On January 21st 2018, Greener Tywyn Gwyrdd held an extremely successful launch event at the Magic Lantern Cinema (Y Llusern Hud) in Tywyn.
In spite of the heavy rain, wild winds and flooding across the county, over 150 people were in attendance, not only from Tywyn but also towns and villages in the surrounding area such as Bryncrug, Aberdyfi, Abergynolwyn, Fairbourne, Llwyngwril, and Machynlleth.
Special guests included Liz Saville Roberts (MP), Mike Stevens, Anne Lloyd Jones, Marisa O’Hara, Aled Lewis, Quentin Deakin, Eileen Jones (Tywyn Town Councillors), Paul Allen from Zero Carbon Britain at CAT, and Sir John T. Houghton CBE with his wife Sheila. A number of students from the French class at Ysgol Uwchradd Tywyn were also present.
The event began with Greener Tywyn Gwyrdd’s #OneGreenChange video, followed by the showing of ‘Demain’ (Tomorrow), an award-winning French documentary that explores creative solutions communities can make to pave the way for a greener and more sustainable future. It covers numerous topics such as permaculture farms, urban agriculture projects, community-owned renewable projects, local currencies, creative schools, and ambitious recycling projects.
Afterwards, people were encouraged to chat about the film’s message over coffee and cake in the foyer. Paper leaves were handed out at the exit upon which people were asked to write #OneGreenChange they intend to make in 2018. These leaves were then hung from the ‘Tree of Change’ on the stage in the foyer.
Liz Hutchinson, Greener Tywyn Gwyrdd member and director at Hutchfolk Media, also filmed some vox pop interviews with MPs, councillors and local people about their thoughts on the film and their green changes. You can watch the full video below.
The founding members of Greener Tywyn Gwyrdd could not have been more overwhelmed by the positive response to the launch event and the film.
“The fact that so many people made the effort to come despite the bad weather really shows just how much people care about this beautiful part of the world,” said member Heather Broster. “Now all we have to do is to transform these positive emotions and green commitments into real action!”
A follow-up event called ‘After Tomorrow’ is planned for February 4th at 1 p.m. at the Magic Lantern Cinema, and its objective is two-fold: to increase Greener Tywyn membership and encourage locals to share their own ideas about positive environmental changes we can make to Tywyn and its neighbouring villages.
More information about this event will become available soon on this website and our Greener Tywyn Facebook page!