Canolfan Tywi Centre launch

A new heritage centre supporting traditional sustainable building, landscape and history of the Tywi Valley will be launched in Carmarthenshire this week.

The centre, a centrepiece of the Tywi Afon Yr Oesoedd project, is housed in two converted barns at Dinefwr Home Farm, on the outskirts of Llandeilo.

It will provide an invaluable resource to the area, offering a range of traditional sustainable building information services and education and community resources.

It will also offer a range of subsidised courses for builders, building professionals and homeowners, in a bid to help locals conserve the area’s historic homes and buildings.
The Welsh Assembly’s Minister for Rural Affairs, Elin Jones, will officially open the centre on Wednesday, November 18, at 10am.

Tywi Afon Yr Oesoedd (Tywi a River Through Time) is a £2.4million project, led by Carmarthenshire County Council, which is aimed at conserving the area’s landscape, biodiversity and history, and creating a legacy for future generations.

Project staff will be based at the centre and will oversee a full complement of activities, training courses and seminars promoting the Tywi Valley and the uptake of skills required to maintain this beautiful and historic landscape.

Nell Hellier, Traditional Sustainable Building Centre Officer said: “The former Cart Shed houses the offices of the Tywi Afon yr Oesoedd Project and a seminar and demonstration area, and the Cow Shed has been converted into workshop space for carpentry, joinery, masonry and stonework skills.

“The Building Information Service, based at the centre, will provide a personal help service to professionals, builders and homeowners on how to undertake work on traditional buildings and how to use traditional materials and methods.”

The Tywi Afon Yr Oesoedd project has engaged with hundreds of local people of all ages, encouraging them to learn about their area’s history, and to recognise the importance of maintaining it for their children and grandchildren.

The project received £1.5 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund, £557,378 from the Rural Development Plan, and support from the Countryside Council for Wales, Menter Bro Dinefwr and National Trust.

Cllr Clive Scourfield, executive board member for regeneration, said: “This will provide an invaluable resource to the area. The renovation of the buildings has been fantastic, and hinges on the ethos of the whole project, which has been so successful in the area.”

For further information about the centre, or any other schemes run by the project, call the team on 01558 824271, or visit the Tywi Afon Yr Oesoedd pages at www.carmarthenshire.gov.uk