Prestigious line-up of speakers at 10th
annual heritage conference
The importance of
industrial heritage to the economy of the future will be one of the themes
discussed by a prestigious line-up of speakers at next month’s 10th annual
Merthyr Tydfil Heritage and Regeneration Conference.
Nick Thomas-Symonds MP
will be talking about his work as Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on
Industrial Heritage, while the February 28 event will also see the launch of a
booklet about Merthyr women who have made a difference to the world – including
a suffragette and the women who fought for equal pay at Hoover’s.
Delegates will also be
updated on plans to transform Merthyr Tydfil’s Cyfarthfa heritage area into a
heritage centre of international significance.
The conference, jointly
organised by Merthyr Tydfil Heritage Forum and Merthyr Tydfil County Borough
Council, is being held at Merthyr Town Football Club and is a free event.
MP for Torfaen, Nick
Thomas-Symonds is an elected Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, has
written two biographies of Labour politicians Clement Attlee and Aneurin Bevan,
and is currently writing a biography of Harold Wilson.
He will be speaking on
‘how we can take the very best from our past to build the economy of the
future’, and highlighting case studies from around the UK, examining the
different models used to make sites sustainable and the key role local councils
can play in the industrial heritage sector.
Heritage Forum Chair
Joe England will be looking back at heritage developments in Merthyr Tydfil
since the first conference 10 years ago and also discussing the Welsh
Government's strategy for economic development in the valleys.
Merthyr Tydfil’s
longest-serving female elected member Cllr Lisa Mytton will be announcing the
publication of Torchbearers, a booklet about groundbreaking Merthyr
Tydfil women, include a top scientist, a poet, a suffragette, an award winning
journalist, a famous fashion designer, doctors, an historian, and the women who
fought for equal pay at Hoovers.
Other speakers include:
Cyfarthfa Museum staff Ben Price and Chris Parry, talking about the museum’s
community outreach work; County Borough Council Interim Chief Executive Ellis
Cooper, speaking on ‘The Regeneration of Merthyr Tydfil’; and Design Commission
for Wales Chief Executive Carole-Anne Davies and consultant Geraint Talfan
Davies, providing an update on the Cyfarthfa Plan.
The conference is
taking place from 9am-3.30pm and includes a buffet lunch.
Cabinet member for
Regeneration and Public Protection Cllr Geraint Thomas said the event had
attracted a diverse range of influential speakers over the past decade, and the
anniversary event was no exception.
“The conference is a
highlight in the calendar for everyone interested in discovering more about our
illustrious history, while also keeping abreast of future developments that
will benefit us all as residents,” he added.
- To book a place, please telephone 01685 727021 or e-mail conference@merthyr.gov.uk
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