Here is your Friday update, covering:

• Grant support to improve community buildings
• New trail exploring the history of Cardiff's Dock Feeder Canal
• Green lit plans for a new Willows High School
• Rugby Codebreakers statue wins Sporting Heritage Award

Grant support to improve community buildings

Applications for grant funding to support voluntary-sector community organisations to improve their community buildings are now being invited.

Local community and voluntary groups across the city can apply for funding up to £10,000 to carry out internal and external improvements to their buildings such as improving accessibility, enhancing security, kitchen refurbishments, and energy efficiency measures, that would help secure or increase  the use of their facilities by the local community.

Supported by the UK Government's Levelling Up Fund, the Community Building Grants Scheme requires eligible applicants to fund at least 15% of the overall project costs from other sources.

Eligible community buildings include community halls, community centres and other facilities which are used by, and accessible to the whole community, and not just used by a single or restricted number of groups.

A council spokesperson said: "We want to hear from community organisations and local groups who need funding to improve their building so that the local community can make better use of the facility, and from those seeking to respond to the climate emergency by making changes to their building that will help reduce energy usage."

Funding can be used to enhance or improve the structure of the building, upgrade of fire safety, health and safety or security provisions, install new kitchens, windows and doors or toilet facilities; improve access or upgrade electrical, drainage and lighting systems.

Funding cannot be used for routine maintenance and repair work, staff or running costs, projects benefiting a limited membership or work already underway or completed. Other exclusions apply.

For the grant application pack, visit  here

For queries contact:  regeneration@cardiff.gov.uk 

The deadline to apply is June 28.

Successful projects must be completed by February 21, 2025.

New trail exploring the history of Cardiff's Dock Feeder Canal

Built in the 1830s, Cardiff's Dock Feeder Canal entered a new phase in its history recently, when a section of the city waterway that had been hidden beneath Churchill Way in Cardiff city centre since 1948 was uncovered.

Now, QR codes which can be scanned by a smartphone to connect to information about the canal, have been placed along the entire route - from its source at Blackweir to the Pierhead in Cardiff Bay - to form a new ‘Cardiff Dock Feeder Canal Tour' which makes the canal's history even more accessible. The tour can also be followed virtually on the  historypoints.org website.

Cabinet Member for Culture, Parks and Events, Cllr Jennifer Burke, said: "The construction of the Dock Feeder Canal was integral to the coal-trade that fuelled much of Cardiff's development and the recent re-opening on Churchill Way means it is also very much part of the city's future. Hopefully this new trail will enable people to discover more about the rich history that sometimes hides just below the surface."

The new tour, created with the support of Cardiff Council whose property the codes are displayed on, is part of the ‘HistoryPoints' project. Established in 2012 the project aims to help people connect with local history using their smartphones. Since then, the non-profit organisation has installed QR codes at more than 2,200 points of historic interest across Wales.

Read more here

Green lit plans for a new Willows High School

Cardiff Council's Planning Committee have given the go-head for a brand-new home for Willows High School to be constructed on land off Lewis Road in Splott.

The scheme represents more than £50m investment and will see the existing school relocated and rebuilt, providing capacity for 900 learners aged 11 to 16 years in addition to a 30 place Special Resource Base for pupils with Additional Learning Needs and offering access to excellent quality education environments to support and enhance teaching and learning.

Delivered under Cardiff Council and Welsh Government's Band B, Sustainable Communities for Learning programme, the new school will have a community focus and offer comprehensive sports facilities such as a sports hall, gym, drama studio, 3G and grass pitches, which will be available for public use outside of school hours. The scheme will also provide improved pedestrian facilities to support active travel arrangements in the area.

Deputy Leader of Cardiff Council, and Cabinet Member for Education Cllr Sarah Merry, said: "The reality of delivering an excellent brand-new, modern home for Willows High School moves one step closer with the approval of planning. This development represents a significant investment in the local area and will provide exceptional facilities, expertise and teaching opportunities for students and staff, as well as offering superb facilities for the whole community to enjoy and benefit from.

"The progression of the new school build, reaffirms our commitment to making sure all of Cardiff's children have opportunities to learn in high quality school settings and supports Cardiff's Child Friendly City status which prioritises the rights and needs of children and young people, putting them at the heart of everything we do."

Read more here

Rugby Codebreakers statue wins Sporting Heritage Award

A statue honouring Cardiff's legendary ‘Rugby Codebreakers' - has won the ‘Celebrating Black Sporting Heritage Award' category at the Sporting Heritage Awards.

Unveiled in Cardiff Bay in July last year, the statue of Billy Boston, Clive Sullivan and Gus Risman is the first in Wales ever to feature non-fictionalised, named black men.

The project was inspired by calls from the Butetown and wider Cardiff Bay communities for a fitting tribute to the players, who all grew up close to where their statue now stands, before leaving their hometown and going on to achieve sporting stardom.

Leader of Cardiff Council and Vice chair of the Cardiff Bay Rugby Codebreakers committee, Cllr Huw Thomas, was particularly pleased that the statue had been recognised in the ‘Celebrating Black Sporting Heritage' category, saying: "These players accomplishments had been undervalued for far too long. They brought pride to themselves, their families, the sport, and the multicultural communities in Cardiff which they grew up in and they deserved to be celebrated in their own hometown.

"The statue will act as a source of inspiration for generations to come and I'm delighted that its contribution to celebrating black sporting heritage has been recognised with this award."

Read more here