'So many people met their friends and partners here': Celebrating the Newbridge Memo

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July 24:



An iconic reminder of Wales' coal mining past has beaten off competition from six hundred other organisations to reach the final stage of the National Lottery Awards.
Rita and Brian on the dancefloor where they met


The Newbridge Memo was built with money from Welsh coal workers - and for decades was a popular dance hall.

Now supporters are trying to trace couples who met at the Memo to help their final push for lottery success.

Watch the report from Mike Griffiths below:


Brian and Rita have been married for 55 years... having met on the dancefloor of the Newbridge Memo.



Our story is not unusual... it's typical! So many people met their friends and partners at the Memo.
– BRIAN EVANS


Over the last twelve years they've been giving something back, part of a team of volunteers restoring the building to its former glory.

The Memorial Hall - featuring a theatre and ballroom - was added on the existing Miners' Institute after the First World War.
Nearby Celynen North Colliery closed in 1985 Credit: ITV Wales


But with the death of the town's coal industry it too began to decline... and was even threatened with demolition.



When I first came though the door and saw the absolute destruction in here... it was terrible. I stood in the door and I cried. I literally cried.

To think all this work went into it and it just being allowed to rot. And that gave me more determination to think yeah, it's going to take effort but we can do it!
– HOWARD STONE, CHAIRMAN


But with that determination - and more than £5m in funding - the Memo reopened in 2013.
The Memo and Institute as they are today


This week the volunteers were given a special award from the Queen for their work.

They've also in the running for a National Lottery award... the only one from Wales in their category.


Source: http://www.itv.com/news/wales/2015-07-24/so-many-people-met-their-friends-and-partners-here-celebrating-the-newbridge-memo/?

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