One-off event
Accessibility Engagement Day – Brynaman Lido
Accessibility Engagement Day – Brynaman Lido
Brynaman Lido is taking an important next step in the journey to renovate, rejuvenate and reopen the Lido — and they are inviting our community to help shape its future. As part of their feasibility stage, they are hosting a dedicated Accessibility Engagement Day here at Hwb y Gors, bringing together people with lived experience, community organisations, professionals, keen swimmers, families, and anyone passionate about creating a Lido that is welcoming and inclusive for all.Why you’re invited
Brynaman Lido would like to hear from people who may have:- Access needs
- Sensory needs
- Mobility challenges
- Learning disabilities
- Long‑term health conditions
- Lived experience that can positively influence the design
- Share this invitation with the people you support
- Encourage those with lived experience who may wish to use the Lido to attend
- Join the event yourselves if your work involves accessibility, universal design, or community wellbeing
Event Details
Thursday 19 March 9:30am–4:00pm (Arrive from 9:30am for a cuppa and conversation) Hwb y Gors, Cwmgors, SA18 3RF 👉 Registration required – REGISTER HERE Lunch provided. Parking available on site. Please complete the short registration form so the team can understand any access needs, dietary requirements, or support that will help you participate comfortably.What to Expect
The day will be facilitated by Bryony Wiffen MSc, who also led the first accessibility workshop in 2024. Activities will include:- Facilitated group discussions
- Interactive workshop exercises
- Annotation of draft design concepts
- Journey‑mapping (booking → arrival → entering the pool)
- Live Q&A with Rural Office (architects) and Direct Access (access consultants)
Contact
If you have any questions or need support to access the event, please contact: Cherie Adamson Community Engagement Manager, Brynaman Lido 📞 07910 872484
Community Mosaic Mural – The Big Reveal
Free. All welcome. No need to book After 8 months of hard work by Dani Lee and over 50 people, our community mosaic mural is now on the wall! Come to the Big Reveal to see it being unveiled! The cafe will be open, there'll be music, an exhibition about the process, a chance to explore Hwb y Gors and.... a first glimpse of the amazing mural! The mural is a depiction of life when the school was first opened. It has memories of the community in 1912, made with love by our community in 2026. Thanks to Dani Lee and all the muralists. Thanks too to our funders: National Lottery Community Fund, NPT Heritage Fund and Ashley Family Foundation for helping to make it happen.
Cuppa with a Copper
Free and informal. Come and Meet our local Police Community Support Officer, Siwan Davies. Relaxed and confidential.
Cuppa with a Copper
Free and informal. Come and Meet our local Police Community Support Officer, Siwan Davies. Relaxed and confidential.
Cuppa with a Copper
Free and informal. Come and Meet our local Police Community Support Officer, Siwan Davies. Relaxed and confidential.
Cwpan o flodau: Mothers’ Day floral workshop
No experience needed All materials provided Just £15
Thursday 12 March
1–3pm
Hwb y Gors
Small friendly group – book your place now as places going….
Easter Blooms and Tapas
Ecstatic Dance comes to the Hwb!
£25 (concessions available) Book here
Get Ready to Move: Ecstatic Dance Comes to Hwb y Gors!
Looking for a unique, high-energy and completely sober night out? Soulgenic is bringing the Welsh Valleys Ecstatic Dance party straight to our main hall on Saturday 6th June!
This is more than just a dance party - it is a full sensory experience. We will kick off the gathering with a heart-opening cacao ceremony to ground ourselves, followed by a free-movement ecstatic dance set spun by live DJ Frosty. We will then gently wind down together with a soothing sound journey. Come and meet incredible people and celebrate the joy of community.
Mischief, Mayhem and Memories – Lee Parker
"Behind the Sofa - the Years that Shaped me" by Lee Parker
Free but please book your ticket in advance: Click here Local author Lee Parker launches his debut memoir at Hwb y Gors. Come and hear his stories and help celebrate his success! From the streets of Brynaman & Tairgwaith to the classrooms of Cwmtawe, come and hear Lee share real stories and photos from an 80s & 90s Valley childhood in the Amman Valley. Amazon Top 10 UK Biographies with 5-star reviews: “I couldn't put it down” “A fun and fascinating insight into a time not that long passed” “It's refreshing to read a memoir that doesn't shy away from the tough stuff but also celebrates small victories.” “Brilliantly written!” Please book your ticket in advance: Click here
People’s Emergency Briefing
FREE but please book via Eventbrite
What’s happening with climate and nature, and what does it mean for everyday life in the UK? The People’s Emergency Briefing is an eye-opening film bringing together nine leading UK scientists and experts with the latest evidence and why it matters for things like extreme weather, food security, health and cost of living.
The film is based on last November's National Emergency Briefing in Westminster with appearances from Chris Packham, Deborah Meaden, and a range of voices from across Wales and the UK.
Our event is part of a wider programme of over 1,000 screenings taking place across the UK. It will include a screening of the film followed by a short discussion chaired by Dr Catrin Ellis Jones of Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru, Wales’ publicly owned renewable energy company. The panel includes local David Chadwick (Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe MP) and Dan McCallum, co-founder of Awel Aman Tawe and Hwb y Gors.
Seats are FREE but limited so please book in advance via Eventbrite.
