Welcoming 2023 with Pontypridd Town Council’s Chief Executive, Tony Graham.

Pontypridd Town Council • January 4, 2023

Happy New Year from all at Pontypridd Town Council.

As we enter 2023, I’ll begin by reflecting on the last 12 months. It has been a busy year at Pontypridd Town Council, with many significant developments. As the challenges and impact of the global pandemic changed, we were able to come together as a community on many occasions throughout the year. It has been wonderful to welcome residents and visitors alike to our in-person events and activities once again and to work together with the community to improve the lives of all in Pontypridd.

We have enjoyed community-focussed events in the Meadow Street Community Garden in Treforest, which continues to go from strength to strength thanks to the hard work and commitment of our dedicated volunteers. In May, the annual Pontypridd Children’s Book Festival saw its highest attendance yet, as avid readers and authors joined us for three days of bookish fun, which also saw the launch of The Mab Trail - an outdoor, interactive storytelling trail based on Wales’ oldest myths and legends. In August, we all gathered in Ynysangharad Park on a gloriously sunny day to enjoy the return of our Summer Fun Day and vintage transport rally. And more recently, Pontypridd’s children (along with many grown ups too!) have enjoyed visiting Santa in his grotto at Pontypridd Museum.

Following the local elections in May, we welcomed many new members to the Town Council and also a new town Mayor - Councillor Lyndon Bengough. You can find out more about all our elected representatives by visiting Pontypridd Town Council’s website.

It has been a big year for Pontypridd Museum, which re-opened in March following extensive restoration work after damage to the building caused by Storm Dennis in 2020. We have recently welcomed a new Museum Business and Partnerships manager to the team. Nigel Blackamore joins us from Y Gaer Museum, Art Gallery and Library in Brecon and we look forward to seeing the exciting plans he has for the museum and its role at the heart of community develop and blossom.

We are all facing difficult times currently, as the cost of living crisis and household energy worries continue. I would like to give a friendly reminder that we are on hand to offer advice and a friendly ear to all our residents. From the 9th January, we will be running a Monday Meet Up in Pontypridd Museum. The Monday Meet Up is a welcoming, warm space to come and enjoy some company, relax, play games or watch films with free hot drinks, soup and warm snacks. Everyone is welcome, just come along to the museum anytime between 11am and 5.30pm each Monday.

2023 promises to be a vibrant year for Pontypridd. The Town Council will continue to work on numerous community projects throughout the area, with many announcements coming soon.

As ever, we are keen to hear your views about your community and the services we provide. We will be launching our community survey this month, please keep an eye on our website and social media for details of how to have your say.

As always, if you’d like to contact us, then call in or get touch by emailing info@pontypriddtowncouncil.gov.uk

I want to take this opportunity to wish Pontypridd a happy and healthy 2023.

Tony Graham, Pontypridd Town Council Chief Executive.

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Pontypridd Museum Awarded Funding for Major Renovation Projects

By Pontypridd Town Council • September 15, 2025

Pontypridd Museum has been awarded two Welsh Government grants to undertake major renovation projects on the site. The museum, which is managed by Pontypridd Town Council, will receive a total of £300k in funding attached to the Welsh Government’s Priorities for Culture programme. A grant of £150k will enable the restoration, conservation and digitisation of the museum’s largest object, the 1910 Conacher Pipe Organ, on permanent display in the former Welsh Baptist Tabernacl Chapel, now Pontypridd Museum. The organ was last fully overhauled in 1988 and is currently in a very poor state of repair and practically unplayable. The grant will allow the repair of all parts of the organ and introduce a digital control so that a recital can be recorded and played back to visitors without an organist being present. This currently happens in just a few of the world’s leading venues such as the Palau de la Música in Barcelona and in the UK the famous organs of Canterbury Cathedral and York Minster. Work will start on the project this Autumn with the aim of the organ being fully restored and operational by March 1, 2026, in time for the annual Mayor’s St David’s Day Concert. A further grant has been awarded to repair the leaking roof of the museum store and community rooms. The building repairs will protect the museum’s reserve collections, a key community asset and will enable the museum to sustain its role as a hub for wellbeing, creativity, and social cohesion through the continued use of the community rooms, which host a variety of free activities and are regularly used by local groups to host events and activities. The renovation of the outdoor space around the roof will revitalise the viewing platform for the world-famous Pontypridd Bridge, which also includes a picnic area and garden and the starting stone for Pontypridd’s Mab Trail , which celebrates Wales’ ancient myths and legends. Nigel Blackamore, Pontypridd Museum Business and Partnerships Manager said, 'The Conacher Pipe Organ is more than an instrument—it’s the beating heart of our museum and a living link to Pontypridd’s rich musical heritage. Restoring it will not only revive its powerful presence but also reconnect generations through sound, memory, and innovation. With the power of digital technology and the craftsmanship of expert organ builders, we’re ensuring this iconic object doesn’t fade into silence, but sings once again for our community and the world.' Pontypridd Town Council Leader, Cllr. Lynda Davies said, ‘The award of the Welsh Government grants is fantastic news for Pontypridd Museum and for Pontypridd. The renovation projects will allow the museum to continue hosting cultural, educational, and wellbeing activities and will strengthen its role as a vibrant hub for local heritage and community life. This builds on the work already ongoing at the museum, and forms part of Pontypridd Town Council’s extensive wider cultural projects and partnerships. Nigel and his team are doing fantastic work in revitalising and developing Pontypridd Museum, ensuring it remains a vital asset for our community.’ Work will begin on both projects this Autumn and updates will be posted to Pontypridd Town Council and Pontypridd Museum websites and social media.