Pioneering project bridges the generation gap in Caernarfon

A pioneering craft project is helping bridge the generation gap between residents of Pendine Park's Bryn Seiont Newydd care home and a local primary school children.



Pupils from Ysgol yr Hendre in Caernarfon visited Bryn Seiont Newydd so they could work alongside the people living there to make tea cosies and tapestries.

The project to celebrate the area's links with Patagonia, the Welsh colony in Argentina, was the brainchild of textile artist Cefyn Burgess, who hails from Bethesda and is based at Ruthin Craft Centre.

It has been arranged by the Arts and Business Cymru organisation and is being jointly funded by the Pendine Park.



The first meeting to discuss the historic migration took place at Engedi Chapel in Caernarfon and 150 Welsh settlers set sail aboard a clipper called the Mimosa on May 28, 1865.


There are now 5,000 people in the Chubut area who still speak Welsh, and in recent years there has been a significant revival of interest in all things Welsh, particularly since the 150th anniversary last year.

Cefyn originally worked on a project called Perthyn (belonging) with of Ysgol Yr Hendre in the Patagonian city of Trelew to produce tapestries depicting life on the River Camwy in fabric and stitch.

The tapestries have been exhibited at Galeri, Caernarfon and now Cefyn has extended the project to include pupils of Ysgol Yr Hendre in Caernarfon, which is twinned with the Patagonian school of the same name.

The local youngsters are working with Bryn Seiont Newydd residents to illustrate life on and around the River Seiont.

Cefyn said: "A really important and iconic image of life in Patagonia is the Welsh tea room, the Casa de Te. The students of Ysgol Yr Hendre, working as reporters, will help gather the thoughts, memories and tales of places and events here in the same way I did in Patagonia.

"They will then explore those experiences with residents to produce tea cosies in stitch and fabric that will go on show at the care home and also be used at tea time so memories and stories can be shared over tea and bara brith."