Community hub Panteg House, once with a leaky roof, now offers a warm space for locals

Panteg House in Sebastopol was repaired with National Lottery funding in 2022 and now hosts the Canddo Project warm hub for local residents on Wednesday and Friday mornings.

Panteg House in Sebastopol now operates as a community centre after a long history as a private home, an employees' club and a wartime hospital. The 150-year-old building had fallen into disrepair before local residents took it on and more recently received repair work and a new heating system. The Canddo (Can Do) Project has been based there since November 2024 and runs a warm hub that is open to people of any age. The centre hosts many clubs and activities that use the building during the week. What is known: - Panteg House was originally built by the owners of the nearby Panteg Steelworks and later served as the Employees Club and, at times, as a military hospital. - In 2022 the National Lottery provided £390,000 to repair the roof and install a new heating system. - The building now houses around 60 clubs and societies, including a football team, a bowls club, a choir and a foodbank. - The Canddo Project runs a warm hub on Wednesday and Friday mornings offering a warm space, social company, activities and hot food, and has maintained a garden on the grounds. - Canddo lacks permanent funding; Welsh Government money routed through Torfaen council provided £70,000 this season to support local warm spaces and has helped cover heating and some running costs. Summary: The restored building provides a warm, social space for local residents and supports a range of clubs and community activities. Short-term funding is in place for this season, while long-term funding and the longer-term operating plan are undetermined at this time.