Church centre for music and arts

Reverend Paul Davies, of St Mary's Church, Burry Port, and Michael Wheatley, Ordinand-in-training, look at the plans for the new community facilities

A project to establish a community centre in a West Wales church is going ahead thanks to a £25,000 windfall.

St Mary's in Burry Port will use the money from Carmarthenshire County Council to create a music and arts venue as well as a place for social gathering where up to 500 people can be seated.

The grant along with match funding secured by the church - £100,000 of which was raised by fundraising - will mean the second phase of the church's redevelopment can go ahead.

Rev Paul Davies, Vicar of Burry Port, said: "As chairman of the St Mary's Burry Port Campaign I am overjoyed and delighted to have been awarded £25,000 from the county council towards the [e-mail] project.

"In the past decade Burry Port has seen huge growth and transformation, rising to its present status as the third largest town in the county.

"Much of the development has, however, been on the edge of the town. It is imperative that this development is matched in the centre which is still quite run down and scruffy."

"The reordered church will provide a sense of place at the centre of this town which will be a home for many community organizations, a focus for music and the arts as well as being a place of information and welcome for everyone at the town's centre.

"It is hoped the project will help to establish a heart at the centre of this rapidly growing community and a focus of unity for the town."