First cinema since 1950s may close
ACINEMA and community centre in a former police station may be forced to close following the effects of a storm last year.
The CellB centre was established in Blaenau Ffestiniog in 2011 and is home to the first cinema in Blaenau Ffestiniog since the 1950s.
The auditorium is also a performance space and a youth training location, and many of the original features from the old police station and the cells can be seen.
But, following a storm in 2017, a burst pipe went undetected and a claim for insurance has now been rejected, raising fears for the future of the centre.
In a last-ditch attempt to prevent closure, CellB founder Rhys Roberts and other officials have started an online campaign to raise funds.
Mr Roberts said: “The charity has been forced into the position where we are requesting the help of our friends, patrons and all those who have a love of the venue and all it represents to help us secure its future.
“If you can, pledge anything at all, from the price of a child ticket (£6) to the most generous of donations for which we would be eternally grateful.”
He added: “We appreciate all dona- BARBERS will be deployed in a new drive to raise awareness of men’s mental health and to help tackle the high male suicide rate.
They are set to receive training to spot the warning signs of mental health problems in their customers, along with best practice guidance on how to listen, give helpful advice, and signpost to support services.
Launching on International Men’s Day, the initiative aims to raise awareness of the avoidable tragedy of male suicide, which is the biggest killer of men under 45 in North Wales, and across the UK.
Statistics show that men are three times as likely to take their own lives as women, with men accounting for 75% of all suicides in the UK.
The training drive is being supported by NHS Charity, Awyr Las’ I CAN campaign, which aims to tackle stigma and encourage more open tions given and look forward to moving this project to its next stage.”
The £10,000 appeal was launched earlier this week and has already raised more than £1,000.
Gwallgofiaid, a not-for-profit social enterprise, received £20,000 from Magnox and £65,000 from the Arts Council of Wales to create the cinema and auditorium.
Mr Roberts said the storm last year brought a severe cold spell to the area conversations about mental health.
It’s a cause that is close to the heart of Denbighshire barber Mahir Soylu, who says that barber shops have an important role to play in supporting men who are struggling with their mental health.
Since opening LL19 Barbers in Prestatyn two years ago, the 31-yearold has used his own experience of suffering with stress, anxiety and low self-esteem to help others.
“Barber shops provide that safe space for men to open up about how they’re feeling” he said.
“We’re not close enough to our customers to know what is going on in their lives, but we work in close proximity to them for 15 minutes and we are literally touching them. That breaks down a barrier.
“I’ve had people crying in my chair. Simply asking people how they are and how they’re doing can make all the difference. I don’t often have the answers but I know I can make an impact by just listening.
“I think the training programme is an absolutely fantastic idea. It will give me a better insight into what it’s like to live with certain conditions and how I can help them.”
And Kai Hough, owner of Kai’s Barbers in Bangor, added: “Men know and trust their barbers and because it’s a chilled out environment they feel like they can open up and talk about their problems.”
The training has also received the backing of Jason Parry from Caernarfon, who runs the Magic Clippers Barbers.
He said: “Barbers are in a unique position to help clients who have mental health issues. They can open up to their barber in a way that they might not open up to other people so this is a real opportunity for us to make a difference.” and burst the heating system behind the cinema screen.
“Over time, the leak infected the original 1900s woodwork and created dry rot in the cinema space,” he said.
“The insurance company claim was rejected as actually dry rot was not covered under this policy.
“We have battled with the insurers for over a year, and they have now withdrawn and totally rejected all claims and will not pay out any monies.
Mr Roberts added: “For the past year, we have kept at it, showing films for the community, but, due to the recent insurance withdrawal, this has now placed the company in a precarious position.”
“With current losses during the closure and monies owed out to pay the cinema works and distributors of £10,000, we cannot afford to show more films and, without films, we have lost the main aspect of our income generation,” he concluded.