About Us
Rhayader Online is a website managed by Rhayader 2000 Ltd that aims to serve both visitors to the town and the local community of Rhayader & District.
Rhayader 2000 is a voluntary sector, community development organisation representing a cross section of the local community. The group was established in 1995 and became a non-profit making company limited by guarantee in 2001.
Our objectives are:
• To strengthen the economy of the town and surrounding area
• To strengthen and maintain the natural and man made environment.
• To encourage the development of skills and opportunities, personal and professional.
• To make best use of the human and material resources within Rhayader
Please address all enquiries to the
Development Officer, Rhayader 2000, The Arches,
West Street, Rhayader, Powys LD6 5AB
Tel: 01597 810081
Email:
More information about Rhayader 2000
The business of Rhayader 2000 is conducted through its Board of Directors which is made of a maximum of fifteen individuals who wish to take a lead in future developments of the area.
The Board employs a part-time Development Officer who is based in the centre of Rhayader in an office at The Arches, working alongside other voluntary sector groups.
The Board for 2009/10:
Chair - Liz Lloyd - Business Person
Vice Chair - Carolyn Flynn - Community Support
Company Secretary - Colin Davies - Rhayader Town Council
Barbara Lawrence - Retired Guest House Proprietor
David Evans - Powys County Council
Ann Griffiths - Guest House Proprietor, Chamber of Trade,
Chris Powell - Gigrin Red Kite Centre
Development Officer - Pam Knight (began November 2006)
Web Site Manager - James Dobb (began July 2009)
Membership of the organisation is open to all those who live and work in the town of Rhayader and the surrounding wards and villages of Cwmdeuddwr, Elan Village, St. Harmon, Pantydwr, Abbeycwmhir, Llanwrthwl and Nantmel. As well as individuals we are open to membership from groups or organisations.
Current Projects
Work over 2007-2009 focused on tourism and marketing for the town and resulted in the setting up of a Tourism Group with representatives attending from the Town Council, Chamber of Trade, Community Support, Elan Valley Visitor Centre and Powys County Council. With European funding support through SPIRIT 2 YSBRYD, and contributions from the Town Council, Chamber of Trade, Elan Valley Trust and Oakdale Trust, this New Web Site was developed and a new Town Guide was published, which has since been reprinted.
Rhayader 2000 is now working on a major Wildlife Project that will focus on the natural heritage of Rhayader and District – an exceptional landscape supporting a wealth of wildlife. The work of the project, to be carried out in partnership with Rhayader by Nature and in co-operation with other local environmental and wildlife organisations, can be considered under two sectors:
Community – encouraging and enabling the local community to learn more about their natural heritage, to value its benefit to their own and others lives and by coming to understand and consider its needs, help conserve it for future generations.
Economic – encouraging economic regeneration and growth through development of wildlife tourism, improving infrastructure, facilities and interpretation for wildlife observation to offer educational and recreational learning opportunities and enjoyable, environmentally sustainable pursuits.
One element of the project will be the staging of a series of wildlife themed art and craft exhibitions in 2010, as a lead into developing the Rhayader Wildlife Festival in future years.
History
In March 1995 Rhayader 2000, then an Unincorporated Association and non-charitable voluntary sector body, was established. In 1997 Rhayader 2000 was successful in a bid to the Market Towns Initiative and received funding of over £100,000, to be spent over 3½ years, from by the Development Board for Rural Wales. This provided a big leap forward as it offered essential core funding for the appointment of a full-time Development Officer and project funding for specific initiatives. The initial three year Market Town Initiative funding came to an end in December 2000 but throughout these years the organisation learnt and experienced a great deal, making it stronger and even more eager to build on the foundations it had established.
Since that time a wide range of initiatives have been undertaken and strong links established with Powys County Council, Rhayader Town Council, local businesses, a myriad of charitable and voluntary organisations and the local community. From 2001 until 2006 core funding was provided by the Mid Wales Community Regeneration Toolkit Programme, run by the Welsh Development Agency, whose role was to provide support to community groups such as Rhayader 2000 Ltd.
Achievements To Date
Since it began, Rhayader 2000, working in partnership with a wide range of other agencies has undertaken a variety of projects which have had a real and lasting impact on the life of the town.
• Affordable Housing Project - working with Land for People and Powys County Council to pull together a housing needs policy.
• Production Park Project - conducting a feasibility study for a facility to help local producers add value to their produce and to support local employment and small enterprise
• Cambrian Images Project – developing a photographic library and supporting local photographers
• Tourist Information Centre Project – carrying out a feasibility study of setting up a community TIC
• RAD Working Together. Secretariat to the Local Community Forum and compiling an action plan for the area (one of 15 within Powys).
• Business Awareness Workshops - working closely with Medrwn in provision of training for local tourism businesses.
• Part of the Central Powys Tourism Growth Area. Working with Llandrindod, Builth and Llanwrtyd in developing a web based coordinated walking network. and active participation in the Central Powys Steering Group
• Cycle Breaks Project – Wales Tourist Board initiative, followed through by PCC and ourselves, implementing signage for five cycle routes
• Marketing, Information and Communication projects
- Rhayader 2000 was instrumental in bringing Broadband to Rhayader and District
- managing and developing the community website http://www.rhayader.co.uk
- coordinating and publishing the bimonthly community newsletter
- coordinating meetings of local organisations for liaison.
- publishing the Town Guide, Walking leaflets and Active/Wild Rhayader booklets
• Riverside Walk Developments
• ICT Support for Businesses
• Events: organising the Rhayader Triathlon for 5 years,
Festival of the Great Outdoors and Youth Summer Challenge supporting the Anthony Nolan Three Dams Ride & Claerwen abseil the Morris Dancing Weekend and other events.
• Rhayader Building Facelift Scheme, Rhayader Paint Scheme, streetscape improvements and signage
• Business projects – business survey, visitor surveys, Llwybro Routes project, window dressing course, ‘Cycle Host’ training seminar
• Tourism projects - Elan Trail Cycle Route Gateway feature and Notice board.
• Craft Fairs
It is estimated that the initial revenue funding of over £100,000 has generated capital expenditure in the town in excess of £450,000 which represents significant leverage on the investment. Further, a survey by Powys County Council has suggested that the work has sustained 75 jobs and created 31 new jobs.
