Aber Valley Heritage

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Aber Valley Heritage

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Aber Valley Heritage Group is a charity. It is made up of a group of local volunteers who work tirelessly to preserve the heritage of the Aber Valley.

They run the Aber Valley Heritage Museum & the Welsh National Mining Memorial and Garden in Senghenydd. Aber Valley Heritage Museum is open Tuesday - Saturday from 11:00am - 2:00pm. Please note that from November - April this is on an appointment only basis. Please email [email protected] to book your visit. Our volunteers can't wait to see you! Aber Valley Heritage Group was formed in 2008 by a group of local volunteers keen to preserve the mining heritage of their small valley. In 1901 and 1913, the Universal Colliery in Senghenydd was the site of 2 tragic disasters, where hundreds of men and boys lost their lives. The 15 volunteers, who form a committee with Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer meet on a monthly basis. Over the years they have continually fundraised and successfully set up both the Aber Valley Heritage Museum, and the Welsh National & Universal Mining Disaster Memorial Garden. Both of these are situated in Senghenydd. On a daily basis, they ensure that both the Museum and Memorial Garden are continuously maintained to a high standard. For further information, please visit our website www.abervalleyheritage.co.uk.

02/11/2026

Today we were delighted to welcome Murat Bedir to our Memorial Garden.

Murat was following through on a promise he made to us at our Annual Memorial Service, and what a wonderful job he did!

He joined in with our volunteers (Phil Mason and Phil Laferla pictured, Ronnie Hunt out of photo), worked incredibly hard and did his duty by planting all our lovely new heathers.

It’s always wonderful to see people coming together to help care for our very special Garden, which means so much to our community.

Murat, a huge thank you for your hard work and support. You are more than welcome back anytime.

01/11/2026

Remembrance Sunday 8th November.

Senghenydd Community Centre would like to invite everyone to join them as we come together to remember and honour all those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Arrangements are as follows:

10:15 a religious ceremony will be held upstairs at Senghenydd Community Centre.

Following this a service will be held on Senghenydd Square.

Everyone is warmly welcomed back to the Community Centre for light refreshments.

For any queries regarding the arrangements please contact Councillor Charlotte Bishop.

22/10/2026

Aber Valley Heritage Group would like to say a very special thank you to Tracy Jereb for her fantastic work delivering our curator-led handling collection to local schools, bringing the history of the Universal Colliery disasters to life for the next generation.

Tracy has given some amazing talks, helping children understand the tragic events of 1901 and 1913, the lives of the miners and their families, and the importance of remembering those who lost their lives.

But Tracy went above and beyond! Not content with simply sharing her knowledge, she dressed up as a teacher from 1913, creating a wonderful, immersive experience that helped the children step back in time and connect with history in such a memorable way.

What an amazing job, Tracy! Your enthusiasm, dedication and passion for our local heritage are truly appreciated.

There is no better way to keep our local history alive than by taking it directly into our schools and inspiring the next generation. By giving children the opportunity to handle historical objects, hear the stories of their own communities and experience the past in such a hands-on and engaging way, Tracy is helping them understand not just what happened, but why it matters. These are the experiences that spark curiosity, bring history lessons to life and ensure the stories of the Universal Colliery disasters, the miners and their families are never forgotten.

Thank you, Tracy, for making such a meaningful difference in our schools and helping our young people become the future custodians of Aber Valley’s incredible heritage.

21/10/2026

🕊️ Remembering Aberfan – 60 Years On 🕊️

Today, the Aber Valley Heritage Group remembers the 144 people who tragically lost their lives in the Aberfan disaster on 21 October 1966, including 116 children whose young lives were taken far too soon.

Sixty years may have passed, but the pain and heartbreak of that terrible day will never be forgotten. The tragedy touched communities throughout Wales and beyond, leaving a lasting scar on the hearts of so many families.

Today, we laid flowers on the Aberfan pavier at the Welsh National and Universal Mining Disaster Memorial Garden in Senghenydd, paying our respects to all those who lost their lives and showing that their memory lives on.

As a community that understands the devastating impact of mining disasters, we stand in remembrance with the people of Aberfan, their families and everyone whose lives were changed forever.

We remember them. We honour them. We will never forget them. 🕊️

16/10/2026

**** UPDATE****
We've sold out again but more badges are on order and should arrive in 2 weeks. There are a few that have been ordered to go out in the post next week. Thank you for your patience, your support is greatly appreciated.

