RAF Association Llangollen

“The roof was just so old; it was a huge liability waiting to happen” Sheena Grindley, Secretary of the Llangollen RAF Association talked about the time the roof of their Club collapsed after a period of heavy rain, falling into the kitchen.

We had emergency repairs done to make that section watertight, during which the Club remained did remain open but with no access to the kitchen area. We dreaded every forecast of heavy rain.  We knew it was only a matter of time before the roof would finally collapse and the interior of the building would be damaged, probably beyond repair.

The RAF Association Community Centre in Llangollen was built in 1965 with a completely flat roof with skylights – typical of a building of its age.  At the time of construction its lifespan was estimated at 20 years.  However, despite an ongoing programme of regular repairs and maintenance, the Association’s modest budget would not be able to fund a complete roof replacement.

The Llangollen Branch Committee needed urgent assistance to replace the roof as, over the years, it had become more that a Social Club. It had become a hub where successive generations would meet, socialise and for some the twice weekly Bingo was the only time they had social contact outside their homes.

The branch is the hub of the community network in Llangollen and hosts all manner of events such as regular bingo, games nights, and live music. The Association also hosts other local organisations at the centre, both civilian and military which is a much-needed source of income for the Branch. The committee encourage them to join the RAF Association with the aim of bringing both military and civilian communities together at the heart of the town.

The Association Committee worked seamlessly together to make a funding bid for £29,505 to the Armed Forces Covenant Trust under the Veterans Community Centres programme.  They were delighted to get their bid approved by the Trustees before the August board meeting as a matter of emergency as the building was unable to open and deemed unsafe.  Work was completed in just under a month, and the new roof was completed in September 2019.

“The grant award from the Trust really was a lifeline to the Branch” says Sheena. “On behalf of the Llangollen Branch RAF Association and members, we would like to wholeheartedly thank the Trustees of the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust for this grant award. Without it we would not have been able to re-open or invest our funds in further renovation and improvements for our members to enjoy”.

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