Llanfyllin Workhouse

admin — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 19:08:55 +0000

Llanfyllin Workhouse is a historic building of major importance, set in glorious Welsh countryside. It is home to a unique project: a community enterprise for arts, education, environment and heritage.

The Workhouse is owned by the Llanfyllin Dolydd Building Preservation Trust (Charity No. 1091097), which bought it in 2004 with the help of the Architectural Heritage Fund, and later the Ecology Building Society. In 2008 the Trust joined forces with the award winning Workhouse Festival to create a vibrant and forward-looking project rooted in the community.

Llanfyllin Workhouse offers (or will offer):

an indoor venue with facilities for music, drama, film and dance
a gallery, exhibition space and shop
indoor and outdoor events showcasing local creativity and enterprise
workshops and business space for rent
educational courses in permaculture and sustainability
courses and activities for all ages and abilities in arts, crafts and performance-related skills
a bunkhouse and two family units, accommodating course and event participants as well as other groups
residential and live-and-work units
a community garden
a Workhouse History Centre
the annual Workhouse Festival

Anyone can join Llanfyllin Workhouse. We believe strongly in sustainable living and building; in the power of the arts to enhance and transform people’s lives, and in the lasting value of our built and social heritage. Most of our activities are run by volunteers: the more helpers we have, the more we can do.

Llanfyllin Workhouse – 2011.

2010 has been both a very successful and a hugely challenging year at the Workhouse and we are proud to still be here, planning for the next!

The vision for the Workhouse project is one of a genuinely community-owned facility, developed with the aim of becoming a focal point for events, courses and participation in creativity, arts, local economy and sustainability.

The community around the old Workhouse has a strong tradition of DIY culture, in what is a stunning and very rural farming area. The Workhouse Project is all about creating new possibilities of work, employment and expression for ourselves and our community whilst exploring sustainable and innovative ways of doing it. To date we have……

International Group of Students from the Welsh School of Architecture volunteering at the Workhouse

Run a series of ground breaking Permaculture Design courses
Opened an educational art gallery for local, established and new talent of all ages
Provided workshop space for several innovative local businesses and artisans: Vagabondi Puppets, Sector39, Masquerade Integrated Drama, Inner-Kalm and more
Hosted numerous film, drama and music events, for both local and touring performers
Run three courses in yurt construction and design
Held our first ever Green Fayre of green crafts and local trades and produce
Played host to the acclaimed ‘Changing Lives – Going Green‘ BBC Wales TV series.
Catalogued rare archive material on the lives of poor people in collaboration with The National Archives, and held exhibitions.
Hosted all sorts of community activities with organisations like Education Otherwise, MENCAP, Home Carers and more.
Held regular volunteer days and weekends

Refurbishment of the buildings has progressed significantly thanks to a small but relentless team of volunteers who have achieved remarkable results with limited funds and recycled materials.

The project has faced financial challenges over the year, and we are currently rewriting our business plan. Meanwhile we are working hard to put together a programme of events and happenings for 2011, building on the successes so far.

We are launching the Workhouse courses programme… with short courses in a range of subjects from organic gardening to stone-carving.

The Workhouse project will only continue to progress and be successful if we can keep drawing in new support and involvement, so come on down!!

Discovery at the Dolydd

admin — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 09:51:49 +0000

Volunteers checking out the cellars under the Master’s House came across a rare survival – an early Victorian chamber pot. The pot is in perfect condition, made of salt-glazed earthenware and was almost certainly used by inmates during the 19^th Century. Trustee John Hainsworth said: ‘Workhouse artefacts of any kind are quite rare, and this is an exciting find.

Work starts on the roof

admin — Sun, 30 May 2010 23:34:44 +0000

Work finally began on the Workhouse roof, after months of delays, sunny weather as well and the local team of roofers has made great progress. The roof was in good shape generally, albeit a bit tatty round the edges. They have put in some of the new facia boards and it really changes the look of the whole building.

This section is planned to be developed as accommodation for people coming on courses and attending events here at the Workhouse. According to planning authorities the building is still considered an educational establishment so the project is concentrating on that aspect of its development, whilst a change of use application is being applied for.

All the years of being abandoned and the roof of the Workhouse has become a massive wildlife refuge. Late May and early June is dominated by Swifts and Jackdaws, which love the lofty heights of the Workhouse roof, building up massive piles of nest debris over the decades.

Proposed bunkhouse roof refurbishment finally gets the go ahead!

admin — Tue, 04 May 2010 16:11:49 +0000

Plans to turn the Front Wing of the Workhouse building, the one facing the field, into family accommodation units, with a proposed bunkhouse beneath have reached the first stage of development with plans approved by CADW, the authority responsible for preserving historic buildings in Wales for external rennovations.

The best laid plans have been frustrated at every turn by complex limitations, such as bat protection, historic building consent, planning permission, funding and finance. So it will be a great relief to all to finally have approval to proceed.

We will put more details up here as they arrive – news only came through today that our application had finally been approved. The scaffolding has been up in anticipation since before the winter snows.

The development of the Front Wing has been supported by a grant from the Pilgrim Trust.

May day fun

admin — Tue, 04 May 2010 08:39:55 +0000

May pole dancing at the Workhouse

Mayday dance

I have added some photos in the Photo Gallery section from the weekend event. Thanks to everyone who came along and enjoyed the afternoon.

Shortly after we started our May dance, the heavens opened and we had our first decent rain in about a month. Well everything is certainly going to start growing like mad, so I guess it worked its magic.

We like the idea of celebrating the seasons at the Workhouse, plant swaps and Maypole dancing seemed a fitting start to the summer season.