Welsh Charities Week is held annually in November, organised by the Wales Council for Voluntary Action. The aim of the week is to recognise and shine a light on the amazing work of charities, voluntary organisations, community groups and volunteers across Wales.
This year Welsh Charities Week falls on 13th November – 17th November 2023, and as part of the effort to highlight the work that these organisations do across Wales, we wanted to shine a spotlight a few of our Wales members at the Network. This is by no means a comprehensive list of our member organisations engaging in important community work across Wales, let alone the many more beyond the Heritage Trust Network who engage in activity that is vital to their communities.
Connect to Purpose:
Connect to Purpose are a multi-strand charity based in the Vale of Glamorgan that aim to support young people and their families who may be experiencing difficult times through providing retreats, education, training, and supported independent rural living. They have 3 ongoing projects which aim to connect disadvantaged young people and their families with their communities and heritage; provide training for those supporting young people; and support young people from disadvantaged backgrounds ages 16-25 to live independently. They have two heritage properties (Plas Llanmihangel and Treguff Place) which they plan to operate from and offer a wide range of activities, classes and courses, as well as rest and relaxation, with the aim of helping young people connect to a purpose and their community.
Learn more about the work that Connect to Purpose do on their website: https://www.connecttopurpose.co.uk/what-we-do
Plas Llanmihangel
The Judge’s Lodging Trust:
The Judge’s Lodging is a charitable trust, based in Presteigne in Powys, it is run by a small team of dedicated staff and trustees, with a wonderfully enthusiastic and committed volunteer force. The Judge’s Lodging is a grade 2* listed early 1800s house, packed with original artefacts, and housing the Presteigne Community Collection. Since the building was taken over by the trust in 2013 after an asset transfer was initiated by the local authority, it’s been transformed back to a functioning Victorian house and social history museum. The Judge’s Lodging is lit by gas lighting, candles and oil lamps, all of the furniture is either restored or replicas of the furniture that would have been there originally, and with the addition of an audio tour, visitors can get a real feeling for how the building would have been seen and used at the time. Whilst there are ongoing continuous improvements to make sure that the building is in good repair and the visitor experience is authentic and enjoyable, the Judge’s Lodging is a testament to the efforts put in by the Judge’s Lodging Trust and the local community support for such an asset.
To learn more about the Judge’s Lodging, the restoration and their collections, visit their website: https://www.judgeslodging.org.uk/
Victorian kitchen of the Judge’s Lodging
Adam’s Bucketful of Hope:
This Haverfordwest based charity was started by Adam Evans-Thomas, who after being diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia 25 years ago started fundraising for the NHS by recruiting blood and bone marrow donors. Before he passed at the age of 35, Adam wanted to give back to the NHS and undertook a further fundraising campaign, which resulted in a new Cancer Care Day Unit – the Pembrokeshire Haematology and Oncology Day Unit was completed in December 2017 and so Adam’s Legacy was fulfilled. Since then, friends and family have continued to fundraise and Adam’s Bucketful of Hope charity opened a Cancer Care Venue in 2009, which offers primarily emotional support for patients and their carers.
“We distract patients from the daily anxiety of their illness by engaging them in exciting activities, trips, parties, delivering complementary therapies, beauty treatments, podiatry, and counselling to name but a few.. We set them challenges that take them out of their stressful situation and hopefully, by this distraction, ease their pain and fear. “
Adam’s Bucketful of Hope is in the process of taking over a heritage building which will be adapted so that they can offer more care to their patients, whom they affectionately refer to as Buckateers, this will provide further care and support in their community.
For more information about Adam’s Bucketful of Hope, visit their website: https://www.bucketfulofhope.co.uk/
Melin Daron Cyf:
Melin Daron Cyf are a charitable, community-based organisation based in Aberdaron in Gwynedd. They are focused on restoring and developing Aberdaron’s historic grade 2 water mill, which dates from 1252. The project aims to restore the mill so that it can be used for education, tourism and heritage purposes, and be an asset to its community. The vision is for school children to be able to grind locally grown corn flour and bake their own bread in the adjacent Islwyn Bakery, a hands on educational experience that will be both fun and delicious! Melin Daron Cyf and the mill project have plenty of community support and plans are already underway to get the building to a place where it can function once again, we can’t wait to see even more progress!
Learn more about Melin Daron Cyf on their website: https://melindaron.org/
Mill machinery at Melin Daron
