The performance of ‘Jesus in the boot’ went down so well at Gladestry that we get a second engagement at Garth Primary School this school is larger and has a dedicated hall for assembly and lunch. The children were evidently overawed by our presence as they sat quietly through the song ‘Amarillo’, but enjoyed the performance of ‘Jesus in the boot’
After this we visited a project which was helped in its initiation by PAVO, Llanwrtyd and district Community Transport project. The project has been funded by the National lottery, Welsh Assembly Government and Powys County Council, but the funding for community transport schemes for the whole of Wales has recently been cut in half to £45,000. The project is only able to continue to run by getting contracts from the council and others business users. Arriva Trains has used this service to carry stranded passengers at short notice to their destination.
Transport it seems, is one of the most emotive issues for rural life, it can be the difference between life and death.
Across the road from the garage is the local community centre. An old church hall renovated for use by all of the community is home once a week to Cilmery Community Support Group. This group caters solely for the housebound and / or disabled. The morning is spent catching up with news of friends over tea and biscuits follwed by lunch cooked and delivered by the local school
After a good lunch in a local pub mulling over the week, we move to our final engagement, with a horse and its shelter.
Well it needed a new roof, and we had a spare hour, although as I was clambering about the top of this rickety shelter, I almost fell of as the cry came from below, ‘don’t fall through… I’m picking up pooh!’ There is nothing like a practical project and a good helping of horse shit to finish off a week in rural life.
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