CWM a MYNYDD
Rural Development Programme Issue 1 • June 2016
Arts Week 2016 MeeT THe BReWeR
HalleTS aWaRDS Food & hospitality network COMMOn GROUnD - A TIDY IDEA
THE BEES KNEES Heritage & agricultural
FlYING THe FlaG FoR euRoPe DaY
FeaTuReS 04 From Iron age Forts to a Norman Castle town’s Food Festival - fly the flag on Europe Day 06 Get arty in Ystrad this summer! 08 a very local adventure! 10 The BeeS Knees - the tracker bee
WelCoMe! S
ince the last LAG meeting there have
http://gov.wales/topics/environmentcountry-
been a number of developments.
side/farmingandcountryside/cap/ruraldevelop-
Firstly, a big congratulations to all
ment/wales-rural-development-programme-
the community groups that were successful in getting through to the next stage of the Rural Community Development Fund
12 Bars, Barrels, Bubbles and Brewers - a story of two halfs!
application process; in total 7 projects across
14 Common Ground
to the next stage. The RCDF funding will
- a tidy idea 16 Cwm a Mynydd Agricultural Network 18 From Crumlin with love! - Award Winning Cider
the Cwm a Mynydd LAG area are through hopefully provide a real boost to these fantastic projects. There is another ‘window’ of funding open until 30th June so please make sure that you spread the word to as many groups and organisations as possible.
2014-2020/?lang=en Since the last meeting, we said farewell to Gavin Jones who has been a key member of the RDP Team for a number of years and has made a significant impact on the programme – we wish Gavin all the best with his new ‘perch’ at the RSPB. With one officer leaving, another officer joins us and we welcome Julian Bosley to the RDP Team as the Sustainable Energy Officer. Julian brings with him a wealth of
20 Beef, bars, beds and bakeries - a new approach for an old favourite
In addition to the RCDF, 4 projects have
experience in the field of sustainable
been submitted to the Welsh Government’s
energy and will be tasked with developing
22 Working Women
Sustainable Management Scheme which
and delivering a number of exciting projects
is designed to support the management of
– please get in touch to find out more.
24 Heritage - our past is our pleasure 26 laG Implementation Fund - Let’s Get Ready to Rural
Cwm a Mynydd RDP Ty Fry Farm, Heol y Bedw Hirion, Bedwellty, NP12 0BE.
natural resources and contribute to the wellbeing of rural communities. The 4 projects
We hope you enjoy this newsletter which
submitted are Gelligaer and Merthyr Common,
will highlight some of the RDP activities
Resilient Pollinator Project, the Southern
over the last 3 months and some
Landscape Partnership and the Markham
forthcoming opportunities, in particular
21st Century Wetland. We should hopefully
the launch of the LAG’s Implementation
find out in early July whether the applications
fund...happy reading!
were successful. Cwm a Mynydd RDP Team A number of other funds are available through
T: 01443 838 632
the RDP so please make sure you keep an
countryside@caerphilly.gov.uk
eye on the funding windows and closing dates
www.caerphilly.gov.uk/countryside
– we are here to help and support you in your applications:
2 • Rural Development Programme • www.caerphilly.gov.uk/cwmamynydd
Rural Development Programme • www.caerphilly.gov.uk/cwmamynydd • 3
from mountains to moats! FlYING THe FlaG oN euRoPe DaY
e
ach year, we join thousands of other projects across Europe and fly the flag on Europe Day and this year
was no different. 2016 once again saw walkers and foodies getting into the spirit supporting Cwm a Mynydd from the windswept heights of the Caerphilly Challenge Series’ The Forge Trail to the tastes and flavours of the Food Festival. Of course, we all know that the work Cwm a Mynydd’s work takes us all over Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent and is soon to step up a gear with the launch of our LEADER project fund. We wonder where we will be flying the flag next year?
