5 February 2004
Telynau Teifi Launches in Style

Telynau Teifi, an exciting new social enterprise in Llandysul, held a successful public launch on Saturday 24th January.

The Llandysul Youth Club overflowed with locals, visitors and councillors for a free open evening of music and celebration. Guest musician was Meinir Heulyn, who has travelled the world for 30 years as principal harpist of the Welsh National Opera and currently teaches at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.

Telynau Teifi is a not-for-profit community business. They will be transforming Llandysul’s Old Primary School into a high-tech harp factory combining traditional skills with the latest technology to batch produce well over 100 Celtic and Concert harps a year. Currently only 3% of the harps bought in Wales are produced here. Telynau Teifi aims to help redress this balance by significantly increasing the availability of Welsh-made instruments.

Harp maker Allan Shiers has nurtured this vision for almost 30 years and has had a long and discouraging search for funding. It was not until the involvement and support of the Objective 1 Partnership Management Board and Ceredigion County Council that the project succeeded in getting off the ground. “Securing this funding is a bit like the birth of a baby,” said Allan, “and Ceredigion has been the midwife! Now we have many years of hard work to bring it to adulthood.” Officers from the Euro Team of Ceredigion County Council have been working with Telynau Teifi’s Board of Directors for 2 years now to develop their bid for European funding. They will continue to mentor the project and monitor its progress.

Members of the Board gave those present an opportunity to ask questions regarding the project, its aims and its financing. There were many expressions of support from audience members, both local residents and visitors to the area. Tom Cowcher of Llandysul Community Council enthusiastically declared the Community Council’s one hundred percent support for Telynau Teifi. He was pleased that they had secured premises right in the centre of town so that the community can see what is happening and stay involved. Residents of Llandysul and Capel Dewi, who have seen the many years of hard work leading to this point, were thrilled at the support for Allan and his colleagues.

Cllr Ray Quant, Ceredigion County Council Cabinet Member for Economic Development Tourism and Training, who attended the evening, explained: “This is exactly the type of project we want to see gain European funding. It provides jobs, improves skills, and will reinvest surplus profits into the local community. Hearty congratulations to all concerned for their untiring efforts.”



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