The Mapping Museum research project was created to look at the increase in the number of museums in the UK. As part of this project, Alyson Tippings was interviewed about the Ty Ebbw Fach Heritage Centre.

Explore more about the Mapping Museum project here and read Tippings' interview below:

Interview summary

Name of person being interviewed: Alyson Tippings

Location of interview: Ty Ebbw Fach Heritage Centre

Date of Recording: 06 March 2019

Recording Length: 01:26:17

Name of interviewer: Dr Toby Butler

Description: Ty Ebbw Fach Heritage Centre is located near the site of the Six Bells Colliery in Abertillery, Monmouthshire and focuses on the history of the colliery and life in a mining town, the Six Bells Colliery disaster and the design and construction of the memorial to the disaster victims

Summary of main points in interview: Alyson Tippings is the Destination Management Officer for Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council. She explains the background of the regeneration funding available from the Welsh Government to set up a regeneration group for Six Bells. There had been a memorial created for the disaster but there wasn’t a sense of ownership by the community, and councillors felt a new memorial was needed.

Initial funding came from a public arts project, and an empty pub was refurbished for a café, office space and heritage room which came about alongside commissioning the new memorial. Walking and cycle trails were developed to include the site and the valley.

Tippings explains different aspects of the displays in the heritage room and the objects on display. She says the memorial has drawn international visitors and those who used to live in the area, and the symbolic role of mining in national identity. She describes how when the mines closed almost all were destroyed, which she argues was a symbolic and political act of erasure. She discusses the importance of the café as a community hub, and how the memorial has created a special place in the village. She outlines the local museums in the area and support the council provides.

She explains why local heritage is important to her and the wider community, and that she would like to see more younger people getting involved. She discusses the impact of the Welsh free entry to national museums policy on smaller sites and outlines "Valleys That Changed the World", an initiative to celebrate the industrial heritage of the area.

TRANSCRIPT ONLY; NO AUDIO FILE PROVIDED