TWO women have rebuilt a vital community building in the Rhondda which was badly damaged by flooding.
Denise Roberts and Helen Rodrick have been working on transforming Pentre Comrades Club with a £50,000 grant from the Pen y Cymoedd Wind Farm Community Fund.
Sat in the Rhondda Valley the club has been an important institution for the area for more than 100 years with very few other options for the community to come together in a shared space.
The village of Pentre was flooded during Storm Dennis five years ago and the club felt the full brunt of it. The main hall was knee-deep in water and the walls were badly damaged by damp.
Along with a devoted team of local individuals Denise and Helen refused to let the incident dampen their spirits.
Instead they saw the opportunity to completely redevelop the club.
With a little help from friends in the building trade the pair got to work knocking through walls, rewiring, painting and decorating the entire interior.
Denise and Helen met more than 30 years ago while working as barmaids and through the years began to take on increased responsibilities. Today Denise sits as chair and Helen the treasurer.
Denise said: “The club is such an important part of the community.
“It gives people a chance to embrace their self-confidence, meet new people, and keep the memory of those who we’ve lost alive.”
Helen said: “I’m proud of the club but more so of me and Denise. We’ve become a real jack of all trades pair.”
Denise added: “We did all the design and decorating ourselves. We had no idea how to change a plug or rewire anything but we did it.”
Six months into the project further funding was needed so they reached out to friends and colleagues for advice and were eventually pointed in the direction of the Pen y Cymoedd Wind Farm Community Fund.
After the pair contacted the fund team and made an application they were rewarded with £50,000 to continue their five-year restoration plan, which included installing a new accessible entrance.
The next steps for the club include fixing the water-damaged roof, modernising the exterior, installing a new water heater, and creating a community garden.
Kate Breeze, executive director of the Pen y Cymoedd Wind Farm Community Fund, said: “It’s wonderful to see two women become champions of their community.
“We are delighted with Denise and Helen’s efforts and are thrilled to see the outstanding result of the new and revitalised Pentre Comrades Club.”
The community fund was established by energy company Vattenfall, the firm behind Pen y Cymoedd which is the largest onshore wind farm in England and Wales.
Pen y Cymoedd (Head of the Valleys) wind farm, located between Neath and Aberdare, became operational in 2017.
