A VALE village has launched a £300,000 mission to establish a hub or community space.

The committee behind the project has so far raised £17,000.

Vale Rural Communities did a mapping exercise in Rhoose in 2016 and one of the core findings was that a facility open throughout the day is needed.

Such a facility would enable people to drop in and have a cuppa and a chat and it would also be available for small groups to use for activities and meetings.

The local parish church of St Peter’s Rhoose surveyed more than 100 people and discovered among its own congregation and in the wider community many people felt the village needed a hub.

They put their own proposal together and were recently granted planning permission to build a community hub on land it owns in the heart of the village.

The project will be run by and run for the whole village community.

The building will also provide the village with another crucial resource missing for many years - toilets - with one accessible.

Interest and support has so far been received from a mothers and toddlers group, a dementia café, and a carers support group.

The hub will be run by a not-for-profit organisation along the lines of similar spaces in Cardiff.

The policy will be to recruit people from the locality who may have difficulty finding a job elsewhere such as those with learning difficulties or people who have previously been homeless.

Melanie Prince, vicar of Porthkerry and Rhoose, said: “We are really excited about the project and are so pleased to have had all the permissions needed to go ahead.

“We will work closely with other groups in the community to make sure that those who need to use the space get access to it and that it serves everyone as best it can.

“We are also working hard to make sure that we meet all our environmental obligations with the build.

“Even though we anticipate the majority of visitors to the hub to be on foot we have included in our plans additional parking spaces so as not to burden nearby streets with more cars.

“We have also addressed concern raised about the removal of a tree from the site and will be planting a new one to maintain the aesthetic of the area.”

It is hoped the majority of the £250k to £300k estimated build costs will be met from grant applications.

The project committee has so far raised £17,000 from fundraising activities and donations from local benefactors.

To support, visit gofundme.com/let039s-build-rhoose-community-hub

Alternatively, call Melanie Prince on 01446 719734 or any of the church wardens in Porthkerry or Rhoose to discuss directly.