Our story
Awel Charity has set up two co-ops: Awel Aman Tawe (AAT), the wind farm, and Egni, the solar co-op. Egni is the largest rooftop solar charity in the UK.
Both AAT & Egni's community share offer has enabled money to go back into the community in the form of free solar panels, education and now Hwb y Gors. The centre will be a beacon for renewable energy and sustainability. It is situated in the former Cwmgors primary school, which we purchased in 2018 with funds generated from AAT. The school, which was over 100 years old, closed after many years of protest. The building required extensive work, and we raised additional money from many funders to restore and repurpose this beautiful building. It has been a labour of love for five years to transform the school into Hwb y Gors.
The AAT wind farm is within walking distance and can be reached from Hwb y Gors. We hope to offer educational trips to the wind farm. The Hwb itself, which will open in autumn 2025, will be an arts, education and enterprise centre serving the community. There will be workshops and activities, and a rehearsal space for drama, dance or music groups. Equipment for use will include a kiln! It will be a haven for local artists, crafters and makers. There will be a community cafe and office space and an area for hot desking or workshops.
The building has been renovated in a way that is in keeping with its surroundings and is environmentally friendly. We also decided to implement a sustainable drainage scheme across the site, redeveloping the old school yard. This delayed the renovation process, will be worth it in the long run to reduce flood risk and make the space more sustainable.
The building has been designed to be very accessible and there will be disabled changing facilities - which previously did not exist in the local area. We have received support from various funders. We consulted with the community to explore all the different needs and desires for the Hwb, over 1500 people put their ideas and opinions forward.
Our advice
Renovating an old building comes with a lot of challenges and unexpected hurdles, but we have stuck to our goals and even though there have been delays, the results are amazing.
Getting the input from local people was absolutely key. This is a place for everyone, so we needed to factor in as many different views as possible to shape something that would be used by all.
We've already started bringing people in through a garden group, repair cafe and stitch club in the community as well as a series of arts-based projects involving over 400 people. These groups and events have been supported by a growing group of volunteers. This has helped to build support for the Hwb before it is fully opened.
Our metrics
Attendees at workshops/repair cafes/groups.
Number of volunteers involved.
