A local charity that provides essential services to Pembrokeshire people has been forced to close its headquarters due to a devastating flood.
The VC Gallery in Haverfordwest was hit by a flood in the early hours of the morning. The water, which had escaped from a burst pipe in one of the flats above the gallery, caused extensive damage to the building’s suspended roof tiles and floor as well as going down into the counselling rooms, library and toilet on the basement level.
(Image: VC Gallery)
The VC Gallery is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. The charity which has bases in Haverfordwest and Pembroke Dock works with veterans and the wider community to combat social exclusion and improve health, wellbeing and quality of life through art.
It offers a counselling service, communal meals, art workshops, outdoor activities and other creative groups.
(Image: VC Gallery)
After the devastating flood damage the charity’s base on Haverfordwest High Street has had to close, with activities being moved to nearby premises.
Although the damage is extensive, only one piece of art was damaged but not beyond repair.
When he heard news of the flood in the early hours of the morning, VC Gallery founder, Barry John, new that time was of the essence.
(Image: VC Gallery)
“We had to head into crisis mode,” he said. “We had to move fast and efficiently to make sure that we could still support people.”
The local community and long time supporters stepped in to host various parts of the VC Gallery’s operations. The counselling service has moved to DCO Development in Tower Hill.
“This means that people who are having a serious level of counselling, we can keep up with that safely and privately,” said Barry.
(Image: VC Gallery)
VC Gallery’s art workshops, photography and guitar groups and Jammers music sessions have moved to St Mary’s Church in Haverfordwest. The popular Friday VC breakfast club has also moved to St Martin’s Church Hall in Castle Street.
(Image: VC Gallery)
The VC Gallery in Pembroke Dock is still open five days a week and the charity’s outdoor projects are also running.
Barry says that there is a hope that the gallery will be able to move to a temporary base at Haverfordwest’s Riverside while the High Street building is repaired.
The damage and problems with insurance, mean that the charity will incur costs for both the repairs and the temporary move to a new premises.
To this end the VC Gallery has set up a gofundme page with the aim of raising £10,000. The charity’s volunteers have also been working to fund the continuation of the VC Galler’s work, with VC member Paul Clayton completing the Long Course weekend to raise funds.
“A lot of people are rallying round trying to raise funds and awareness,” said Barry. “People are also offering their time for free. There is a lot of good will in the community. Over the past ten years we have helped tradespeople and there has been a bit of give back.
“What we have give out in the past ten years, all the good work we have done, it has given us more good people who have come back to offer help.”
Barry said that he was enormously grateful to the VC Gallery’s volunteers “We have got a record number of people who have come to us and want to help out,” he said. “They are brilliant people who come from both the military and the wider community. They all want to help out in different ways and I can’t thank them enough.”
To contribute to the VC Gallery fundraiser visit gofundme.com/f/the-vc-gallery-needs-you, linked above.
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