Penparcau Community Forum Ltd are a community-based Charity who actively engage with the community of Penparcau to develop sustainable and inclusive community activities and facilities for the benefit of all.
Penparcau Community Forum Ltd and Charity consists of the following well respected and experienced local individuals (you can also download this information as a PDF, simply click here)
Dylan Jones (Trustee) is a retired Police Sergeant, Independent Trainer and ESTYN Schools Lay Inspector with extensive knowledge of the area, education and legal systems. In his role as the Chairman of Aberystwyth cricket club he oversaw a period of significant growth and development, including facilities improvements supported by significant grants.
Dr Eva De Visscher (Trustee) is a Penparcau resident. Originally from Ghent, Belgium, she has lived in the UK for over 20 years. She works at Aberystwyth University as Development Officer and bid-writer. She volunteers as one of the University’s Equality Champions and has an interest in university-community partnerships, history, archaeology and heritage. Her two young children love the Penparcau Cubs and Beavers, and she and her family enjoy going on wildlife walks in the area.
George Barratt (Trustee) is a former regular in the army with 3 tours in Northern Ireland under his belt. He is a Self-employed Painter & Decorator who has worked all over the UK and overseas and is currently the Chairman of the Ceredigion Sea Angling Coaching Project working with vulnerable young people in the area. He is a well-loved local character with extensive knowledge of local businesses, local trades’ people and fundraising.
Dr Alan Chamberlain FRSA (Trustee) is a Penparcau resident and a former member of the Penparcau Communities First Partnership Board. Dr Chamberlain has worked in academia for over a decade, where he currently is a Senior Fellow at Nottingham University. His research is based around technology, community, rurality and participation. He has published widely and presented internationally within these areas. He has played a key role in writing successful grants (1 million +), managing projects and liaising with policy makers. He speaks English and Welsh.
Sue Thomas (Trustee) is a well-known and respected local resident and former Vice-Chair of Penparcau Football Club with over 20 years’ experience of volunteering and organising local fundraising events within the community. She is the Chairperson of the Cambrian Printers Sports and Social Club, a founder member of the original community forum in Penparcau and a qualified first-aider.
Kelvin Jones (Trustees) after a 12-year career in the Royal Navy he returned to Aberystwyth and worked for MANWEB / Scottish Power as a Logistic Team Leader for Aberystwyth and Oswestry District. He was then recruited by an IT company as an Implementation Consultant and worked throughout the UK and Ireland.
At a local level, he joined Aberystwyth Sea Cadets in1982 as an Instructor and over the years filled many roles up to and including his current position of Commanding Officer. He also worked as a Group Development Officer for Communities First in Penparcau and was a member of the Aberystwyth Youth Forum. He was instrumental in setting up (along with others) the initial Forum in Penparcau which introduced various events into the community e.g. Party in the Parc and Llwyn yr Eos Xmas tree. In addition, he is a Community Governor in Penglais School a position he’s held for 6 years.
Sam Hearne (Trustee) is an Administration Officer for Lifestyle Services and Business Support with Ceredigion County Council. She is a member and Treasurer for the Royal British Legion Aberystwyth Branch and is President of Penparcau Women’s Institute. She was an elected councilor of Aberystwyth Town Council from 2008-2012 and was Deputy Mayor in 2009, Mayor 2010 and Deputy Mayor again in 2011. Married with two grown up children, she attended Penparcau School and has lived in the area. She is a former member of the Communities First Partnership Board for Aberystwyth & Penparcau and has always been a keen supporter and volunteer for the Forum.
Rhian Jones (Trustee) has lived in Penparcau with her husband and two children since 1994 and is a first-language Welsh speaker. Her working life has so far been shared between the fashion industry, child minding and running her own small retail business for several years in Carmarthen. She moved into child minding in 1992 when her son was a toddler and has since shared that working life with private work as a clothing seamstress. In 2000, she set up and still helps to run a local child minders group. She was a county standard athlete and golfer in her youth and has an interest in most sports. Her main strengths are her creativity and pragmatism, a blend that allows her to see a problem and quickly come up with a practical solution."
Goronwy Edwards MBE (Honorary President)
Has over 40 years’ experience of representing Penparcau as a democratically elected Town Councillor and Ceredigion County Councillor. Now retired, he is still hugely respected within the community of Penparcau (and beyond) and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience of Local Authority/Community issues and procedures to the Forum.
Bryn Jones – Forum Co-ordinator is currently a Community Councillor in a local village with over 13 years’ experience of working with the creative arts at the Mental Health Unit in Aberystwyth. He has over 10 years’ experience of working for the Arts Council of Wales including being the Arts for All Lottery Officer for Mid & West Wales region for 8 years and the Inclusion and Participation Officer working on ACW’s Arts & Health Strategy and Community Arts programme. He has over four years’ experience as the Communities First Co-ordinator for Penparcau & West Aberystwyth managing four community development staff, volunteers and managing an annual budget of over £180,000. Bryn has extensive knowledge of community development, participation & inclusion, fundraising, community engagement and specifically within Penparcau. He has recently been awarded an Honorary Bachelor of Arts Degree from Aberystwyth University.
Kate Williams – Finance Officer (part-time) joined the Forum in January 2016 after taking redundancy from Ceredigion County Council. She worked in the Finance Department for nearly 25 years gaining experience in budgeting, treasury management and in the latter years European, Welsh Government and Lottery grant schemes. One of her roles was as Finance Officer to the Communities First programme when it was under the umbrella of the County Council, so her move to the Forum could be fate! Her spare time is taken up being dramatic, as she is a member of Castaway Community Theatre Group based at the Arts Centre in Aberystwyth
Julie Thomas – Volunteer & Events Officer (part-time) joined the Forum in June 2016. She also works part-time at Hafan y Waun, Dementia Care Home as a Senior Care Assistant. She previously worked for Coleg Ceredigion as an NVQ assessor. In her spare time, she Volunteers with the Surf-life Association and is on the PTA of Ysgol Gymraeg Aberystwyth.