£2million Coleshill redevelopment gets underway

WORK has started on a £2million re-development of Llanelli's Coleshill Social Centre.

Service users and staff are settling in to temporary surroundings at the nearby Caemaen site whilst work gets underway.

Contractors started on site last week, following the finalisation of contracts with developers Cowlin.

It is anticipated that work will be completed in the Spring of 2012, when the facility will become the Coleshill Centre of Economic Inclusion.

Jointly funded through the Carmarthenshire County Council's capital grant programme and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the new centre will provide a wide range of support services for current service users as well as younger physically disabled people, and a wider group of disadvantaged people including people with learning disabilities.

The new Coleshill will continue to provide social, networking and peer support, but will also provide training facilities, such as IT, catering and woodwork; support for people who want to create small businesses; an 'independent living' information hub; and health improvement and rehabilitation support, including a small gym suite.

The aim is to improve the social and economic prospects of people who have been unable to find and retain employment or training for a long time due to longstanding ill-health or other severe disabilities.

Dr Brickchand Ramruttun, Strategic Development and Partnership Manager, said: "The vision for the new Coleshill Centre is that it will provide a service for all working-age adults where they can get the necessary help and support they need to sustain independent living, including work and training. It will be run by a committee made up of local people, representing disability groups and other interested parties."

Whilst work is underway, service users will continue to enjoy the same range of day services they previously enjoyed at Coleshill.

Their representatives have been kept closely informed of progress, and they, along with staff and officers involved with the development are helping them settle in their temporary surroundings, whilst ensuring they are kept up to date with the work.

Cllr Pat Jones, Executive Board Member for Health and Social Care, said: "This is an exciting development, which will make a real difference to the lives of many people once it is up and running. It is good to see that work has already started and we will watch with anticipation as it takes shape over the next few months."

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