Schoolchildren are throwing their support behind a public appeal towards a War Memorial and Roll of Honour for Pontypridd’s fallen heroes.
Pupils from Llanilltud Faerdref Primary School held a collection in their school assembly and raised £160 for the appeal.
Mayor of Rhondda Cynon Taf Cllr Simon Lloyd visited the Llantwit Fardre school to meet all of the children and thank them for their efforts.
Cllr Lloyd said, “It is thanks to the generosity of individuals such as the children and teachers of Llanilltud Faedref that we can successfully achieve our goal and raise sufficient funds for this very special Memorial.
“Currently, no Memorial exists naming all those brave heroes from Pontypridd who made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedom of future generations.
“With continued support of people such as this, our appeal for donations with hopefully come to fruition and we can pay tribute to our fallen heroes by unveiling a Roll of Honour naming each of those who lost their lives in conflict.”
In October the Mayors of Rhondda Cynon Taf and Pontypridd Town joined forces with the Royal British Legion to officially launch the appeal which is hoped will raise £150,000 towards the project.
The Roll of Honour will be located within Ynysangharad War Memorial Park, which was opened in 1923 in memory of the war dead.
Acting Headteacher Rhian Poacher added, “We have decided to support the Appeal as it is important for our local town and park, and it also shows support in recognising the sacrifice of those who gave their lives in the wars.”
Public subscription was one of the original funding methods for Ynysangharad War Memorial Park itself which has served as a memorial to the fallen of the First World War and subsequent conflicts.
Whilst there are currently two monuments in the Park commemorating the war dead, neither contain the names of the fallen and there is no official Roll of Honour for Pontypridd.
Councillor Gwen Williams, Mayor of Pontypridd Town Council, said: “As Mayor of Pontypridd I am honoured to be involved with the fundraising initiative to erect a War Memorial naming those that have given their lives during the conflicts since the First World War.
“Ynysangharad War Memorial Park is of course a memorial in itself but the opportunity to redress the absence of a war memorial which names those individuals who made the ultimate sacrifice is something which I cherish. I am sure that the people of Pontypridd will respond in a manner which the project deserves.”
It is intended that the names included will be of those who were from within the former Pontypridd Urban District and current Town Council boundaries.
How you can Donate to the Appeal:
There are several ways in which you can support the War Memorial and Roll of Honour for Pontypridd.
- Online by visiting www.rctcbc.gov.uk/pwmappeal or the “Pay-It” section of the Council’s website.
- Over the telephone by calling 01443 681081
- By making a cash donation at any of the Council’s four One4All Centres
- By cheque made payable to Pontypridd War Memorial Appeal” and sent to Pontypridd War Memorial Appeal. Rhondda Cynon Taf Council, Ty Bronwydd, Bronwydd Avenue, Porth, CF39 9DL