4 • Rural Development Programme • www.caerphilly.gov.uk/cwmamynydd
Rural Development Programme • www.caerphilly.gov.uk/cwmamynydd • 5
GeT aRTY In YSTRAD ThIS SUMMER! newly formed arts and crafts network is organising an Arts Trail for July 9th - 15th 2016. The ‘Cwm a Mynydd Creatives’ along with Cwm a Mynydd - a project that has received funding through the Welsh Government Rural Communities - Rural Development Programme 2014 - 2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government - and the CCBC Arts Development Team, are urging local artists or crafters to get involved!
a
The week will involve a first-time self-led ‘Arts Trail’ around various venues in Ystrad Mynach reaching as far as Parc Penallta. It is hoped that if successful, this ‘Art Trail’ model can be replicated in different locations each year. 6 • Rural Development Programme • www.caerphilly.gov.uk/cwmamynydd
In addition, there will be a series of open studios, workshops, demonstrations and ‘Pop-Up’ galleries right across Caerphilly and the Blaenau Gwent rural wards of Llanhilleth and Cwm, with some crafters planning to open up their studios for the public to see just how they create their unique products. There will be a small entry fee which will go towards the cost of the publicity and marketing for this great event. The Cwm a Mynydd Creatives would also love to hear from any interested host venues so please get in touch if you are keen to display local arts and crafts!
OPEn STUDIOS WORkShOPS DEMOnSTRATIOnS ‘POP-UP’ GALLERIES Give us a call 01443 838632, send us a message on facebook or twitter @ Cwm a mynydd or send us an email rogerl@ caerphilly.gov.uk
If you want more information about this increasingly popular project, we’d love to hear from you.
Rural Development Programme • www.caerphilly.gov.uk/cwmamynydd • 7
FROM hIvES AnD hISTORY, TRAILS AnD TOURS TO CYCLES AnD CAFES
there is so-oooooo much to choose from.”
A vERY LOCAL ADvEnTURE! as you’ll read about elsewhere in our newsletter, Team CaM are embracing the Year of adventure and our work is often a mini adventure in itself.
e
veryone knows that the valleys are pretty impressive when it comes to landscape, heritage and culture and its people, but when the Cwm a Mynydd Rural
Consultancy to develop
to choose from after all, but
you ask us, and showcase
a range of videos that
after an hour of tea, talk and
our amazing produce,
promoted each areas food
thinking we settled on the
producers, retailers,
and hospitality offer. never
story of a bee keeper and
landscape and tourist
ones to shirk from a
his honey.
attractions all in a few
challenge, Team CaM
short minutes.
donned our thinking hats
From hives and history,
and dreamed up a way that
trails and tours to cycles
tied food, people, landscape
and cafes we followed a
and places together in one
beekeeper through the
memorable (albeit short)
County an all the adventures
video advert. Our problem
that surround his hives and
We teamed up with 9 other Local Authorities from across
was what to leave out –
honey. The end result is
South Wales and with local food specialist howel Food
there is so-oooooo much
pretty impressive, even if
Development Programme were asked to take the local lead on a Food Tourism collaboration project by Caerphilly County Borough Councils Marketing and Events team we saw our chance to bring all of these together in a distinctly Cwm a Mynydd Way.
8 • Rural Development Programme • www.caerphilly.gov.uk/cwmamynydd
The video will be on www.vistcaerphilly.com website and www.visitwales. com and our social media channels when its launched.
