Community

Restoration of iconic Temperance Hall is boost for ‘top of town’

Published

2 years ago

June 5, 2024

TEMPERANCE HALL, cinema, wartime billet and canteen, bingo hall, tax office and Freemasons’ Hall – the stunning Grade II Listed Temperance Hall at the centre of Haverfordwest has seen it all! Now it is being given a new lease of life following its acquisition by Haverfordwest Heritage, a community-run organisation supported by the Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) and The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Its Italianate façade has graced the high street since 1889, a symbol of the town’s collective social history. But after these many incarnations – and like many heritage buildings across the country – it has been unused, unloved and empty since 2009.

Now, through the work of a new Heritage Development Trust called Haverfordwest Heritage, it will once again be brought into public use. The Temperance Hall will be restored and repurposed to create a new Community Printworks which is set to open in summer 2025. This will include providing an exhibition space, print and design workspaces, and a well-equipped workshop with traditional printing presses which will host an exciting programme of courses.

AHF HH images — Archive image of The Temperance Hall (L) and Haverfordwest Printmakers Circle work party prepare to open the hall for a public preview before the renovation work begins (R). Credit Haverfordwest Heritage (L) and Heidi Baker (R).

Richard Blacklaw-Jones from Haverfordwest Heritage said: ‘By opening a welcoming and accessible Community Printworks, the aim is to create services and experiences that attract local people and visitors into the town, provide space and opportunities for creative businesses, develop skills, bring people together and enhance the town.

‘Our neglected heritage buildings symbolise the decline of our once thriving historic town. Unused and left to deteriorate further, The Temperance Hall would have epitomised this decay. But renovated and repurposed this stunning building can be part of the efforts to raise the perception of the town and provide a welcoming new facility.

‘By re-inventing The Temperance Hall as a Community Printworks, we want to help restore Haverfordwest as a vibrant and exciting place to live, work and visit. Community Printworks established in other towns have quickly become successful centres for fun and accessible art making for everyone who wants to have a go, as well as providing access to specialist equipment for professional printmakers. We can’t wait to welcome everyone in to find out more on Saturday 15 June at our open day.’

Heidi Baker, a graphic designer, art and design tutor at Pembrokeshire College and founder of Popty Press – a small design and print studio in the town said: ‘We’ve been testing the community print workshop model at our smaller studio and are thrilled to have the opportunity to move to a larger space to accommodate more printmakers and more activities. Printmaking is a very accessible form of art enabling everyone of all ages and abilities to benefit from getting involved in creative activities.

‘Haverfordwest has so much potential, and I feel excited to be part of a new energy reviving the town. Each little pinprick of new activity may be small, but when they all join up we’ll make our town a place we can be proud of.’

Haverfordwest Heritage is one of 12 Heritage Development Trusts (HDTs) across the UK that are funded through a three-year strategic partnership between the Architectural Heritage Fund and the National Lottery Heritage Fund. These people-powered social enterprises have been created to reimagine, repair, and reuse historic buildings that communities value, reinvesting revenues to build flourishing, prosperous places in every corner of the UK. As well as funding, the HDTs will be supported with expertise and advice as they develop.

The purchase and restoration of the Temperance Hall has been made possible with funding from the Community Ownership Fund, and the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Sir John Perrot Trust, and the Architectural Heritage Fund. Haverfordwest Heritage is now planning the renovation programme and would like to share these exciting plans with the community at an open day at the Temperance Hall on Saturday 15 June when there will be tours, exhibitions and staff on hand to explain more about the plans for the building and how people can get involved.

Kelcey Wilson Lee, Director of Programmes at AHF said: “AHF has been working with communities for nearly fifty years to find enterprising ways to revitalise old buildings by providing advice, grants and loans to put sustainable heritage at the heart of vibrant local economies.

‘We are delighted to have supported the purchase of The Temperance Hall to bring it back into community use as well as the wider work of Haverfordwest Heritage. This is just the start of their work as one of a number of Heritage Development Trusts across the UK, and we look forward to seeing how their work develops to bring about positive change in the town.’

