Brecon Story has been given a £10,000 grant by the National Lottery Heritage Fund to help connect communities with the heritage on their doorstep. It will support local people in learning new digital skills, combat social isolation and build an archive of the town’s heritage.
The initiative will also create digital content to promote the town to visitors and help the local economy.
Videos, photographs, interviews and digital articles will be shared on the community group’s existing online home: www.breconstory.wales and across social media platforms.
Most excitingly the group is also planning a digital map of Brecon’s historic buildings, businesses and visitor attractions. It will offer a virtual tour of the town to potential visitors around the world under the banner: WALK: The Brecon Story.
There will also be a mobile-friendly version of the walk for those who have come to see for themselves - whether these are tourists or people living across Mid Wales who want to know more about Brecon’s past.
Funding for the scheme comes from Cadw, the Welsh Government’s historic environment service and the National Lottery Heritage Fund. It is one of a series of so-called ‘15 Minute Heritage Grants’. They are based on an idea called the 15-minute city where ‘most daily necessities can be accomplished by either walking or cycling from residents' homes’.
The Brecon Story project has grown out of work done by the Brecon Heritage and Cultural Network which brought together many of the town's leading organisations. Elizabeth Jeffreys, who helped found the network, welcomed the support, saying:
“I am very grateful to all those National Lottery players who are supporting this really innovative work. Brecon is an ancient town with a rich heritage of architectural and cultural assets. We are all so proud of what we have around us in this beautiful community of ours. This grant is a ‘Christmas present’ that will keep on giving as we share more Brecon Stories with our community and the wider world.”
The grant comes at an important time for other work being done to help celebrate all that Brecon has to offer. Local independent businesses working under the banner of the Brecon Buzz Community Interest Company are especially pleased. Punch Maughan, Brecon Buzz Director and creator of the Found Gallery revealed:
“Winning this money comes at a very timely moment as Brecon Buzz CIC are concluding a review of signage, walk and visitor information for Brecon early in the New Year. The Buzz review references this project and the timescales will mean that recommendations from the report will be able to embrace this exciting initiative.”
"Local independent businesses are the backbone of our town and this all adds to the vibrancy of our community for local people and visitors alike.”
A key part of the Brecon Story project is supporting local people and businesses to learn the digital skills needed to create content for online users.
Julia Blazer, Managing Director of the Good Day Out activities and events business, and Brecon Story’s Digital Marketing Coordinator added: “Brecon Story has already offered dozens of training sessions to volunteers, local businesses and local residents with a love for our amazing community.
“We would love to hear from more people who want to benefit from that help. Click on our website, www.breconstory.wales to get more details of courses coming in the New Year.
Brecon Story is led by volunteers and the heritage trail part of this project was the idea of Andy Collinson who recently moved to Brecon. Andy is in awe of how much history & heritage this small town has.
He said: "I can't wait to start helping with researching, mapping out and recording Brecon's key monuments and heritage locations. I know there are more people locally who would love to get involved and urge them to get in touch. Many people have stories about Brecon and its past, and others who have technical skills or are wanting to learn would be welcomed to the project."
Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport Dawn Bowden said: “In Wales, we are surrounded by heritage, not just in our museums, castles and historic structures, but in anything that inspires a sense of belonging.
“I’m so very pleased that Cadw is once again collaborating with The National Lottery Heritage Fund to help communities explore, celebrate and share their local heritage stories – which will hopefully strengthen their sense of community and belonging.”
Andrew White, Director of The National Lottery Heritage Fund in Wales added: “Heritage is for everyone and local heritage - whether that’s a building, a landmark, a nature reserve or even our local shop, helps to create and shape our communities.”
“It’s been a pleasure to work again this year with Cadw on the ‘15-Minute Heritage Fund’ and support even more communities across Wales to get in touch with their local heritage. It’s a very popular programme and in all, we have funded more than 120 projects the length and breadth of the country over the last two years through the ‘15-Minute Heritage’ programme and provided over £600,000 in grants.”