Rural Development Programme • www.caerphilly.gov.uk/cwmamynydd • 9
THe BeeS KNeeS BUzzInG ALL OvER SOUTh EAST WALES
The BeeS Project – Breeding, education, environment and Skills Project
TRaCKeR BeeS
W
hile we think everything we do
process more efficient, more resilient and
as part of the Cwm a Mynydd
productive. Additionally, the project will
Rural Development Programme
capitalise of the expertise of beekeepers
ou may have heard of tracker ants
pollinator species to our environment.
but what about tracker bees – real
The incredible part of this project is that the
life ones not the tracker jackers from
clever clever folks at Rock level are using
is pretty darn amazing, and we are always a
to promote the role of pollinators and their
hive of activity, these past few months have
Y
importance to local food chains and
The hunger Games ether… they were scary!.
countryside working with upwards of 24
You probably all know that we do like to
seen us upping the ante, buzzing all over South East Wales on a few different bee related projects. The BEES Project – Breeding, Education, Environment and Skills Project see’s bee keepers from Caerphilly, Blaenau Gwent, Monmouth, newport, Merthyr Tydfil and Rhondda Cynon Taff. The project, a cooperation initiative between Cwm a Mynydd, the vale of Usk and Rural Action Cwm Taff will explore ways to meet the need for queen honey bees and nucleus colonies through a local collaborative, reducing the need for
schools over 3 years across the region.
take steps into the uncharted here at
All of this buzzines (we are getting to
the Cwm a Mynydd Rural Development
the end of the bee puns, we promise)
Programme and while we’ve not gone and
will be supported by real world workshops, training days and expert speakers from the bee world an online resource that provides an open forum for beekeepers to share ideas, stories, ask for help, support or shout about their success – A hive of knowledge all in one place if you ask us at Team CaM.
engineered a whole new species of bee (there’s still time) we have been teaming up with local bee keeper Lorne East and
off the shelf technology, adapting it for bees, writing new code and teaming up with Lorne’s bees to map where they go and what they get up to and will display and share the results as part of an educational website that hopes to include a bees eye view ‘flight of the bee’ from hive to field and back again.
his thousands of helpers at Sirhowy valley
This is a truly new approach to tracking
honey Bee Company, Caerphilly Councils
bees, and the project will even have a
Social Enterprise team, and uber cool
documentary that charts the development
digital display specialists Rock Level to
process, its testing and the results that can
explore an affordable way to track honey
be shared with other areas that want to
bees, from where they get lunch to when
recreate the project for their own research
imports from the rest of Europe. Through the
We are still at the late planning stage so
they get home, and build this into an
– a true case of follow the LEADER if ever
project, members will share skills and best
make a bee line for the Cwm a Mynydd
engaging site that can be used to engage
there was one. Cwm a Mynydd are the
practice with each other to make the
Social pages for more info and updates.
with local schools about the importance of
trail blazers on this one.
10 • Rural Development Programme • www.caerphilly.gov.uk/cwmamynydd
Rural Development Programme • www.caerphilly.gov.uk/cwmamynydd • 11
BaRS, BaRRelS, BuBBleS aND BReWeRS – a SToRY oF TWo HalveS!
N
ew years are always full of new promise and 2016 was no different for the Cwm a Mynydd Rural Development Programme. Building on lots of pub visits last year and responding to local brewer’s requests (life in the RDP can be tough) Team CaM began brewing a tasty idea that would see brewers and bar
keepers sharing a tipple and talking local brews for local bars. Our very own version of a valleys blind date experience Five brewers of cider, mead, beer and ale descended to the Lord nelson Inn, nelson to meet seven publicans and one distributer on the 21st March. Each brewer got the
12 • Rural Development Programme • www.caerphilly.gov.uk/cwmamynydd
chance to open a bottle, share a drink and tell the story of their product to publicans and fellow brewers to sample and ask questions. Through this project the Cwm a Mynydd Rural Development Programme aims to create a space where the buyers and
makers of local drinks can meet, talk, share and discuss ideas that shorten supply chains, increase awareness and knowledge of local products and help promote a distinct ‘local’ identity to locals and tourists alike. As with all Team CaM support, it doesn’t end there. We have since undertaken a
range of follow on visits, identifying barriers to supply, offering solutions and met with Caerphilly Pub Watch, to further the project to new pubs. Stay tuned for more news, or better still, head to your local and ask for some local behind the bar.
