Yr Eagles in Llanuwchllyn, Gwynedd, is supporting the activities of community groups as part of its approach to tackle social isolation and support the wellbeing of local people.
Expert help and a Community Services Fund grant from Pub is The Hub was provided to purchase a new PA system which will support both the pub’s busy calendar of social events and local groups.
Pub is The Hub, is a not-for-profit organisation that helps pubs to diversify and provide essential local services. It is supporting projects in rural areas across Wales after receiving a grant of £25,000 from The Royal Countryside Fund.
Llanuwchllyn is an isolated, rural community with a strong agricultural background and few public services. The pub has always been the centre of the community and when the owners, who had run the pub for over 20 years decided to retire, the community joined together to purchase the premises in 2023. The pub has already diversified its services with a village store on site for locals to pick up essentials and their newspapers.
The pub is focused on being a hub for local community groups that cater for all ages and backgrounds and provide them with a venue for social events. It is already the base for two choirs, two local football teams and various agricultural support groups.
The plan is to extend its support to local groups and community events to help tackle the major issues in the area of loneliness and social isolation.
A new quiz night has already been launched with plans for bingo nights, information evenings on welfare and social issues, fashion shows and talks for community groups.
Huw Antur, secretary to the community benefit society, which owns the pub said: “Yr Eagles is much more than a pub. It is the only pub in the community and the hub of the local area. Llanuwchllyn is an area renowned for its community spirit but the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic was terrible. The aim is to bring back community events and activities to Yr Eagles and the wider community and support the wellbeing of local residents.”
Publican Zoe Smith who runs the premises with her husband Jonathan said: “It is so important that we are somewhere that people can come to have that conversation and social interaction that is so important for health and wellbeing.”
Pub is The Hub regional advisor Malcolm Harrison added: “This pub is already having a real social impact people in the local area. These community events will be crucial in overcoming social isolation, especially in such a rural area, and will be a central hub for the region.”
- If you are a pub in Wales that could help your local community by diversifying services please go to pubisthehub.org.uk for further details or email support@pubisthehub.org.uk
Editor’s Notes
Pub is The Hub is a not-for-profit organisation, which offers independent specialist advice to publicans on rural services diversification or the options for the community ownership of pubs, so they can all provide viable local services and social value at the heart of their community.
With a proven track record of rural project development and delivery over the last 20 years, Pub is The Hub has worked with great publicans to open shops, libraries, cafes, community cinemas, allotments, play areas and much more. Since 2013, the organisation has also been able to offer small grants through its Community Services Fund.
Pub is The Hub has helped over 600 pubs diversify, with almost 200 of these benefitting from help through the Community Services Fund.
In April 2022 it was revealed that Pub is The Hub would be supporting diversification projects for Welsh pubs after receiving a grant of £25,000 from The Prince’s Countryside Fund.
The new two-year programme will enable Pub is The Hub to help some pubs provide much needed local services and amenities in rural areas across Wales. This could include a wide range of diversification projects such as village stores, community cafes, IT Hubs, allotments and libraries.
Building on its community services work, in 2018 Pub is The Hub conceived its ‘Join Inn – Last Orders for Loneliness’ campaign. ‘Join Inn’, specifically looks to support publicans and their communities to become better connected, helping local people feel less isolated and, in the process helping to alleviate loneliness.
Website: www.pubisthehub.org.uk
Twitter: @PubistheHub_uk
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pubisthehub
Image: Yr Eagles is supporting the activities of community groups (Left to right: Members of the community benefit society, which owns the pub, Gwenllian Roberts, Grisial Llewelyn, Gareth Williams, Huw Antur)
Contact: Michelle Perrett michelleperrett@pubisthehub.org.uk
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