TWO projects on the Denbighshire-Conwy border have been awarded £80,000 to improve their services for rural communities.

The National Lottery Community Find has awarded the Llannefydd Hall Committee a grant of £73,750 to extend and renovate Llannefydd Village Hall, while Ysgol Gynradd Cerrigydrudion received £9,995 to develop a new play area.

It comes after Llannefydd Village Hall, which is used by nearby chapels, primary school PE classes, community concerts, indoor bowls and the young farmers club, also received £250,000 from the Welsh Government’s Community Facilities Programme for popular community-run buildings.

The redevelopment of the charity-run hall, built in 1966, will include a roof and heating system, insulation, windows and doors, new kitchen facilities and a lift and disabled toilet.

Arwel Jones, chair of the Llannefydd Hall Committee, said: “Along with other grant funding, this will allow the renovation project to go ahead to update an important community facility to modern needs and for the future.

“There will be better access all round and the building will be made ‘greener’ with solar panelling in the future. Hopefully it will also attract more groups to use the hall.”

The new play area at Ysgol Gynradd Cerrigydrudion will include new equipment and fencing that will give parents a space to socialise while their children play.

Darren Millar, AM for Clwyd West, said: “The funding in Llannefydd will pay for a new building which will be fully accessible and available to all. The facilities will enable local community groups to flourish and develop their provision, increasing volunteers opportunities and alleviating the lack of public services available in the area.

“The grant for Cerrigydrudion will also boost community interaction by enabling families to come together. The money will fund play equipment and a fence.”

The National Lottery has funded 1,200 groups across Wales and more than 50 in Denbighshire, including the Llanynys Community Playing Fields Association to improve its facilities and Carriageworks, the community arts hub in Denbigh to remain open.