Felingwm Community Centre

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Felingwm Community Centre

The Community Centre’s conception was a very modest affair. It started in 1970 as a welfare committee, presided over by the then headmaster (Mr Brynmor Jones), with the aim of raising funds to enable the school children of Felingwm Primary School to visit venues such as Llanelli swimming pool and the pantomime. Initially events were limited to summer sports and associated tea party held on Cwrt field, but gradually expanded to include whist drives and a Christmas concert performed by the school children. Occasionally, modest sums were given to local charities as finances permitted. In 1974 it was announced the school was to close.

Old Felingwm School

Villagers protested vigorously to no avail. At public meetings during 1974 and 1975 it was decided to continue the school as a community centre with two main objectives: (i) to keep the focus of village life vigorous despite the closing of the school, and (ii) to raise monies for deserving causes with connections to the local community. To fulfill these aims the school needed to be leased or purchased together with expenditure on furnishings. This was a formidable objective for a welfare committee whose bank balance was just over £100!

Initially the old school was leased from Dyfed County Council. Payments over the period 1977 to 1988 were intermittent but averaged about £25 per annum. However in 1984 the community was offered the old school at a purchase price of £6,000 or pay £600 per annum for the lease! In the face of such a rise in the lease and with a clear objective to purchase the community set about raising local funds and applying for grants. The latter eventually amounted to three-quarters of the purchase price and the remaining £1,500 was raised through local events. Finally on the November 30 1988 the ownership passed from Dyfed County Council to the community of Felingwm with Llanegwad Community Council acting as trustees. The old school and welfare committee was henceforward to be known as – “Canolfan Gymdeithasol Felingwm Community Centre.”

The acquisition of the old school provided a focal point for the community but the building was badly in need of renovation. At a very early date tables and chairs had to be bought, also gas space heaters, or no events could be held in the hall during the winter. In 1986 the major renovation started under the auspices of the Community Industry Programme. This provided free labour although all materials had to be bought by the community. The first phase involved repairs to the roof, painting external woodwork, stripping all rendering on internal walls, painting internal woodwork, sand blasting internal walls and pointing and finishing all internal walls.

So successful was this stage of renovation that the building won an award and became a model for similar schemes. The following two years saw rewiring, the construction of internal toilets and new stairs, all funded by the community of Felingwm and utilising local labour.

Development and maintenance has continued with the recent completion of kitchen facilities. These developments together with the purchase of ancillary equipment enables catering for meetings involving the whole community.

Future plans envisaged installation of central heating to replace the gas space heaters, further renovation of the main roof and provision of toilets and disabled facilities on the main floor.

Early programmes of meetings were limited to summer sports and whist drives orientated towards supporting the school. This has developed over the years to include Coffee Evenings, Cawl a Chan on St. David’s Day, Christmas Party for children, Fireworks Display on November 5th, village trips, and many more.

Various local organisations use the hall such as the Village Choir, Cylch Ti a Fi (Mother and Toddler group), Young Farmers Club, Meithrin (Nursery), Scouts, Cubs, children’s parties, keep fit, religious meetings, use as a church and chapel hall and for election balloting, dances, and much else.

The original objective of focusing village life and maintaining it has been successfully achieved. It has also been possible to satisfy the objective of supporting local well-deserving causes when funds permit.

Lottery funding in 1999 enabled an extension to be built with new toilet facilities and access for disabled persons. Renovations in 2000 included a new heating system, re-roofing and painting the exterior. Further Lottery funding in 2005 allowed further improvements to the Centre.

Craft Classes were a welcome addition to the facilities offered in 2004.

Old Llanfynydd Houses Old Llanegwad Houses

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