Three small things we do, year in and year out.
Each strand below has its own rhythm in the year. None is grand. None has changed much in living memory. Each names the households it is designed for and a partner who helps us reach them.
The January Distribution.
Our oldest and largest single act of the year. On the second Thursday of January the trustees meet in Llanwrthwl Village Hall and review a short list of households put forward by the chair, the vicar of St Gwrthwl’s, and the community council. Grants of between £40 and £150 are made, almost always in cash by sealed envelope.
Who it is for: widows and widowers in the parish; one-parent families; households with a member living with long-term illness; single people of state-pensionable age. We make a point of remembering anyone widowed in the previous twelve months — they receive the largest of the year’s envelopes.
How to be considered: a quiet word with any trustee, or a short letter to the chair c/o Llanwrthwl Village Hall, by 12 January. No form is needed. The chair will phone within five working days.
Supported by: St Gwrthwl’s Parochial Church Council, who lend the church porch for collection of any donations of food or fuel.
The Discretionary Fund.
For things that cannot wait until January: a broken boiler, an unpaid bill, a funeral cost, a child who has outgrown their school shoes the week before term. The chair and one other trustee can act between meetings up to £100. Anything larger waits for the next full meeting.
Who it is for: any household resident in the former Parish of Llanwrthwl that the trustees believe would benefit from extra financial help. We do not require receipts. We do not ask for proof of income.
How to apply: ring or write to the chair. Most discretionary grants are turned around within ten days. Urgent funeral costs are handled the same week.
Supported by: the Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations (PAVO), who point us towards the right specialist agencies when a household needs more than money can solve.
The Christmas Parcel.
A small parcel left on the doorstep before Christmas: a loaf of bread, a piece of cheese, a small bag of coal, a card. Delivered by the trustees on foot in the week before Christmas. Not grand. Not annually missed.
Who it is for: in 2025 we delivered to eight households. The list is drawn up by the trustees with the vicar and the community council. We try to remember anyone living alone for the first time at Christmas.
How to nominate someone: write to the chair by mid-November. We respect every nomination; we may not deliver to every name, but we will think about each one carefully.
Supported by: Rhayader Foodbank, who help us assemble the parcels on the morning of delivery, and the Elan Valley Trust, who have donated a sack of kindling each Christmas since 2019.
A short list of polite ‘no’s.
We are a small charity. We say no, kindly, to: religious instruction, political campaigning, commercial sponsorship, capital projects, repairs to private property, holidays abroad, and any request from outside the parish. We will always try to point you to a more appropriate fund — for the wider area, the Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations is a good first call.
Could one of these programmes help a neighbour?
Write to the chair in confidence. No form. No means test. We read every letter ourselves.