Heritage Centre Facilities:

• Tea Room
  - indoor & outdoor seating
  - friendly atmosphere

• Telecentre
  - providing internet access and other IT services
  - the home of this website

• Heritage Room
  - find out about the history of the village
  - see exhibits on display

How it all began...

Back in early 1995, a local community councillor, Elfed Jones was fired with the idea of doing something to put Cemaes on the map, encourage visitors and generally liven the local community. In conversation with Rena Thomas, a small business advisor, he learned that help for such a project might be available from something called the Leader II initiative, a European initiative set up to help rural communities.

Meetings were arranged with leaders of local community groups, Menter Môn and Community Enterprise Wales and in this, and subsequent meetings it was resolved to develop a strategic plan for Cemaes, of which the first project was the production of a Cemaes Guide and Handbook and to examine the flexibility of encouraging willow farming, in the locality, to produce willow as a biomass fuel.

With help and guidance from North Wales Tourism, we produced "The Essential Guide to Cemaes" (see the Online Shop for more details), funded by Menter Môn. A feasibility study on willow growing was initiated and undertaken with the help of UCNW.

By June, 1996, initiatives and ideas had developed into a need to form a legal entity, with a name and declared purpose and by the end of that year, CWMNI CEMAES CYF was formed, to take forward numerous projects, namely those mentioned, the production of a Cemaes Celtic Festival and a place within the village as company HQ - to be known as the Cemaes Heritage Centre.

We held our first international festival in August 1997 and it was a great success artistically and commercially. Funded by grant aid  from Menter Môn and help from BNLF Wylfa, Anglesey Aluminium and other commercial enterprises. It cost approximately £30,000 and we finished with a surplus and enthusiasm to produce a second festival in 1998.

In mid 1997, following the closure of the National Westminster Bank in the village, the premises were purchased and plans were laid to establish a Tea Room, Heritage Gallery and Telecentre, to enable IT learning to be available to allcomers. These three enterprises have since prospered and provide sufficient revenue to sustain the Company.

Initiatives pursued in the short history of the Company were many and varied; at the moment live projects include:

• The maintaining of a comprehensive Web Site for Cemaes, with links to local businesses, accommodation, local historic features, facilities and sporting activities.

• The maintaining and development of Cemaes Woodland.

• To take forward future proposals and initiatives and to strengthen the Companies role in promoting tourism in the Cemaes area.

• Supporting the organisers of the Cemaes Carnival.

We have more than 100 members, a Board of Directors (elected each November at the AGM), no debts, other than loans from individuals, and a strong financial basis, but we still need the help that members can provide, (Membership fees are a minimum of £5.00 p.a.) and volunteers to assist with the organisation of the forthcoming Cemaes Celtic Festival.

Click here for contact details.