Official Opening of the Marking Time Sculpture and Woodland Walk, Bronllys Hospital

Thursday June 22 saw members of the Powys Teaching Health Board come together with artist Rebecca Buck, Veterans and Powys County Council Cabinet Ministers plus invited guests to officially open the Marking Time Sculpture and Woodland Walk.

Along with The Green Valleys Organisation (TGV) the Powys Teaching Health Board (PTHB) has been working with and supported by Powys Forces Covenant to create a woodland walk which will allow patients, staff and visitors alike to take some quiet time in the small mature woodland adjacent to the hospital. TGV working with forces Veterans over the past year have created a route through the wood featuring a large fired sculpture by Brecon Beacons artist Rebecca Buck. The project group also worked with children from two schools, Mount Street Primary in Brecon and Llandrindod High School, children from Mount Street Primary attended the opening and were delighted to see the fired tiles they had created in situ.

The event was opened by Carol Shillabeer Chief Executive of the Local Health Board and attended by Chair of the LHB, Professor Vivienne Harpwood, Vice Chair Melanie Davies. After an introduction and thanks to all working on the project, Veteran Mick Farrell gave a small speech of thanks to those who made the project possible especially volunteers such as Mark Christmas who has worked tirelessly on the project along with Gareth Ellis of The Green Valleys.

Many elements of the walk have come from other areas of the local community such as garden design by Seza Magdalena Eccles of ‘Hideaways in Hay’, poems commissioned for the walk from poet Emma Van Woerkom and Mark Christmas. The mosaic which forms part of the sculpture was made by the children and the created tiles fit in and around the sculpture which were made and then cast in 3 sections.

After some light refreshments and a display of the works, groups were led around the walk and the children from Mount Street joined the group for photos. Rebecca Buck the artist commissioned to make the sculpture which draws inspirations from Welsh icons such as Dragons and Red Kites gave and emotional speech. A poem which was written by Veteran Mick Farrell, especially for the Walk was read by Michael Eccles of Hideaways in Hay.

We are the child of nevermind
Who, finding dreams lost, unfind
Who, wandering, walking paths unknown
to find a woodland overgrown
And seeing in that woodland Glen
Who elfin laughter laughly speak
Of how we humans keenly seek
Some new haven overhewn
And child stars of the moon
Mick Farrell, 2016

The sculpture is viewable in the ‘Woodland Walk at the Bronllys Hospital Site just opposite the Veterans ‘At Ease Garden’ created by the same Group.

Powys Teaching Health Board Website: http://www.powysthb.wales.nhs.uk/home
Artist Rebecca Buck: https://ospreystudios.org
Garden Design: Seza Magdalena Eccles : http://hideawaysinhay.co.uk.

Photos supplied by Ann Dierikx Photography : http://anndierikx.com

Artist Rebecca Buck (rhs) talks to Chair of PTHB – Professor Vivienne Harpwood and guests

Vivienne Harpwood (lhs) with Carol Shilabeer and other guests with Lydia Powell and Paul Evans of the Bronllys Wellbeing Park

Jacqui Wilding Community Health Council Welsh Assembly Appointed Representative (Veterans) with PCC Cllr Aled Davies

Children of Mount Street Juniors, Brecon

Mark Christmas with Carol Shillabeer

Janet Eppleston with Veteran Mick Farell and Melanie Davies Vice Chair PTHBT

Gareth Ellis The Green Valleys with Sophia Bird PTHB

Gardens designed by Seza Magdalena Eccles

Guests Adele Nozedar and Emma Bevan

Leader of Powys County Council Rosemarie Harris chats with Mike Lewis former High Sheriff and Aled Davies Leader of Welsh Conservatives PCC

Paul Evans talks to garden designer Seza Magdalena Eccles

Seed packs were given as gifts to the children who worked on the sculpture

Gareth Ellis of The Green Valleys with Talgarth County Councillor William Powell and ‘Forager and Writer’ Adele Nozedar