🌺 OUR POPPY BADGES ARE BACK ON SALE! 🌺

Following popular demand, we’re delighted to announce that a limited number of our poppy badges are back on sale.

Available from the Aber Valley Heritage Museum, situated inside Senghenydd Community Centre. £4 each.

We are open by appointment only during winter months (from 1st October) so if you wish to purchase a badge please send us a private message or email us at [email protected]

Every badge is a lovely way to show your support and help remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Thank you for continuing to support the Aber Valley Heritage Group and the work we do to preserve our local heritage and remember those who lost their lives.

14/10/2026

Tanchwa Senghennydd | Senghenydd Pit Disaster

Bu farw 439 o ddynion a bechgyn yn nhanchwa glofa'r Universal yn Senghennydd ar 14 Hydref 1913. Dyma drychineb fwyaf y diwydiant glo ym Mhrydain erioed.

Mae'r plât coffa hwn yn nodi marwolaeth Gwilym M. Rees yn ffrwydrad pwll Senghennydd. Wedi'i beintio â llaw gyda rhosynnau coch a dail gwyrdd, yn amgylchynu ffotograff a phennill.

Mae'r plât ar arddangos yn oriel Byw a Bod yn Sain Ffagan.

****

439 men and boys died in the mining disaster at Universal Colliery, Senghenydd on 14 October 1913. This was the worst disaster in the UK's mining history.

This memorial plate commemorates the death of Gwilym M. Rees in the Senghenydd pit explosion. The plate is hand painted with red roses and green leaves, surrounding a photograph and verse.

On display in the Life is...gallery at St Fagans.

14/10/2026

Cofio Senghenydd 2026

13/10/2026

A HUGE THANK YOU TO OUR WONDERFUL MEN’S SHED VOLUNTEERS!

The Aber Valley Heritage Group would like to say a heartfelt thank you to the fantastic team from Men’s Shed who have been hard at work in our Memorial Garden today, tidying, weeding and getting everything looking its best in preparation for our Annual Memorial Service tomorrow, 14th October.

Your time, hard work and continued support mean so much to us, and we are incredibly grateful for everything you do to help maintain this very special place of remembrance.

It is a wonderful reminder of what makes our Aber Valley community so special. When help is needed, people come together, roll up their sleeves and get stuck in. Our Memorial Garden means so much to so many, and it is thanks to the generosity and dedication of our amazing volunteers that we can continue to care for it and honour the memory of those who lost their lives in the 1901 and 1913 Universal Colliery disasters, and all those who lost their lives in the mines across Wales.

Without our wonderful volunteers, where would we be?

From everyone at the Aber Valley Heritage Group, thank you to Men’s Shed and to every resident who gives their time, effort and support. You are all helping to keep our history, our community spirit and our memories alive.

Aber Valley pride at its very best!

13/10/2026

Don't forget that tomorrow, 14th October 2026 at the Welsh National and Universal Mining Disaster Memorial Garden, Senghenydd is our annual memorial service. It starts at 10:00am. If you can't make it in person, then tune in here on our Facebook where we will be livestreaming the service.

10/10/2026

A Lovely Surprise at Our Memorial Garden!

Phil and Ken were busy at the Garden early this afternoon, putting in the final efforts to get everything ready for our Memorial Service on Wednesday, 14th October.

They had a lovely surprise when members of the Merthyr Valley and Amalgamated Ramblers Group arrived for a visit! Somehow, they had made their way over the mountaintop and down to see us.

The group stopped for lunch with Phil and Ken, taking the opportunity to have a good look around the Garden. They were full of questions and very appreciative of all the hard work and dedication that goes into maintaining this special place of remembrance.

Among the group was Huw Allaway, paying us another visit. It’s always lovely to see Huw, who is such a knowledgeable bloke and clearly has a great interest in our local heritage.

Within the hour, the ramblers were off on their travels again, leaving Phil and Ken to carry on with their preparations for Wednesday.

Keep an eye out for Ken and Phil in the second photo!

A big thank you to Phil and Ken for all their hard work in ensuring our Garden is looking its best as we prepare to remember the 440 men and boys who lost their lives in the 1913 Universal Colliery Disaster, along with all those remembered here.

Address

Senghenydd Community Centre, Gwern Avenue
Senghenydd
CF834HA

Telephone

+442920830445

Website

http://www.abervalleyheritage.co.uk/

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