News from Mid & North Powys Mind

You may have seen on our social media pages the plan to hopefully create a new base for Mid & North Powys Mind at the Dance Centre in Llandrindod Wells, co-locating with Impelo.  If not, please see the information below.  We are currently in the process of applying for capital grant funding, and hope to know whether this project is viable in the next few months, so we will keep you posted!

30 people came to the open day and 378 people have completed the online survey and we would like to thank everyone for your input and ideas. 

Reactions from the local residents have all been very positive as it will provide much better facilities and easier access for those with limited mobility.

Mary and Jo (co-CEOs of Mid and North Powys Mind) met with Fay Jones MP for Brecon and Radnorshire to show Fay the Dance Centre in Arlais Road, Llandrindod.  Fay is in support of our proposed new venture, as are several other politicians locally.

Impelo, a well-loved dance charity located in the heart of Powys, sadly announced in December that their multi-year funding from the Arts Council of Wales was withdrawn. As a result, they have had to decrease services, reduce core staff, and temporarily close the Dance Centre with a view to put the Dance Centre up for sale on the open market.

Mid & North Powys Mind currently has its main base in Llandrindod Wells in a rented building that is wholly inadequate. It has no central heating and damp issues. Mid & North Powys Mind have been looking for a more accessible and better home for its services for many years.

Impelo seek to transform lives through heartfelt co-created movement programmes and workshops, and Mid & North Powys Mind’s mission is Improving mental wellbeing for people in Mid & North Powys. 

The devastating news about the Dance Centre has sparked an innovative proposal:

Mid & North Powys Mind would like to buy the Dance Centre building and co-locate with Impelo – so both organisations are based from the same building.

It’s a given that the main draw to the centre itself is its large dance studio but the building has a huge amount of space just waiting to be re-developed and utilised – plenty of room for both organisations to thrive and continue to deliver incredible programmes for their communities. Co-locating would give Impelo a much needed cash injection, rejuvenate the building itself and reduce running costs in the longer term.  It would also give Mid & North Powys Mind a much more suitable venue from which to deliver its services.

Cat Nunn, Chair of Mid & North Powys Mind said: ” In the wake of this awful news about Impelo’s funding comes a rare opportunity for our two organisations to have a firm foundation for the future, a place for the community to be welcomed and for us to thrive”

It’s exciting to imagine a building in Llandrindod where these two charities could call home.

Jemma Thomas, Artistic Director and joint CEO of Impelo said: “Our dance centre serves as a weekly hub for various classes and communities, complementing our broader outreach initiatives in schools and healthcare settings while also allowing us to support dance artists in Powys. However, like many well-used buildings, it requires extensive renovations and is costly to maintain. The proposal from Mid and North Powys Mind presents an incredible opportunity for us to retain our studio space and continue to support our dance communities whilst co-habiting with an organisation who’s values are so aligned with our own.”