Tywi Centre in the European spotlight

The Tywi Centre’s Helena Burke was in Brussels last week representing RDP Sir Gâr’s Tywi Afon yr Oesoedd (TAYO) project at an exhibition in the European Parliament hosted by MEP Jill Evans.
The theme was "How EU Rural Development Funds are used in order to promote a sustainable economy in rural Wales" and TAYO, based at the Tywi Centre in Llandeilo, had been selected to be part of the exhibition as it focused on celebrating the heritage of Carmarthenshire’s Tywi Valley and promoting the social, economic and environmental benefits gained by protecting and promoting this heritage.
During the summer the Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and European Programmes, Alun Davies, had paid a visit to the Tywi Centre to see how TAYO project had strengthened links between the community and the landscape and helped people develop the skills needed to look after the landscape. The project had restored and expanded natural habitats, provided opportunities for people to learn traditional building skills, enabled the community to explore the origins of the valley through its archaeology and given the community a better understanding of how to interpret local history.
TAYO was one of only six projects featured and Carmarthenshire County Council’s Head of European Policy and Planning, Neville Davies said:
“We are delighted that TAYO was highlighted as an example of excellent use of rural development plan funding and I’m sure the Tywi Centre will continue to build on their success.”
There are two new RDP Sir Gâr schemes operating from the Tywi Centre at the moment and a Foundations in Heritage Bursary Scheme.
The Carmarthenshire Landscape and Heritage Grant aims to protect and enhance the area’s natural heritage and promote the local cultural heritage of rural communities and the Heritage Centre of Excellence provides training courses.
The Heritage Centre courses offer an opportunity for individuals to develop theoretical and practical skills and the knowledge needed to look after old buildings and natural habitats in a traditional and sustainable manner and the Foundations in Heritage Bursary Scheme is a programme to deliver Heritage Building Skills training to 30 students across West Wales. Some 14 students have completed the programme and a further 16 have just been recruited for the second year of the programme.
Tywi Centre are also exploring, through seminars, courses and events, the use of compatible modern materials, energy saving and efficiency, and energy generation.
Helena said: “Going to the European Parliament was an incredible experience and meeting people from other projects was very interesting. I think that it is important that others in Europe are aware of what we are doing and can see that European money is being well spent .”
The Tywi Centre is located at Dinefwr Farm, Llandeilo, and is led by Carmarthenshire County Council. Funding for the Centre has been secured through grant funding from the Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007-2013 which is funded by the Welsh Government and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development together with The Heritage Lottery Fund, Countryside Council for Wales, Carmarthenshire County Council, and with the support of the National Trust.