TENBY (01646) 683341

Unit 10, Withybush Trading Estate, SA62 4BS

T: 01437 765888 | www.greenwarmth.co.uk

We are proud to support Bloomelds with their New Recreation Hall

Proud to support Bloomelds with their new recreation hall

Call now for more information on 01834 811 476 www.goodlifeincorporated.com Good Life 2 St James Street, Narberth SA67 7DB

Consulting Civil & Structural Engineers

A BIM Capable Engineering Practice

Roger Casey Associates

WISHING BLOOMFIELD COMMUNITY CENTRE EVERY SUCCESS IN THE FUTURE
Ty Mansel, 6 Mansel Street, Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire, SA31 1PX

TARMACADAM ALL QUARRY PRODUCTS BULK EXCAVATIONS AGRI - LIME CONCRETE SAND CIVIL ENGINEERING
COMMERCIAL WORKSHOP WITH FULL DIAGNOSTIC EQUIPMENT H.G.V MOT TESTING STATION

Tel: 01267 22 26 46 Fax: 01267 22 13 77 Email: office@rca-eng.co.uk Website: www.rca-eng.co.uk