Blaenau Ffestiniog 'stronger' and 'better prepared to cope with economic shocks', says trust

One of the most poorly connected towns in Wales, where access to transport is limited and broadband isn't up to speed, is coming up with its own solutions to support the people who call it home.

Blaenau Ffestiniog has been described as an "isolated" place, with very limited access to both public and private transport. Digital services like broadband aren't up to speed either.

But the community is coming up with its own solutions, one of them a transport link funded by the Welsh Government, with electric cars and vans getting people to work, delivering community food and transporting the netball team to matches.

It's run by Y Dref Werdd, 'the green town hub' and Rhian Williams, is one of the first faces you will see when you arrive at its drop-in centre. Rhian's job is to provide support and advice to members of the community. She said: "It's quite an isolated place. We're living up on top of the mountains. There's not much public transport here.

"The community in Blaenau is hard to explain, we're so fuel poverty, food poverty deprived area. But everybody comes together and works together. The feeling of community is amazing here.

"Most of the people here are on some kind of benefits. There's not much work here. It's very seasonal work around this area."

Ms Williams added: "Transport is a big issue in Blaenau Ffestiniog. We have got the buses that go down to Porthmadog, but they're not very often and they've cancelled the late ones. So people, when they work in Porthmadog, can't find transport to come back up.

"The cars can help people go for interviews and before long now we'll have a community driver, so he'll be able to take people all over the county and whatever they need to go, hospital appointments and everything."

GwyrddNi's Community Climate Action is a community-led climate action movement that brings people together in five areas of Gwynedd to discuss, share and act locally to tackle climate change. 

It's spokeswoman Nina Bentley said: "There are those occasions when you could really do with some extra transport just within the family, but also have used it for friends and to transport people in the community around to do things together. 

"Doesn't matter if you can't drive and you've never driven and you don't have your own car you still have access to a great form of transport that is community-based."

It's this type of grassroots connectivity which the Building Communities Trust says makes Blaenau "stronger" and "better prepared to cope with economic shocks," like pandemics or the cost of living crisis.

Chris Johnes, Building Communities Trust said: "We've got a real issue with very many of areas in Wales identified as being disadvantaged, as also being peripheral and away from the core centres of economic activity and opportunity.

"And it means that partly the effect of austerity where services were centralized if we get more cuts going forward, those areas are in danger of becoming even more isolated.

Many local people are very proud to live in Blaenau Ffestiniog, they do not see it as 'deprived' because of the 'in it together' spirit that the area has.

Norma who popped into Y Dref Werdd for some housing advice said: "I wouldn't go from here. I love the community. I love the people around here, do you know what I mean? This is my home."

With Nina Bentley from GwyrddNi's Community Climate Action agreeing "it's a very strong community, a very connected community".

She said: "That's definitely something really positive to go forward in the future. It's a very exciting community. Everybody gets along together."Everybody helps each other out. So it's nice to work and live here in Blaenau."

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