A TOTAL of £38,000 has been raised to date by community supporters for the purchase of a chapel for local housing and heritage centre at Hermon village, North Pembrokeshire.
This could be an option for so many communities where chapels and churches are closing.
The community supporters from near and far have supported the volunteers in Hermon village in reaching their goal of raising funds to purchase Brynmyrnach chapel located in the centre of the village for conversion into a new community asset with 2 flats for local people on the first floor and a community heritage centre on the ground floor.
The chapel elders have decided to sell the chapel as repairs to the roof and walls would be a considerable sum but they are adamant that the building needs to be retained for community and local housing needs.
The target sum needed to be raised is £50,000 and up to mid July a sum of £38,000 has been secured by people near and far.
The next public meeting is on Sunday, July 17, at 3pm in Brynmyrnach chapel- SA36 0DX.
Anyone who wishes to know more can attend along with those who have invested in the project.
The project is being promoted by Cris Tomos of PLANED. Cris explained “The new Heritage and Housing Trust would be a Community Benefit Society and limited company. Local people would be the shareholders in this cooperative housing venture that will have a local letting policy allowing affordable housing for local families and couples, this could be a blueprint for other communities to take on the chapels and churches that are closing”
The project has seen 19 Peer to Peer community lenders to date who are asked to invest for 36 months and have a guaranteed return of 1.75% per annum on the investment to help purchase the chapel.
Cris further explained. “We are seeking financial contributors in the same way as Canolfan Hermon Cooperative, 4CG Cooperative and Tafarn Sinc Cooperative attracted people to help save and develop local assets.
“Todate we have seen locals and people from MIlford Haven, Saundersfoot and Carmarthen supporting us with community loans. We are now seeking a final 6 investors to reach the target of 25 people to put in £2,000 each that will then allow us to match the funding required to purchase and start developing the old chapel for local housing and a heritage centre”
Anyone interested in knowing more can contact Cris on 07974099738 or email [email protected]
Additional information and a copy of the application form is now on the project Facebook page on www.facebook.com/hermonhousing