New Chief Executive joins to spearhead wider plans

To drive forward the wider programme of work Haverfordwest Heritage have appointed a new Chief Executive, Stuart Berry. Stuart has joined from PLANED, the West Wales community development charity, where he has worked as the Cultural Coordinator for the past five years. Prior to joining PLANED, Stuart worked in museums in the north of England and west Wales, focusing on connecting people with their local heritage and promoting the role heritage attractions can play in economic and community regeneration.

Stuart said: ‘I am delighted to be taking on this exciting role and look forward to working with the community in Haverfordwest in bringing new life to buildings such as The Temperance Hall. With its rich history, The Temperance Hall is the perfect starting point for Haverfordwest Heritage, and we are thrilled to be able to bring it back into use for the benefit of the town. But it doesn’t stop there, and we would like The Temperance Hall to be the first of many heritage buildings we buy, renovate and repurpose in the town.’

To find out more about the open day on June 15 and the plans for The Temperance Hall visit www.haverfordwestheritage.org.uk

Community

Artist explores memory, community and changing rural life in new Cardigan exhibition

Published

2 hours ago

June 21, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A NEW exhibition exploring memory, belonging and the changing face of rural life is opening in Cardigan.

West Wales artist Sue Dewhurst will present From the Outside Looking In at Oriel Cardi Bach, with the exhibition running from June 27 to July 30.

The collection brings together several new series of work reflecting on the people, places and traditions that shaped Dewhurst’s childhood in the 1970s.

At the heart of the exhibition are the Chapel Girls, a group of paintings focusing on women who might once have filled the chapels that dominated Welsh village life. In Dewhurst’s work, they are now seen finding new forms of belonging through shopping trips, bingo halls, dating apps, bottomless brunches and everyday rituals, while redundant chapels stand silent around them.

The exhibition also includes A Bit of a Do, a series inspired by weddings, family parties and village hall celebrations.

Among the familiar characters are the mysterious woman in her best hat who appears at every gathering, the accountant calculating buffet logistics, the retired nurse dancing barefoot long after everyone else has gone home, and Harry, a grumpy gent with a mysteriously missing fingertip that nobody dares ask about.

Dewhurst’s Ghost Town series will also feature, exploring the changing landscapes of northern mill towns and communities transformed beyond recognition. These works sit alongside expressive coastal paintings inspired by New Quay and the Ceredigion coast.

A further installation of miniature “party paintings” will be presented like treasured relics rescued from a forgotten village hall or working men’s club. Wrapped with handwritten stories and nostalgic memorabilia, the pieces invite visitors to remember people and moments that might otherwise disappear.

Sue said music also plays an important role in the exhibition.

She said: “Music is so evocative for me and can instantly transport me back to a certain point in time.

“I’ve always been fascinated by the lives we don’t usually celebrate – the women who held communities together, the odd characters who turned up at every family occasion, the places that shaped us and the memories that linger long after buildings and traditions have changed.

“This exhibition is really about looking back with affection and humour, while recognising that we are all, in one way or another, trying to find where we belong.”

Originally from Lancashire and now based near Llandysul, Dewhurst has spent more than thirty years working in the arts. She previously ran Oriel Haywire in Llandysul before its closure around eighteen months ago.

From the Outside Looking In opens at Oriel Cardi Bach, Cardigan, on June 27 and runs until July 30.

Visitors are invited to rediscover familiar faces, forgotten stories and the beauty found in ordinary lives.

Community

Bongo Clive brings rhythm and smiles to VC Gallery celebration

Published

23 hours ago

June 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

LEARNING DISABILITY WEEK MARKED WITH MUSIC, LAUGHTER AND INCLUSION IN PEMBROKE DOCK

THE VC GALLERY in Pembroke Dock was filled with music, laughter and energy as visitors came together to celebrate Learning Disability Week.

The event saw popular entertainer Bongo Clive lead a lively session of singing, drumming and participation, with those attending joining in throughout the day.

