A day aimed at capturing the memories of those who worked at or were involved with the Laura Ashley company will be held this Saturday.
The Heritage Hub 4 Mid Wales, a community social enterprise, is arranging the day on 8 June at the Bear Lanes Shopping Centre where it wants to hear from people who worked for the business or knew the family.
“This is a taster session to record, preserve and share the social history of Laura and Bernard Ashley family working together with our partners the Peoples Collection Wales; Addysg Oedolion Cymru/Adult Learning Wales; Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust; and the Royal Commission for the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales,” said Ann Evans, founder of the Heritage Hub 4 Mid Wales.
The Heritage Hub 4 Mid Wales is a community social enterprise project establishing an online Cultural Heritage Hub to digitally record, preserve the lifelong legacies and social history of four significant Powys and Mid Wales pioneers.
The key families and individuals it is focussing on are Robert Owen, who was a Welsh philanthropic social reformer and a creative genius of international importance; Pryce Jones, pioneer of mail order home shopping; David Davies, a coal and railway pioneer and his family - Lord Davies of Llandinam Montgomeryshire, and his sisters, Gwendoline and Margaret Davies; and Laura and Bernard Ashley and family, fashion and textile pioneers.
“Laura and Bernard Ashley relocated their family home and kitchen tabletop business in the 1960s to Machynlleth and then moved their fabric printing press to Ty Bryth in Carno,” said Ann.
“With their neighbouring farming community co-workers they created a new fabric of society in a very rural part of Mid Wales, where this phenomenal family and community became a global success.
“The HH4MW will launch a Laura Ashley memory day on Saturday, 8 June in Newtown Bear Lanes Shopping Centre between 10am and 4pm.
“This is a taster session to record, preserve and share the social history of Laura & Bernard Ashley family. Please come along and share your memories and photographs of the 60s, 70s and 80s of the Laura Ashley Family.
The Heritage Hub 4 Mid Wales has received funding through the Welsh Government Rural Communities - Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government, to create the Powys Pioneers Digital Heritage feasibility study.
Ann said: “We are working in partnership with People’s Collection Wales, RCAHMW, CPAT and Adult Learning Wales to record, conserve and raise awareness of these significant Pioneers by sharing their legacies and promoting them globally for the benefit of the local communities of rural Mid Wales.”
