A NEW project depicting the history of one of Gwent’s most historical buildings is set to launch later this month.

The ‘Heritage Experience’ will be launched at the Newbridge Memorial Hall on Monday January 16, as a showcase of the building and its place within the social fabric of the local community.

Run by the centre’s heritage and culture manager Helen Harman, the experience has been funded as part of the Memo’s grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Big Lottery Fund.

Mrs Harman, 38, said: “The building oozes history and tells its own story alongside it still running as a modern functional space.

“What we have done is designed the tour around the building so it is not a problem to flip from being a place that sells itself as a heritage tour whilst also plays, performances or meetings will be taking place.”

The Heritage Experience is set to run publicly at least once a month every third Monday while it will also be open to being booked by private groups, parties and schools on any day through the year. As part of that, the tour sessions can be critiqued to the bespoke requirements of any group, whether it’s to the building specific cinema, theatre or war history.

Rob Jackson, project co-ordinator for the restoration of the Memo, said: “The experience is central to why we were about to get the funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, so that the building and its history can be relayed and told to people.

“It’s a different type of historical site to something like Caerphilly Castle, it’s a type I call ‘people heritage’ as it has such deep connections, being built not by rich people or the government but by everyday miners after the war and it is quite extraordinary.”

The Memo has been under a period of continual restoration since an appeal began in 2003, which raised funds of around £4 million to bring it back to life, with the first phases completed in 2013 and the final touches going on until the end of last year.

The first session will be at 2pm with doors opening half an hour before while each tour will take around 70 minutes to complete including a film in the Auditorium made specially featuring local people talking about their memories of the building and why it’s so special. Artefacts which visitors may see including old tickets, photos and items such as the original glitter ball.

Brian Evans MBE, director of the Memo, said: “I met my wife through dancing at the Memo and it has that huge connection with people.”

“ From when it began in commemoration for those that were lost in the great war to being a place the American troops used in the Second World War.

“It was also used as a place where food parcels were made up for miners during the strikes and it’s about bringing that back, but it speaks for itself really.”

Tours are open to those aged ten and above at a cost of £5 each. Visit newbridgememo.co.uk or call 01495 243 252 to book a place.