A community hall in Cwmbran has been transformed thanks to the hard work of volunteers.
Court Farm and Oakfield Community Hall has had a makeover and the committee want to show off their work and encourage people to visit and book the hall for their events.
The 2021 AGM saw a new committee take on the various roles and their first priority was to carry out a refurbishment. A £10,000 grant from the Covid recovery fund helped them update the facilities to encourage more community events to get people together.
Lynne Davies, the hall’s treasurer, said: “We are proud of what we have achieved. A woman called and asked ‘could I use it for a party? Can I look around?’ She came into the hall and said ‘oh this is different, I haven’t been here for five years. What a difference!’ People come back now. They return.
“We try and do things for the community, at the end of the day we want them use it.”
Carol Edwards, the hall’s chair, said: “We have a lot of parties in here now. We are about 90% capacity now.” She said this includes lots of children’s parties as parents like it a big room where inflatables can fit.
Next to the large room is a smaller room that is also available for hire. The committee have bought a BBQ and plan to make more use of the improved outdoor patio area.
A new kitchen now means the volunteers can run a weekly community cafe where you can get a cooked breakfast, toast and a hot drink for £3.50.
Members of the Cwmbran and District Ex-Services Association (CADESA) got together and installed the new fence around the outside space. The group hold a monthly breakfast for veterans.
In a typical week some of the groups who use the hall include:
- Dance class
- Fitness class
- Movement with toddlers
- Baby massage
- A baby club
- Bingo twice a week
- Cwmbran photographic society
- A play club run by Torfaen council
- A petting zoo
Future events
- In August they are holding a fundraiser for the ‘Dinky Dragons- the special baby care unit at The Grange University Hospital.
- A fundraiser for a breast cancer charity is coming up
- In September the NHS have booked the hall to hold a responsive breastfeeding group for new mums and their babies.
- A Teddy bears’ picnic
Photo gallery inside the hall
Photos of what the hall used to look like
How to book the hall
Call 07478 735907 or pop into the hall from 10am to 12pm on Monday or Wednesday mornings when there is usually a member of the committee around.
Join the centre’s Facebook group
The committee run a Facebook group with over 700 members where upcoming events are advertised. Click here to join.
Where is Court Farm and Oakfield Community Centre?
The hall is in Hogarth Close, Oakfield, NP44 3DB