CASE STUDY COMMUNITY ENTERPRISE The Myddfai Trading Company & Myddfai Ty Taclen Ltd Carmarthenshire, West Wales

Centre for the village with a funding award from the Big Lottery Village SOS Programme and a host of other funders.

Details:

Myddfai Trading Company Limited When considering how they might is a Social Enterprise embedded in the replace a dilapidated community hall, wider community. It owns and holds the community in Myddfai in the the trademark of the Myddfai Brand. It Brecon Beacons realised that unless operates from an industrial unit a few they addressed the long term miles from the village and its main challenge of its sustainability within the operation is as a supplier of toiletries community, a new hall would struggle and amenity products to the tourism, to survive. hospitality and retail sectors throughout Wales. The selling of They realised that without regular branded products helps to signpost the visitors and income any new building destination of Myddfai Community Hall could end up in the same position as and Visitor Centre which also stocks the old one, so the community needed its products. a game changer. They needed something that would help provide Myddfai Ty Talcen Limited is a economic regeneration and community opportunities into the future. A modest proposal for a new hall wouldn’t work and would struggle to attract funding so they went for something much more audacious. The result was the development of the Myddfai Brand the creation of two legally and operationally independent Social Enterprises and the building of a new CASE STUDY COMMUNITY ENTERPRISE The Myddfai Trading Company & Myddfai Ty Taclen Ltd Carmarthenshire, West Wales

Social Enterprise that operates the Myddfai Community Hall and Visitor Centre, a state of the art centre designed with environmental sustainability as a key principle. The Centre has a theatre style auditorium, café and retail outlet with detailed interpretation displays about the history and heritage of “The Physicians of Myddfai” who were medieval healers utilising knowledge of herbs. It operates independently to Myddfai Ty Talcen Limited: Myddfai Trading Company and there is  12 – 15,000 visitors per year a licencing arrangement between the  Recognised as a Centre of two companies to secure the joint use excellence by Visit Wales of the strong Myddfai Brand.  70 small local artisan businesses So far; benefit from selling their products  Both companies are sustainable in the retail outlet and between them have created 5  Wedding, Conference and jobs since starting and engaged monthly Country Market that 80 volunteers. benefits the local economy. Myddfai Trading Company Ltd  Community classes and high end  200 hospitality outlet stock and performances take place use Myddfai products e.g. High regularly. End hotels, guest-houses and self -catering businesses. Lessons Learned:

 Up to 30 young people and adults  Consult widely but don’t let those with special needs are provided who wish to move forward whilst with work experience and looking over their shoulder stop personal development experience progress. When decisions have to on a weekly basis. be made don’t dither take action. CASE STUDY COMMUNITY ENTERPRISE The Myddfai Trading Company & Myddfai Ty Taclen Ltd Carmarthenshire, West Wales

Lessons Learned:

 Profit is the key, think and act as Myddfai Ty Talcen Limited entrepreneurs but don’t give Myddfai Community Hall and Visitor surplus away without knowing Centre how it will be used. Myddfai, Carmarthenshire SA20 0JD

 Find your leaders there will be Tel: 01550 720449 many [email protected] www.myddfai.org  Maintain high expectations from executive level through to Myddfai Trading Company Limited employees and volunteers. Abermarlais Business Park  Accept help and support from Llangadog friends and stakeholders. Carmarthenshire SA19 9NG Tel: 01550 777155  Build on the skills and strengths [email protected] of individuals. www.myddfai.com