Everyone enjoys a story. One of the greatest pleasures of being a Community Facilitator for the GwyrddNi movement is listening to local stories. Our young people also love learning about their local area and protecting it – and that was the original seed that started the ‘Stori’r Tir Dyffryn Peris‘ project.
The oppression of the British army and their training site in Gwauncwmbrynog. The story of the common-land allotments that were in the Cae’r Dôl area in Llanberis and the great merriment of the travelers’ summer fair in the same place. The Victorian healing well of Cegin Arthur.
During the autumn term of 2022, some primary and secondary pupils discussed their ideas to realise a healthy, safe and prosperous future for people and nature. They presented extensive ideas, and the adult Community Assembly on the Climate considered them carefully before insisting that this special idea of collecting and creating stories from scratch in order to encourage community care should be a leading part of the Dyffryn Peris Community Climate Action Plan.
Since the Action Plan was published, a group of local volunteers have developed the young people’s idea further and created a new project in order to stimulate and develop networks and creative works locally. There is already a special tradition of collecting and sharing stories here, and the great hope of this project is to revive and rekindle interest in them and encourage more collaboration, friendship and community co-creation.
Following a period of investigation, the EGINO (“Germination”) event was held on the 2nd of March in Y Ganolfan, Llanberis. We heard about the initial ideas for this work, and invited creative ideas from those who had gathered.
Here are some pictures from Saturday the 2nd of March, showing a variety of items that people brought with them, all which they felt were connected to the local land. We also had a walk and performance led by Emily Meilleur with the aim of bringing people to a deeper sense of connection with the land.
Great ideas have also been received from two local schools who are keen to work together with local writers and artists to re-imagine mythology and research the names of fields and monuments in the area.
A window to submit creative ideas that convey the Story of the Land in Dyffryn Peris is open until the 28th of March. The creation period of the works will run until the end of July and there will be an exhibition during September. Will your work be among them?
There is some funding available to support collaboration or if costs are an obstacle to creating works, and those amounts depend on the number of applications received.
More information here: tinyurl.com/storirtir
Please send any inquiry to – storirtir@gmail.com
By Lowri Vaughan, Community Facilitator for Dyffryn Peris
GwyrddNi is a community-based, community-led climate action movement that brings people together in five areas of Gwynedd to discuss, share and act locally to tackle climate change.
If you want to be part of co-creating greener, more sustainable and resilient communities – get in touch – or click the button below to let us know how you’d like to be involved. We will get back to you and connect to you to most appropriate person/people!