Primary school pupils in the Llanelli area are set to have copies of a glossy new local heritage booklet, which will help bring to life the industrial history of the town, and fulfil the requirements of the new curriculum. The school resource materials will be officially launched on Wednesday 23rd June, at an online meeting of local head teachers.
Financed through a National Heritage Lottery award to the Llanelli Railway Goods Shed Trust, the booklet, is based around the former Goods Shed in Marsh St, and covers the industrial history of Llanelli, including coal, copper, tinplate, iron and steel, docks and the railways. Headteachers Jayne Davies of Ysgol Gymraeg Brynsierfel and Joe Cudd of Ysgol Pen Rhos advised and trialled the materials in the booklet, which were researched and written by Ellen and Graham Davies, with the assistance of Lyn John and Paul Barrett, and collated by designer Alan This colourful booklet, produced in both Welsh and English versions, is aimed at Y5/Y6 pupils and the funding has provided enough copies for primary schools in the Llanelli area, to provide individual copies to all pupils in Y6 for the next few years, to use in class and take home to share with their families. Click here to view the materials online.
Construction work is currently underway on phase one of the renovation of the Goods Shed, which comprises the office block at the western end and some preliminary work on the main shed. The trust is now trying to source funding to develop a heritage area with digital displays which pupils will be able to visit.
I’d like to thank Graham and Ellen for inspiring this project and all those who helped make it a reality. As a former teacher, I know just how time consuming it can be researching and adapting materials to meet new curriculum requirements. History is so much more relevant when it is local and you can see and relate to the places mentioned, and I hope that pupils will enjoy using these booklets. I have certainly enjoyed reading them and have learned a lot.
Nia Griffith MP, Chair of the Llanelli Railway Goods Shed Trust