Five brewers of cider, mead, beer and ale descended to the Lord Nelson Inn”
Rural Development Programme • www.caerphilly.gov.uk/cwmamynydd • 13
CoMMoN GRouND GELLIGAER & MERThYR COMMOn CLEAn UP DAY
– a TIDY IDea
a
t a recent Agricultural network
group have long been tackling this problem
meeting an idea to try to tackle
not only in our area but country wide and
the ever increasing problem of
have set up a group called Litter Free
fly- tipping was suggested. Anti-social behaviour has steadily increased on the open land that is grazed by farmers that have commoner’s rights. This behaviour includes fly grazing, off road biking and quads and particularly fly-tipping.
Flyers to help clean up common land. During the day the volunteers filled over 200 bags of rubbish and collected several tonnes of fly-tipping. As a thank you to all those involved on the day, refreshments in the form of local burgers were provided at the
The idea was for a pilot project day to
picturesque Parc Cwm Darran situated
be organised to bring together outside
adjacent to the common.
organisations and the Cwm a Mynydd Agricultural network to work together to create an awareness of the seriousness of fly-tipping and to highlight its dangers both to the livestock that are grazed on the common and to the public.
After this pilot project, a series of clean up days will be scheduled to tackle the problem on other commons across the LAG area and identify collaborative and sustainable approaches to tackling the issue.
On Friday 20th May the the Cwm a Mynydd team worked alongside Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Public Service dept, Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, the Probation Service, Gelligaer and District Young Farmers Club, keep Wales Tidy, Fly-Tipping Action Wales, Miller Argent, Biffa Waste, Gelligaer & Merthyr Commoners Association and recreational groups such as the Glider Group who regularly use the common as a place to launch. The Glider 14 • Rural Development Programme • www.caerphilly.gov.uk/cwmamynydd
Rural Development Programme • www.caerphilly.gov.uk/cwmamynydd • 15
CWM a MYNYDD aGRICulTuRal NeTWoRK
T
“The discovery of agriculture was the first big step toward a civilized life.”
he Cwm a Mynydd Agricultural network has been active in Caerphilly since 2011. The network
was established to bring together like minded farmers and farm workers to share best practice and to work with Cwm a Mynydd to develop ideas for projects to help the industry
Arthur Keith
both locally and nationally. The networks meeting coincide with the agricultural calendar avoiding times such as lambing, spring fayre, hay making, Royal Welsh week and winter fayre. With the
Regular updates on
annual nelson Type Welsh
clean up day is scheduled
creation of the new Local Action Group in
agricultural matters from
Mountain ewe & lamb and
for 20th May 2016. Another
2015 the network now includes agricultural
Farming Connect, union
Ram sales, both the Machen
project that is currently
businesses in Blaenau Gwent. Since the
information and Gwent
and Bedwellty shows and
active is the creation of a
response from the farming communities
Police Owl Watch scheme
the sheep shearing contest.
funding booklet, a 1 stop
of Caerphilly has been very positive, the
are given at the meetings.
launch of the new network combining the
At a recent meeting a project
two counties will take place at the Gelligaer
The network supports much
to tackle fly-tipping was
and District Young Farmers Club annual
of the social agricultural
suggested and with the help
sheep shearing contest on Sunday 19th
activities that happen in the
of the Gelligaer YFC and
June 2016.
LAG area including the
other organisations a pilot
16 • Rural Development Programme • www.caerphilly.gov.uk/cwmamynydd
shop for information on grants and funds available to the farming fraternity.
Rural Development Programme • www.caerphilly.gov.uk/cwmamynydd • 17
Hallets Cider www.halletsrealcider.co.uk
from Crumlin with love!
