The idea
Glais has great community spirit, but over the past few years opportunities for people to celebrate and share together have disappeared. We want to enable a fantastic new community space by bringing Seion chapel back to the community and hosting an exhibition of its history. It will be a place where people can come together to try new arts & crafts such as pottery, pop in for a cuppa and a chat, be part of the heritage and its preservation of the graveyard. A place to unite people through the love of their community whilst also providing opportunities for exhibitions, workspace. In the future we plan to open a community craft and coffee shop. Organisations and health services can utilise the space to hold mindfulness sessions, bereavement support and more. The aim is to meet local requirements and revive local assets, all this whilst making friends. But not only will it be a community space it will also attract individuals and groups from far afield with an interest in welsh history.
What we'll deliver
- Nicolas y Glais exhibition & Titanic memorial - An historical insight through time in a welsh community
- Community Space - A place to make, show and sell, supporting local communities aspirations and enterprises
- Community Connections - Through well-being, friendship, crafts and activities i.e. walking, gardening
- Vestry Bakes - Generations working together to share recipes, cooking and tantalise your taste buds
- Friends of Seion preservation group - Looking after the community members no longer with us up keep of graveyard
- Transform and reopen an unused community building
- CreateSpace - people meet together, share food, stories, experiences & information point
- Restoration of headstone of 2 local men who lost their lives in the RMS Titanic
Why it's a great idea
Appeal to local people, environmentalists, historians, walkers, cyclists, tourism and businesses who want to improve the area. Support organisations in need of a venue for community activities, training, historical talks and classes that people would like to try. A place to provide local information and the restoration of a community building. Open opportunities for people to sell their crafts and produce, leading to possibilities of further business start-up and an Increase in volunteering locally and employment.
A place to help residents recover from the impact of COVID 19 and support people who have been in isolation, especially those residents struggling during and pre the pandemic. Local traders could use the space and driveway for a small pop up monthly market of fresh local produce and crafts. Not only will it be a community space it will also attract individuals and groups from far afield with an interest in welsh history. Preservation of graves and the history of area
Steps to get it done
- Nicolas y Glais Exhibtion area to be completed with sound and lighting
- Heating installed
- Floor boards repaired and flooring laid in Vestry area
- Plastering and painting completed in Vestry
- Public toilet and baby change area completed - roof repaired, toilet installed
- Coffee shop serving counter installed in Vestry main area
- Fire suppression unit installed
- Community seating area - lounge area, space decorated, display shelves for commuity items,
- Small childrens play kitchen/ market reading area to be cpmpleted
- Kitchen Installation
- Signage
- Bike rack for cyclists installed externally
- Gardening tools purchased for preservation group
- Restoration of historic TItanic grave stone
The history of the chapel is breath-taking. An example, is a grave that commemorates two local men that died on the Titanic in 1912 when it sank and we have some articles from the time describing it. There are 2 War graves that are maintained by the CWGC within the grounds. There is documented evidence, & actual Large print photographs, of when the chapel celebrated its centenary in 1934, & over 2000 people attended, also a famous Welsh Poet and author, who used to be the minister here in 1904 for ten years and as a result he inherited the nickname ‘Niclas y Glais’. Historypoints.org have created a QR code which is displayed at the front of the chapel allowing the public to scan the code with their mobile phones which subsequently brings up the histor
