Football and rugby clubs to be awarded share of £100,000 by council

Twm Owen, Local democracy reporter

Football and rugby clubs are among nine community groups to receive a share of £100,000 in council funding aimed at supporting local wellbeing initiatives.

The funding has been allocated by Torfaen County Borough Council from its reserves, with councillors nominating organisations that can demonstrate they are helping tackle key challenges facing residents — including improving health outcomes and strengthening community wellbeing.

Blaenavon Blues Football Club, which plays in the southern section of Welsh football’s third tier, the Ardal Leagues, will receive the largest grant, of £13,100, which it will use to fund work on a planning application to redevelop its club house.

The club’s Memorial Ground home is described as the “highest football ground in Wales and the UK” at 365 metres, or 1,197.5 feet above sea level, but has described its club house as “not fit for purpose”.

Development of the club house will, the club says, enable its growth and wider use by the community and it says it has a commitment to “continued support” for community activities and initiatives at the club as its works on the plans.

Cwmbran Rugby Club will receive £8,500 for various schemes including a sporting memories project and initiatives to support men, veterans and older people and a ‘Crow Card’ scheme intended to link local businesses and residents.

Other clubs and groups in line for awards include Torfaen Talks Community Interest Company which is awarded £12,120 to support young people and provide counselling and Hwb Torfaen will get £12,828 for actitivity projects at its cafe base and to support social connections.

The Reflect & Refocus group that provides emotional and wellbeing courses for men and women over 50 will receive £12,860 while the Coedwedd group that aims to provide “low level wellbeing and mental health peer support” is awarded £12,322 for sessions such as walking and movement classes.

Hope GB, which works Torfaen wide, is awarded £12,750 to provide courses, training and workshops aimed at improving wellbeing.

Forge Hammer Community Social Club in Cwmbran will receive £2,000 for a health and wellbeing and arts project.

A £12,120 grant for Cwmbran-based Thornhill 4 U Too was approved after the council’s ethics and standards committee agreed a dispensation, from conflict of interest rules, as Upper Cwmbran Labour councillor Steve Evans is the group’s chairperson.

The council received 12 applications for the funding, with £15,000 the total which could be awarded to any one application, with bids assessed by senior officers from the council and the Torfaen Voluntary Alliance.