Llandinam, Powys

Llandinam, Powys, has won the People category for the 2008 Calor Village of the Year® award for Wales.

With a population of just under 1,000, the Powys village of Llandinam is situated to the west of Newtown.

With the community located on either side of the River Severn and the A470, the main arterial road for Wales, further dividing the village, it would be understandable if Llandinam was a rather fragmented village.

However, this is far from the case, and Llandinam has a remarkable sense, not only of community, but of its own self worth.

The community enjoys a rich variety of activities and interests and while not everyone agrees on everything all of the time, problems and disputes are addressed with ingenuity and clarity.

Like many villages, Llandinam’s residents are made up of both families who have been in the community for many years, if not generations, as well as newcomers.

This diversity is welcomed and, as it states on the village website: “A community like ours is sustained by the interplay of all ages, all interests, all backgrounds and all occupations - a healthy mix of the social, cultural and commercial. A thriving village needs both strong businesses and strong facilities.”

The Llandinam Primary School has educated many generations of the village’s children, and is extremely proud of its important place within the community.

A recent attempt to close the school evoked very strong and successful protests from the whole village, and now with a strong PTA, which acquired a bank of computers for use by school and the community, and a proven place in the hearts of the village, the outlook is good. 

A village hall provides facilities for a whole range of activities and affiliated organisations, this includes, for the benefit of older residents, a weekly luncheon club which incorporates talks and demonstrations into its meetings as well as delicious food.

Funding is currently being sought to further enhance this essential community facility, to enable the installation of a hearing loop, and to improve its stage lighting and sound equipment.