News

As part of our commitment to renewing the skills and experience on the Board we regularly refresh our Board with new membership. This October we are excited to welcome a new member, Jamie Smith. Jamie was born and bred in and around the Afan Valley and has worked in innovation and research-related roles for over…

Cynon Linc is a vibrant community hub, available to all ages and abilities, set in the heart of Aberdare town centre. It provides a place to eat and socialise, as well as providing spaces for hire and a range of services and facilities available to the local community. It offers a variety of services to…

Back in 2019 Pen y Cymoedd purchased Afan Lodge and it remains wholly owned by PYC. It has an independent Board of 5 Directors who take day-to-day decisions and employ staff and contractors to operate the facility. The purchase and commencement of operations at the building occurred just prior to the onset of the Covid19…

Back in 2018 we funded a Supporting Communities team working with Neath Port Talbot CVS and Interlink RCT to offer development support to fund applicants and grant recipients for 5 years. As that period ended, we assessed what fund communities need to benefit from the fund and are thrilled to announce that we have also…

The Cwmparc Community Centre will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2024, and to help them realise their goal of restoring the theatre to its former splendour and making it a regular venue for community activities, they turned to the fund. They have already made an investment in the theatre space and have successfully held community…

Relaunching the festival for 2023 they aim to put on an arts festival and make sure that people get involved in what they are doing and participate. Art has a powerful way of helping you find your place in the world, and this year’s theme of ‘Rhondda Valleys: centre of the universe’ will help that…

Dant y Llew’s (DYLL) vision is to support sustainability within the Rhondda and Cynon Valleys, by replicating the success of the Re:make Newport model. Trading as Re:Make Valleys they will establish a Repair Café, a Benthyg (Library of Things), and an affordable zero waste shop. Creating volunteering opportunities, facilitating workshops around sustainability, and supporting individuals…

The Children’s Rights Unit vision is ‘Working together to make Children’s Rights a reality’ giving opportunities to children and young people to have their voices heard in decision-making. CRU approached Pen y Cymoedd with an ambitious project to work in the Afan Valley for 3 years, developing inclusive children’s rights initiatives in three stages: Educate…

Clothing production has a long history in the Rhondda with the most successful being Alfred Polikoff (Wales) which was based in Ynyswen in the Rhondda. By 1989 the company name Polikoff was changed to Burberry and the Polikoff brand ended. Burberry continued at Ynyswen for the next 18 years before the decision was taken to…

Back in April 2022, we supported Resolven Building Blocks with 1-year funding to deliver the Growth & Mindset project in Afan and Neath valleys.After a successful first year and lots of work to show need and demand for service to continue we are really pleased to have agreed a further 3 years’ funding of £144,964.52.The…