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Friday, 11 October, 2002, 11:56 GMT 12:56 UK
Net link for village hall
Bro Fana hall
The hall is used as a canteen by the local school
A village hall which transforms into a post office, a school dining room, a games room and a meeting centre is set to add internet access to its many facilities.

Neuadd Bro Fana at Ffarmers, near Lampeter, in Carmarthenshire has been awarded a grant of more than £170,000 to provide information technology and to build a new roof.


I took the first load of sand there in April 1929

William Abel, Village resident

The hall has been at the centre of life in the rural community since it was built in the late 1920s.

During World War II it was used as a school for evacuees from London and Swansea, it has also been used as a library and boxing tournaments were held there during the 1960s.

The community fund grant will help revamp the two-storey hall which was built using locally quarried stone.

William Abel, 94, has lived in the village all his life and helped construct the hall.

He said: "I took the first load of sand there in April 1929.

"People said at the time the hall was too big but it's a great feeling to see it still standing and flourishing."

Bro Fana hall
The building was officially opened in 1931

Elfyn Davies, secretary for the hall said it remains a vital part of community life.

He said: "If we didn't have the hall then we wouldn't have a post office.

"Many societies have meetings here, we have a drama company and there'll be a snooker tournament over the winter.

"A lot of sacrifice has gone in not only to building it in the first place but to sustain it.

"The descendants of the local craftsmen who built the hall are now using so it would have been a shame to knock it down.

"It is now being adapted for the needs of a new century."


More from south west Wales
See also:

27 Sep 02 | Wales
05 Jul 02 | Wales
28 Jun 02 | Wales
27 Feb 02 | Wales
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