Yes, it is famous. It was built in the 1930s by the Miners Welfare Institute for the community. Today the community is still running and protecting it after many years of struggle.
This beautiful Art Deco building, which is lovingly maintained and preserved, is a very important part of the community and the work that the volunteers do. It has been restored and the original fixtures and fittings are still there but it has been modernised to keep up with technology.
It shows all the latest films,of course, and many films for children during the school holidays. Some of you are not even aware of its existence. I remember giving a leaflet to a local person and he had not been aware of the cinema for example but when we show films we do get queues so many of you are and do support us.
However it is not just a cinema. It is a hall with a proper stage and community artistic groups can perform there. I remember watching, as an usher, a local school performing The Wizard of Oz in Welsh. It was very well done and the kids were great. This is from someone who only has Beginners Welsh. I absolutely loved it.
We struggle with finance in order for us to stay open which is why our volunteers work so hard. We have a GOFUNDME page and we hope that local people will support this as it will help to keep our wonderful cinema open.
We are seeking financial help to offer funded tickets to families on low income or benefits. We are also looking to show Welsh films, to develop friendship clubs for the elderly to tackle loneliness and isolation. We are hoping to bring back live performances, music , tribute bands and comedy nights
We need more volunteers especially those with specific skills as well as ushers (male or female) in the evening.
Schools, come and put on the shows that you are doing with your pupils. Everyone loves to see children perform as they show off their talents and they can do that here for the local community.
We also want adults to do this and we are presenting “Cross Hands’ got talent” in the near future. Come and show off what you can do.
We have a hall with a kitchen attached where events can be held. This can be very exciting for local groups as it gives them the opportunity to have great evenings together after all the business that they do for Cross Hands and Llanelli.
The halls are no longer available. We have now leased them to Bobby’s Gym for Boxing training and Cross Hands Budakan Karate. These excellent sports bring families into the hall. We are very pleased.
We have a Facebook page called Cross Hands Cinema and Hall where you can see all the events that are going to take place. We screen films, present live performances and offer a community space for local people. Our volunteers deliver leaflets and hopefully talk to you as we walk around Cross Hands.
On September 28th, there will be a Variety Night with Comedy, Dance and Singing and much , much more. Tickets are £10 per person and they are available from our Facebook page, our website and the Box office.
Our volunteers are a very dedicated group. We care very much about the Cinema and Hall. This has been a very important building in the history of Cross Hands and we need to bring its importance back. We owe it to our miners who did so much for us.
They put so much back into our community. Because of the work they did, miners had to be a close community. Their work was dangerous and they needed to be a community that works together and keeps each other safe. When I was involved in supporting the miners’ strike from 1984 -1985, I saw first hand their pride and selflessness. I saw how the miners’ wives grew in strength and confidence and they travelled round the country raising money for their husbands. I still have a miner’s shaving mug and an NUM badge, both of which I treasure.
I was terribly impressed by these women. When we offered to return these personal items that we had bought, they were absolutely adamant that we should keep them. Their personal pride in the miners’ strike and what their husbands were trying to achieve was extraordinary.
All those years ago,the Cross Hands Cinema had its roots in this sense of community. The miners lost the battle eventually which was a great tragedy and brings tears to my eyes when I think about it. BUT the Cross Hands Cinema stands as a symbol of those extraordinary men and women who strove to fight for their jobs and their community.
Today we benefit from that struggle. This is why we care so much for this beautiful building. This is why our volunteers continue their work to support this wonderful Cinema. This is why we want you, our local people, to use it. This is why we want you to come to us to put on your own shows. There are so many talented people in Cross Hands, musical groups, musicians, dancers, singers. Show off the talents of the people of Cross Hands and to continue to raise money to keep our cinema going. We are doing well and we are preserving this beautiful building with the events so far.
We need to do more and we need the community to support us and give back in memory of those wonderful miners who planned for the future, knowing that their grandchildren would be the beneficiaries of their work and enjoy the fruits of their labour for future generations.
We treasure their memories and are grateful for everything that they have done for us. This is why the volunteers work so hard today to maintain what we have received, this beautiful building dedicated to the community of Cross Hands.
