From derelict cottage to busy youth centre

She remembers wondering just what she'd taken on.

A quarter of a century later, the cottage is a jewel in the Chichester crown - in another country more than a hundred miles away.

The Cynon Valley Cottage and Bunkhouse is situated in the Cynon valley on the southern edge of the Brecon Beacons, about two miles to the north west of the village of Hirwaun.

And it's enjoying a typically successful year in its silver jubilee.

Twenty five years on, it goes from strength to strength as a busy and flexible youth activity centre. Once a typical Welsh cottage and barn, it has been converted into hostel type accommodation for up to 29 people - and is strongly in demand.

The Chichester connection goes back to 1984 when Anne was Mayor of Chichester: "Being in youth work, I had some youth leaders taking groups of youngsters to wild country and finding it quite expensive to use the place. I thought it would be good if we had something of our own.

"I jumped in the deep end and started up a charity and was soon wondering what I had bitten off. Mid-1983 we started looking. We were looking for either West Country or Wales because of the property prices and also because the countryside was right for doing the Duke of Edinburgh scheme."

And so they chanced on Cynon Valley Cottage: "It had planning consent as a centre and had been used as such, but it had been neglected. There were no ceilings almost and no glass. It was pretty much derelict. I think there was one school that used it once a year and that was it. The barn attached to the back was just an empty barn with a lot of junk in it.

"The situation was that the area was owned by the Forestry Commission who didn't really want the building but had leased it to Wiltshire County Council who had used it for a few years."

But things had reached a point where something needed to be done - and Anne stepped into the breach. She contacted Wiltshire who said she could have it for 8,000 - a bargain, but still a stiff sum to find. There was also the matter of finding 3,000 straightaway for the roof.

But everyone rallied. Chichester High School for Boys had a sponsored silence; the Nautical Training Corps got involved; everyone set to.

"We signed the contract in mid-February 1984. We formed a trust and immediately we had groups of youngsters going up there. In the mornings they spent their time cleaning up the rubbish and rebuilding the dry-stone walls. In the afternoon, they went walking around the waterfalls and also rock climbing. They had a great time!"

Since then things have moved on considerably, the centre now long since established as a base suitable for all types of groups such as the structured school party busy with field studies, the action-packed activity group keen to develop their interests in outdoor pursuits and the more leisurely holiday party who wish to relax and enjoy the local amenities.

Bookings are available throughout the year to youth groups and schools in the Cynon Valley area and the Chichester and Arun areas of West Sussex. Other non profit-making youth and adult groups are welcome when bookings permit.

The Centre has recently been awarded a three-star rating by VisitWales for its "good level of quality and comfort".

More details on www.cyat.org.