- award winning Cider
W
e are sure that you all know hallets Cider, Andy and Annie have been stalwart supporters of the Cwm a Mynydd Rural Development Programme
for many years, since way back in 2009 in fact benefiting from Caerffili Cwm a Mynydd’s Rural Development programme, which was financed through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development by the Welsh Government and the EU. Since then, the pair have been busy refining and perfecting their cider, picking up many accolades along the way, including winning our very own Contribution to the Rural Economy Award at the Caerphilly Business Forum Awards, but recently, hallets cider has reached the highest heights a cider maker can hope to achieve – and that is not a reference to the (probably) highest orchard in Wales that sits above hafodyrynys either. hallets Real Cider were recently nominated for the BBC Radio 4 Food and Farming Awards, in fact, they were the only Welsh producer to make the list. This fantastic achievement took the couple from their farm in Crumlin where they craft cider from traditional techniques to a star studded bash in Bristol, where they scooped the national Award for Best Drinks Producer. We hope you raise a glass to toast their success. hallets ‘beautifully simple’ cider is made with juice from cider apples, some of which is aged in whisky, sherry or rum barrels. The range of draught and bottled ciders is available in bars across the Uk including The Bunch of Grapes, The hop Bunker and The Pen and Wig, all in Wales, or directly from the farm www.halletsrealcider.co.uk and they are working with us on our Meet the Brewer project.
18 • Rural Development Programme • www.caerphilly.gov.uk/cwmamynydd
Rural Development Programme • www.caerphilly.gov.uk/cwmamynydd • 19
That’s what we thought too. Under the all
exploring opportunities for local producers
new Rural Development Programme, Cwm
and hospitality providers to work together
a Mynydd will be launching all new networks
through initiatives like Meet the Brewer and
that aim to link up sectors that work closely
engage with regional events and support
together. For us that means that the Food
through our role in the South East Wales
and Drink network’s and hospitality networks
Regional Food Partnership.
of old will be rejigged and launched into the Cwm a Mynydd Food, Drink and hospitality network a home for beef, bars, beds and bakeries and everything else in between. The network was launched at The Caerphilly
The Cwm a Mynydd Food, Drink and Hospitality network is now open for new members to develop ideas and projects
Food Festival on the 7th May and undertook
collaboratively. For more information,
a consultation about local produce that will
head to the cwm a mynydd social media
guide its work over the coming months.
pages, call the team on 01443 838632 or
Over 100 people participated in the launch
email eadonk@caerphilly.gov.uk
consultation, each participating for the chance to win a local produce hamper, with the lucky winner, Mary Garland claiming
BeeF, BaRS, BeDS aND BaKeRIeS
the prize. The network will continue its work
A nEW APPROACh FOR An OLD FAvOURITE CWM a MYNYDD FooD, DRINK aND HoSPITalITY NeTWoRK
W
hat could be better than food glorious food? how about amazing food, followed by an
award winning drink, a long walk amongst rolling hills stopping by Wales largest Castle,
IS NoW oPeN FoR NeW MeMBeRS
followed by an evening in comfy bed before a big breakfast and a day on the downhill slopes?
20 • Rural Development Programme • www.caerphilly.gov.uk/cwmamynydd
Rural Development Programme • www.caerphilly.gov.uk/cwmamynydd • 21
WoRKING WoMeN ShARE IDEAS, DISCUSS PROBLEMS, FInD SOLUTIOnS AnD BECOME InSPIRED
P
rofessional women come together
The group, which meet every 6 to 8 weeks,
to meet, network and socialise
is made up of women from many different
as part of the Working Women
businesses including craft makers, IT
network, a successful joint partnership
specialists, business consultants and food/
between Caerphilly Business Forum and
drink producers. The Working Women
the Cwm Mynydd Caerphilly and Blaenau
network has been able to provide local
Gwent Rural Development Programme.
business women with a regular platform
A regular programme of meetings are organised which usually follow a theme or activity. These have included: shoeing a
where they can meet, share best practise and ideas and add value to their businesses in an informal, yet structured way.
