AN important Aberystwyth charity is now in a “strong position” to buy the former Southgate hotel building it uses as a base after it secured grant funding on top of a fund-raising drive, its chair has said.

Late last year, the Cambrian News reported how the clock was ticking for Hospice at Home Aberystwyth Volunteers (HAHAV) to secure £500,000 to purchase its Plas Antaron base before its lease ran out at the end of this year.

This week, chair of trustees Dr Alan Axford said the charity – set up in 2015 to provide practical help, social care and companionship for people in Ceredigion with chronic, life limiting illness – is now in a “strong position” to purchase the building.

“During the last two years, in order to protect all that we have built up together, we have been working hard to secure the necessary funds to purchase Plas Antaron,” Dr Axford said.

“We are delighted that we have received notification of a £300,000 grant, for this purpose, from the Welsh Government’s Community Facilities Programme. This funding, alongside the reserves we have built up – thanks to our community of supporters - and a pledge from the Ceredigion County Council, together with the income from our charity retail outlet, puts us in a strong position to proceed with the purchase, which we hope to complete by the end of December pending legal formalities.

“The trustees and our executive officer would like extend our sincerest thanks to all who have supported our bid.”

The charity has leased the Plas Antaron building since autumn 2019 – using it to develop services – and have supported around 180 people with life-limiting conditions, their carers, and bereaved people at the facility.

Dr Axford said the purchase of the building, when completed, will allow the charity “to continue to grow the many life-changing services” it offers, and “make a transformational difference to the lives of people facing the devastation of chronic, life-limiting illness, and bereavement”.