The Pound

Llandaff 50+

at the Llandaff Institute on the High Street

Other Activities

Committee and Patrons

The Pound

We are delighted to have achieved grants from Welsh Government grant, Cardiff YMCA (1910) Trust, National Lottery Heritage Fund, National Lottery Community Fund and a local charitable trust to help provide a 50+ community activity centre and heritage room in the heart of Llandaff village. It will be a space to accommodate small-scale activities for older people, to alleviate loneliness and isolation, and promote wellbeing and community cohesion. Llandaff has the second highest proportion of older people in Cardiff, but no designated centre for socialising, sharing information and making new friends. Its eco-friendly features will make it a model for sustainability into the future and be a place to visit to learn about the latest eco-initiatives.

The Pound is located next to the 13th Century Bishop’s Castle at the top of the High Street. It was built in the 1930s and will be an example to show that an old building (the size of a small bungalow) can have an ‘A’ energy rating. We will be hosting seminars for architects and engineers to promote the use of eco products.

The Pound Centre will be run by volunteers on a self-sustaining basis and funded by users attending weekly activities such as: IT learning and support – already successfully piloted in Bishop of Llandaff School; health – wii fit and weekly walks make exercise fun; wellbeing – crafting, cake clubs and music groups encourage socialising; and gardening in the Bishop’s Castle grounds to improve the local environment. At weekends, the Centre would host carers’ groups and be a dementia-friendly hub providing respite and companionship.

Working with Downs Merrifield, Architects, the Severn Wye Agency, and local schools, we will show that older people CAN lead the way to help reduce climate change.

Left: the loo with a view!

There would also be the chance to re-open a public convenience, needed by both visitors and locals.

Grants from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Cardiff YMCA (1910) Trust and equipment loaned by Cardiff University Archaeology Dept enabled a community archaeological dig to take place in autumn 2019. This dig was an intergenerational activity with older people and children from the local schools working together. Quite unexpectedly, it uncovered a high status medieval hall house with a Bath stone fireplace. This meant that the dig, led by Dr Tim Young of GeoArch continued for an extra month and uncovered 100 bags of finds!

We would like to thank everyone who is helping us with this development: our Partners and Supporters, and our Funders.

The Bishop’s Castle, Llandaff

The Centre will also give our volunteers, in association with the Llandaff Society, the opportunity to share the history of Llandaff in a small heritage room, and also run guided tours of the Castle.

Our partners & supporters

Please contact us on thepound@llandaff50plus.com if you would like to help, donate or just ask a question.

Left: Carolyn Merrifield, Cllr Sean Driscoll and Louise Thomas (Cardiff Council) examine the wall of the Bishop’s Castle in The Pound

See the fly-through of The Pound

Entrance to The Pound The Courtyard

Images createdby Downs Merrifield Architects

The Dig

Our funders