Two of the main criteria that were established as non-negotiable by the committee were that it was free for children under the age of 16 and there was to be no alcohol on sale.
The first show was held on Saturday September 8th 2012 and was well supported by the local community on what must have been the only dry day we had had in months, in general the show had gone remarkably well apart from the catering, this was very inadequate mainly due to the numbers of people that attended, we had told the caterers that we would be happy with 300 attendees and nearly 1,000 turned up!
From that day on we all realised that we had started something that was going to become an annual fixture in the valley, but we all stressed the need to replicate the friendly relaxed atmosphere that everyone was commenting on. So our challenge is to make the show bigger and better each year whilst remaining true to those core values. Hopefully we have managed to do that so far, but don’t take our word for it come and find out for yourselves!
Story of the Heart
The Heart Of The Valley Show was first held in 2012, and was the result of a feeling amid the founder members that there was a need and a desire for a family friendly, educational and affordable event in the valley, that was centred around the rural heritage of the area and local crafts and skills.
The founder members felt that there was a general disconnect and lack of understanding about the rural community, and thought it would be a good idea to try to re-connect the local community and the rural community by means of an interactive, friendly old fashioned local show.
Meet the Committe
Gareth - Chairman
Nuffield Farming Scholar. Run my own agricultural business. Passionate about educating people about the countryside.
Wynne - Vice Chairman
A retired career serviceman with an engineering background. Lives in Pontardawe. A keen and enthusiastic community volunteer.
Rhysian - Treasurer
Wife and mam. Works in education. I love seeing how the community has embraced the show. My hope is that we are encouraging children to learn more about rural life and maybe even explore as a possible career choice.
Dewi - Youth Committee Member
Student studying music at NPT College. Active member of of Neath Young Farmers Club. Dewi started playing the drums at age 10 and is looking to pursue a career in music after his studies.
Cellan - Web & Media
Web and marketing professional that loves everything web and wonderful. I have a big passion for health and fitness, love being outdoors and have a big love for the local community.