Funding Secured For Cynon Valley Museum

With the support of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council, the ambitions of Cynon Valley Museum Trust have moved a stage closer following confirmation that £62,700 Heritage Lottery Funding has been secured . ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Heritage Lottery Funding, combined with funding secured from sources such as Coalfields Regeneration Trust, the Welsh Church Act and business sponsorship mean that proposals from the Cynon Valley Museum Trust to take forward the facility can move forward. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council bid for, and secured, the Heritage Lottery Funding on behalf of the Trust, which will drive forward the future of Cynon Valley Museum via the Council’s RCT Together initiative, meaning that the last 200 years of life in the Valley will continue to be offered to residents and visitors to the Museum alike, as well as new attractions and features at the museum as part of the proposal, which is located in the Grade II Listed former ironworks. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Council will continue to manage the collection housed at the Museum as part of this proposal. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The confirmation of the HLF funding means the Cynon Valley Museum Trust can now begin work in earnest to reopen the museum to the public, appoint staff and volunteers and begin, once again, celebrating and reviving the fascinating history of the area. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Joy Rosser, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Safer Communities, Libraries and Heritage, said: “This is exciting news not only for the Cynon Valley Museum Trust but also for the communities of Rhondda Cynon Taf and beyond. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“RCT Together was launched as a new approach to service delivery, with the Council working with partner agencies and the community to sustain services in the face of ongoing public sector funding cuts. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Securing £62,700 Heritage Lottery Funding is testament to how effective RCT Together has been. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“By working with the trust and offering support, such as securing funding on their behalf, we have been able to ensure a well-loved attraction is not only reopened for all to enjoy, but is taken forward in an exciting new direction for the future.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Dinah Pye, Chair of the Cynon Valley Museum Trust, said: “Rhondda Cynon Taf Council has been of enormous help in the transfer of the Museum to the Trust. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Their endearing commitment to the Museum, combined with the relentless hard work of Trustee members to successfully secure additional funding from several other sources, has enabled the Trust to preserve a hugely important local heritage asset for future generations. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This invaluable support we have received will ensure the re-opening of the Museum will get off to the best possible start.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Council continues to operate the museum hosting a number of open days throughout the year, with the next event due to take place on Saturday, April 30. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cynon Valley Museum is situated on the site of the 19th Century Gadlys Ironworks, which were founded by Matthew Wayne in 1827. Iron was produced on the site until 1876. The building that houses the museum is Grade II listed and the four impressive blast furnaces from the 19th Century works still stand on the site. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​