Chris Packham has said:
“I’d encourage people everywhere to attend a screening of The People’s Emergency Briefing. It creates exactly the kind of honest local conversation we now urgently need, both about what these changes mean where we live, and about what we can do together to address them.”
Emily Hinshelwood, Creative Director at Hwb y Gors, says:
“This is an opportunity for people to come together, hear clear information, and discuss what it means here, where we live and work - every place has its own questions and challenges. We hope people from different backgrounds and perspectives will feel able to take part in the People’s Emergency Briefing. This is not about telling people what to think, but creating space for informed conversation.”
SCREENINGS EVERYWHERE FOR EVERYONE
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Plant Swap with a Snail Race!
Suggested donation: 50p.
Celebrate Great Big Green Week at our annual Plant Swap!
As the days get longer and your seedlings grow bigger, it is the perfect time to trade your surplus greens. Bring along your extra plants, connect with local gardening enthusiasts, and exchange growing tips for the season ahead.
This event is part of our ongoing garden swap series, which includes seed swaps, plant swaps, and crop swaps.Bonus Event: The Great Snail Race!
We are also hosting a thrilling Snail Race. Bring your own snail or hire one on the day, give it a name, add some custom paint, and cheer it on as it races toward the finish line!
The Big Afternoon Reveal
Make sure to stick around for the afternoon! We will be officially unveiling our brand-new mosaic mural. Come along to be among the first to see this amazing heritage artwork created by local people and celebrating our community's history.
Rush Hat Workshop
Seed Swap
Suggested donation: 50p. The nights are getting lighter, the soil’s warming up… it’s seed-sowing season! Join us for our annual Seed Swap! Bring your spare seeds, meet fellow gardening enthusiasts and get inspired for the growing season. We'll also have a special talk from Liz Zorab (Byther Farm & BBC Radio Wales gardening expert!); and we'll be on hand to let you know more about our plans for the Hwb y Gors community garden. This is part of our series of garden swaps: seed swap, plants swap and crop swap.
Tetra-pak Intaglio Printmaking
In this in-person day workshop, you’ll learn how to create intaglio printing plates using recycled Tetra-Pak containers (think milk, oat milk, or juice cartons). This technique is similar to drypoint, but uses everyday materials to produce beautiful and unique prints.
You’ll use metal tools and craft knives to cut and scratch your design into the surface, developing your image throughout the day and embracing the natural textures and unexpected marks that emerge in the process.
All tools, equipment and materials are provided. If you have a specific image you’d like to translate into a print, feel free to bring it along.
You’re welcome to bring a packed lunch, or you can purchase hot food from the café at the Hwb.
This workshop is ideal for beginners wanting to learn the basics of printmaking, as well as more experienced artists looking to create work in a shared, supportive environment. All experience levels are welcome.
About the Instructor
Eira McCallum is a printmaker from the Amman Valley. She studied Illustration at Kingston School of Art and was recently the inaugural artist-in-residence at Hwb y Gors.
Book via eventbrite or call into the Hwb to book your place:
The First Welsh Open Snail Racing Championship!
Get ready for the slowest, most thrilling race of the year! As part of our Great Big Green Week celebrations, we are hosting a brand-new legendary event, and your backyard lettuce eater could take home the crown.
Whether you are a seasoned snail racer or a beginner, come along and join the fun. Entry Fee: Only 50p per snail. Registration: Opens at 12:00 pm in the Hwb y Gors main hall.The Official Rules:
Pick Your Racer: Bring a snail from home or hire one of our speedy track regulars on the day. Get Race Ready: Give your snail a winning name, register them at the desk, and paint their shell to stand out from the crowd. Go, Go, Go: Have fun cheering your champion snail onward to the finish line!Make a Day of It!
Don't miss the rest of our big event lineup happening on the exact same day:
Our Annual Plant Swap: Come along earlier (11.30) to trade your surplus seedlings, meet fellow growers and share seasonal gardening tips. The Grand Mosaic Unveiling: Stick around after the racing for a special afternoon reveal! (2-4pm) We will be officially unveiling our incredible new heritage mosaic mural with warm up music from our Hwb y Gors Klezmer band.
Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds to Speak at Hwb y Gors
We’re pleased to announce that Hwb y Gors will host Jane Dodds, Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, as part of Community Energy Wales’ series of pre‑election events with party leaders. As long-standing members of Community Energy Wales, and as a Community Energy charity ourselves, we’re proud to offer Hwb y Gors as a venue for this important conversation. Community Energy Wales recently launched its Community Energy Manifesto for the 2026 Senedd elections, shaped through extensive input from community groups across Wales. The manifesto sets out key policy proposals to strengthen community ownership, transform Wales’ energy system, and tackle the climate and nature emergencies. Jane Dodds has been invited to respond to the manifesto and speak to three core themes:
- Her party’s response to the full suite of policy proposals in the CEW manifesto
- Plans to address nature and climate breakdown and measures to restore biodiversity
- Support for community wealth building, including how government can help communities own and manage their own assets
Free but please book your tickets via Eventbrite:
Areithiau Arweinwyr | Leaders' Speeches - Jane Dodds Hwb y Gors Tickets, Thu, Feb 26, 2026 at 6:30 PM | Eventbrite Stay informed about other CEW public events—including additional Leaders’ speeches and gatherings across Wales—by joining RhanNi, the community energy movement: https://communityenergy.wales/rhanni
