About Us
Friends of Llandyfeisant Church are a group of people, many local but also from further afield, who feel a bond with Llandyfeisant Church and its exceptional location. We see the dangers and hope to save it for the community. We have the support of the owners (Church in Wales), the owners of Castle Woods (Wildlife Trust for South & West Wales) and Dinefwr Park (National Trust).
We are an unincorporated, not-for-profit, community group with a membership structure.
Membership is open to anyone who supports the aims of Friends of Llandyfeisant Church.
We have an AGM each year around Feb/March. We are guided by our constitution
As laid out in our constitution:
The aims of Friends of Llandyfeisant Church are:
- To repair and reinvigorate Llandyfeisant Church as a space that the community can enjoy.
- To safeguard the long-term future of Llandyfeisant Church and its immediate surroundings.
- To promote community use of Llandyfeisant Church, in keeping with its character and position, as a space for events, exhibitions, recreation and other activities as may be deemed desirable by the Committee.
We review our constitution each year at our AGM, to which all members are invited.
Our Committee
The activities of our group are managed by a small committee who give their time and energy freely. We typically meet once a month in Llandeilo or Ffairfach. We are keen to strengthen our committee and have places available. Please get in touch if interested.
Current officers
Chair: Phil England
Secretary: Andrew Gardener
Treasurer: John Merry
Membership Secretary: Dafydd Thomas
See mugshot photo below from a recent working day at the church
Our Story
How We Got Started
In 2019, Elizabeth (Beth) Davies was walking past and saw how sad and overgrown the church was looking. Beth started a petition and created a Facebook Group which gained a great deal of interest from the community. Shortly after, a working group was formed to take things forward. Initially, it was important to create an appropriate structure for our group and to forge good relations with all stakeholders. We have now done this and, with the blessing of the owners (Church in Wales), we are now looking after Llandyfeisant Church. The COVID-19 pandemic stalled progress, however through hard work and support we raised funds and started work. Our first big success has been the replacement of internal wooden floors. Onwards and upwards!
Where We Are Now
Replacing the wooden floors paves the way (excuse the pun) for the church to be used by the community. We know a great deal more needs doing. The church is off-grid with no lighting, electricity, running water or toilet. Gaining funding for empty, unused buildings is very difficult. We are seeking inspiration and ideas for possible future use. To attract funding, we need to be ambitious and are searching for the right “big idea” that will make Llandyfeisant Church more than simply a “lock-up-and-leave” available for hire.
Friends of Llandyfeisant Church doesn’t have (and can’t have under our current status) a legal interest, such as a lease or ownership, in Llandyfeisant Church. Changing our legal status requires careful thought and planning. This is a work in progress!
