First Minister, Carwyn Jones has opened a new community recreation hall at Narberth. It's the latest development at Bloomfield House Community Centre, one of the most successful social enterprises in rural Wales.

Bloomfield is community owned, managed and developed by the Narberth and District Community and Sports Association, a charity run by a committee of volunteers. It provides education, training, child care, sport and leisure activities for up to 3,000 users a week. The centre's launch, over 30 years ago, initiated the town's community-led regeneration, which has become known and admired as the 'Narberth effect'.

The David Watkins Community Recreation Hall has been designed with users with disabilities in mind. The hall will be used by social activity centres, for Urdd competitions, Cylch Meithrin and the Bloomfield After School and Holiday Clubs. Sports use will include five-a-side football, netball, cricket, tennis and badminton,

"Bloomfield is used by more than 40 groups and societies," said centre manager, Janine Perkins. "All developments have been undertaken as the result of close consultation and involvement of local people. Long-term planning and sustainability have been key driving forces in the centre's development. In total, more than 70 full and part-time jobs have been created.

"The Centre organises 50 adult education classes, it houses Learning Pembrokeshire Community IT computer courses and has helped to revive the Welsh language in Narberth through Ysgol Feithrin and Welsh classes. Children are collected from local schools and driven to the Centre's After School Club in the Bloomfield community minibus, which also enables nursery children to benefit from three-year-old funded places at Narberth Primary School. The bus is also used to operate a 'dial-a-ride' service to rural areas."

The First Minister, Carwyn Jones, said: "We want communities across Wales to be vibrant, viable places to live and work. Through the dedication of a team of volunteers, Bloomfield House is contributing to this vision, actively regenerating the local community and providing a wide range of activities and facilities for the benefit of local people. I'm very pleased the Welsh Government has been able to provide almost £300,000 of funding to support this recreation hall project, which will allow the team to develop their services further and have a positive impact on the lives of even more local people."

The new, energy-efficient hall replaces a 15-year-old 'air dome' for indoor sporting events, which was costing £12,000 a year to heat. The hall is named after David Watkins, a former Bloomfield manager, who died earlier this year. David overcame his disabilities to become one of Bloomfield's first volunteers and its first manager, who oversaw much of its development. At the time of his death he was still a very active volunteer.

At the opening ceremony there were demonstrations of football and netball, and Christmas carol singing by schoolchildren from Narberth Primary, the school that David, as a county councillor, lobbied hard to have built in its current location. A tree is being planted in memory of founder member, volunteer and immediate past chair Aubrey Mason, who died suddenly in August.

Staff and volunteers at Narberth Museum were also delighted to welcome the First Minister, to the facility this week.

The Minister was greeted by Chair of Trustees, Neil Bennett, and shown around the exhibitions by Curator, Pauline Griffiths.

Leader of Pembrokeshire County Council, Jamie Adams, County Councillor, Wynne Evans and Narberth Mayor, Ruth Platt were also in attendance.

Many of the objects on display prompted stories and reminiscences from the First Minister and he showed a keen interest in the Museum's recent restoration. In particular he was impressed by the Museum's success in reaching the finals of the 2013 Museum of the Year award.

Several volunteers took the opportunity to chat to the Minister about their experience of working at he Museum and the role it plays in the community.

"The First Minister wrote in our visitors' book - 'Fantastic! A great museum with good engagement with the local community' and a warm reception awaits him should he plan another visit next time he's in Narberth," said the museum's Curator, Pauline Griffiths.