Historic 'model' NHS office saved

The derelict building was once the hub of the health scheme

A building in south Wales which has historic links with the origins of the National Health Service has been saved from demolition.

Number 10, The Circle, once housed the offices of the Tredegar Workmen's Medical Aid Society which was used as a model to create the NHS in 1948.

The building has been empty for two years but a local trust hopes to spend £200,000 restoring it.

The NHS was founded by Tredegar-born health minister Aneurin Bevan.

He based the health service on a community health scheme run by the Tredegar Workmen's Medical Aid Society.

The local health scheme was widely regarded as the best of its kind, with nearly all of the town's residents during the 1920s and 1930s covered by the scheme through weekly subscriptions.

This entitled members and their dependants to the best in medical and dental care.

We feel this building is of national importance because of Tredegar's pioneering role in the development of the National Health Service Tredegar Development Trust

The building was used as the scheme's administrative headquarters in 1919 but it was eventually sold after the introduction of the NHS.

However, the building has been declining after being left empty for the last two years.

A decision was made by officials of the Tredegar Development Trust to lease the building from the owners Blaenau Gwent Council.

Work has been carried out to stabilise the building and the trust now plans to apply for lottery and heritage grants to restore it in order for it to be used by the community.

"We feel this building is of national importance because of Tredegar's pioneering role in the development of the National Health Service," said Graham Hathaway, director the trust.

'Challenge'

"We are so pleased that we have been able to save it from demolition.

"It has suffered from years of under investment and it is a very old building.

"I would estimate that we need at least £200,000 to bring it back up to scratch.

"It is going to be a challenge but it is very important that the building is saved because it has such importance historically," he added.

Possible uses of the building include creating an archive about Bevan and the Medical Aid Society or as a centre for developing strategies for healthy living.

Supporters of the building include Welsh Secretary Peter Hain and Lord Kinnock.