A new Blue Plaque scheme to recognise individuals, places and events throughout the County Borough has been launched by Rhondda Cynon Taf Council.
Following the success of the Heritage Lottery Funded scheme which drew to a close in 2010 after unveiling 30 Blue Plaques in Rhondda Cynon Taf, the Council has decided to pursue its own scheme.
The scheme is intended to celebrate notable people, places and events within the County Borough’s boundaries that are not already recognised in a similar manner.
A plaque is placed on a suitable building or structure to recognise the place where a person was born or lived for some time, a building of note in the area or where an event took place.
During the past few years the 30 plaques unveiled throughout Rhondda Cynon Taf has attracted international interest. Some of them have honoured world-famous sportspeople, actors, singers, choirs and politicians. Others have recognised the historical merit of landmark buildings including collieries, chapels and bridges while others have remembered major events, from national eisteddfodau to industrial riots.
The Council’s Cabinet Member for Leisure, Culture and Tourism, Cllr. Robert Bevan said: “Following the highly successful scheme that we ran with Heritage Lottery Funding, we have made some funds available to continue it.
“This will of necessity be more limited than the previous scheme, but we are asking members of the community to help us by nominating notable people, places or events to receive a Blue Plaque.”
There are a number of criteria that potential nominees should consider before making a nomination which are:
- The person, event or place must not have been similarly recognised within the County Borough previously
- If the plaque is for a person then that person must have been deceased for a period of ten years or more before the nomination is made
- A person or organisation is expected to have made a significant contribution to society, which might be locally, nationally or on a worldwide scale. Their contribution might have been to the world of business, science, politics, sport, the arts or entertainment
- A building is expected to have been notable in its use or significant in the community and of historic significance locally
- An event is expected to have been significant to the locality and possibly on a broader scale nationally
- There must be a suitable building or structure on which the plaque can be placed where it is safe, visible and accessible
- If a plaque’s nomination is accepted then permission of the relevant property owner will be sought by the Council, without which the unveiling cannot proceed.
Cllr. Bevan added, “The difficult job of selecting recipients of a plaque will be undertaken with the help of local historical societies, who were involved in the previous scheme.
“We will aim for a reasonable spread, but we can only fund six per year across the County Borough. The town of Aberdare will be able to have two additional plaques per year over the next three years as part of the Heritage Lottery funding for the Townscape Heritage Initiative.”
To make a nomination, request a Nomination Form from:
Downloaded from www.heritagetrailsrct.co.uk
Email to [email protected]
By post – John Harrison, Heritage Officer, Rhondda-Cynon-Taf CBC, Ty Trevithick, Abercynon, Mountain Ash CF45 4UQ
By phone – 01443 744044 (voice mail facility)
Nominations will close on 31 August 2011 and selections will be made for a two year period