The gallery said the session had created a joyful atmosphere, with music helping to bring people together and celebrate inclusion, creativity and wellbeing.

A spokesperson for The VC Gallery said: “The smiles said it all. A huge thank you to Bongo Clive for bringing your incredible energy, enthusiasm and positivity to The VC today. You certainly had everyone moving to the beat.”

Learning Disability Week celebrates inclusion and the abilities, creativity and individuality of people with learning disabilities.

The Pembroke Dock event highlighted the role of community spaces such as The VC Gallery in supporting wellbeing, friendship and confidence through shared creative activities.

Community

Sir Karl Jenkins named Eisteddfod President for 2026

Published

24 hours ago

June 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

SIR KARL JENKINS has been named President of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod for 2026.

The internationally acclaimed Welsh composer, one of the world’s most performed living composers, will take on the role as the festival prepares to welcome performers, competitors and visitors from across the globe.

Sir Karl is best known for works including The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace, Adiemus and Requiem.

His appointment comes in a landmark year after The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace was voted the most popular work in the Classic FM Hall of Fame 2026.

Opening night return

Sir Karl’s presidential year will begin with the opening night concert, Uniting Nations: One World, on Tuesday, July 7.

The concert had been due to take place in 2025 but was postponed, causing disappointment for volunteers, performers and audience members who had travelled from across the UK and overseas.

The Eisteddfod has now brought the event back with support from the Arts Council of Wales.

Sir Karl said: “I’m delighted to be returning to the Llangollen Festival this year and especially honoured to do so in the role of President.

“Llangollen is always a very special place to be, with its unique sense of community and international spirit.

“I’m greatly looking forward to conducting my most recent choral work, One World, particularly following the postponement of last year’s performance.

“It’s a piece that I feel reflects the very essence of the festival, bringing together outstanding musicians from across the globe to form one powerful collective voice.”

Global chorus

The evening will feature a full performance of One World, conducted by Sir Karl and performed by an international massed chorus made up of WorldChoir and NEW Voices, accompanied by the Llangollen International Orchestra.

The work blends Jenkins’ distinctive musical style with themes of humanity, compassion and environmental stewardship.

The concert will also include a complete staging of Peace Child: The Musical, which places young people at the heart of its message of peace and global citizenship.

Opening the evening will be the world premiere of Greeting the Dawn, a newly commissioned bilingual work by emerging Welsh composer Sam Buttler.

The piece was written for the 2026 Eisteddfod through the Harmony Without Borders initiative, continuing Llangollen’s tradition of supporting new talent and giving Welsh composers an international platform.

‘Great cultural ambassador’

John Gambles, Chair of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Sir Karl Jenkins has agreed to serve as President of the Eisteddfod for 2026.

“Few musicians have done more to promote the values of peace, friendship and international understanding that lie at the heart of our festival.

“Sir Karl is one of Wales’s greatest cultural ambassadors and his music has inspired audiences across every continent.

“The fact that The Armed Man has just been voted the nation’s favourite classical work is a testament not only to his extraordinary talent, but also to the universal appeal of the messages of peace, hope and humanity that run through so much of his music.”

Mr Gambles added: “The postponement of One World last year was heartbreaking for everyone involved.

“We knew how much the concert meant to audiences, performers and volunteers alike, and we were determined to find a way to bring it back.

“Thanks to the support of the Arts Council of Wales, we can now finally give this extraordinary concert the audience it deserves.

“With Sir Karl as our President, the return of One World, the world premiere of a major new Welsh composition and the powerful message of Peace Child, this promises to be one of the most memorable and significant opening nights in the Eisteddfod’s history.”

Festival programme

The Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod returns for its 79th year on Tuesday, July 7.

This year’s programme includes performances from Michael Ball, Emeli Sandé with the Absolute Orchestra, Uniting Nations: One World featuring Sir Karl Jenkins, and the Choir of the World competition.

Thousands of competitors from around the world will also take part in the daytime programme, with the Parade of Nations returning on Friday, July 10.

Tickets are on sale now, with prices starting from £33.

Further information is available at llangollen.net.