plastic horse at hapus Ice Cream in Machen,
The Cwm a Mynydd Working Women’s
finding well-being amongst the Grasslands
network is always looking for ideas for
of Aberbargoed and having afternoon tea
activities, themes, venues and new
with Dame Rosemary Bultler the former
members. If you are, or know a woman
Presiding officer of the Senedd in Rudry.
in business and would like to meet others
The aim of the network is to share ideas, discuss problems, find solutions and become inspired.
to share ideas then contact the Cwm a Mynydd team on 01443 838632 or email Phill Loveless lovelp1@caerphilly.gov.uk
22 • Rural Development Programme • www.caerphilly.gov.uk/cwmamynydd
Rural Development Programme • www.caerphilly.gov.uk/cwmamynydd • 23
HeRITaGe – ouR PaST IS ouR PleaSuRe WhAT hAvE ThE ROMAnS EvER DOnE FOR US? Monty Pythons ‘Life of Brian’ 1979
I
f that question was asked in Gelligaer then the answer would be ‘quite a lot actually!’ But more importantly the question that the Cwm a Mynydd team asked the local heritage groups recently was ‘What has the treaty of Rome ever done for us?’ and the answer to that was again quite a lot.
It is from this fine land rich with minerals and natural resources that the industrial revolution sprang and lead to the South Wales valleys being the largest exporter of steam coal in the world.
green and pleasant land of our forefathers and with the establishment of the new heritage network, ideas for promotional activity and projects can be brought together.
Post heavy industrial Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent sees the return to the
The heritage network will now form part of the regular heritage group meetings
and any ideas for project can be discussed. More information about the work of Cwm a Mynydd can be found on our social media pages or by calling 01443 838632 or by emailing lovelp1@caerphilly.gov.uk
The Treaty of Rome was the European directive that established the Rural Development Programme and it’s through its funding that the Cwm a Mynydd team can work with networks including the heritage network to develop project ideas to support local groups. Rural and cultural heritage plays a significant role in the development of this local area. 24 • Rural Development Programme • www.caerphilly.gov.uk/cwmamynydd
Rural Development Programme • www.caerphilly.gov.uk/cwmamynydd • 25
lag implementation fund - leT’S GeT ReaDY To RuRal
a
t the LAG meeting today we will be
Please don’t forget that the LAG itself can
launching the LAG’s Implementation
deliver projects and so if you have any
fund. The Implementation fund is
ideas that you would like to discuss, please
designed to provide support for innovative, collaborative and novel pilot projects which aim to develop good practice that can be shared with others. The revenue funding available is provided on a ‘no Aid’ basis which means that the funding cannot be used simply to subsidise activities that are already taking place or which would be considered normal operational costs of an organisation or business. The rules around ‘State Aid’ are complex and all projects will be referred to WG for comment as part of the robust assessment process for approving projects.
let us know. The fund will be launched on the 2nd June 2016 with a deadline of 28th July 2016 for applications. This will allow 4 weeks for applications to be assessed by the Administrative Body and for comments to come back from WG and then for the LAG to make a decision on whether it would like to support the project. The RDP Team will be on hand to answer any queries from applicants. We propose that a rolling programme of applications is adopted with around 4 windows each year.
The fund presents an excellent opportunity for the LAG to work with organisations to pilot innovative projects and ideas and we are very excited to see projects coming forward.
26 • Rural Development Programme • www.caerphilly.gov.uk/cwmamynydd
Rural Development Programme • www.caerphilly.gov.uk/cwmamynydd • 27
Cwm a Mynydd RDP Ty Fry Farm Heol y Bedw Hirion Bedwellty NP12 0BE T: 01443 838 632 countryside@caerphilly.gov.uk www.caerphilly.gov.uk/countryside http://www.caerphilly.gov.uk/cwmamynydd The Cwm a Mynydd Rural Development Programme is funded by the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 (RDP) which is jointly funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government