Project Appeal
CAMAS - a Centre for Archaeology, Mythology and Storytelling
A New Heritage Visitor Centre
The design for CAMAS came from researching the earliest structures in Britain - Neolithic barrows from around 4500 years ago. Massive stones punctuate its thick foundation walls that support the cob-earth walls and undulating living green roof. This the largest modern cob-walled building in Wales has been constructed by local schools and volunteer teams form around the world. Hundreds of tonnes of stone earth and turf were raised to form its curved walls and undulating grass roof. The great oak beams spanning the gallery have been carved with motifs from early Celtic through to Celtic Christian period, spanning around 1000 years. The entrance foyer greets you with three massive whole oak trees carved with Norse Myths designs - as the Vikings left place names along our coast - that reach up and through the roof to stand like stone sentinel meinhirs above the green hill of the roof.
The building will have a spacious, gallery-exhibition space dedicated to interpreting the ancient stories of the peninsula and its people, two spacious craft studios, a catering area and foyer - display space. The sheltered central courtyard will have a circular garden seating area leading on to the twelve sided Astronomical Observatory.
We are currently fundraising to complete the building through the laying of a beautiful stone floor, plumbing, electrics and Eco-heating system and exhibition fixtures and fittings . You are welcome to visit and watch the building process and come in and discuss the work with the staff and trainees. Like the adjacent CLAS building: this space already has a big wow-factor - so you can just imagine what its going to be like when it opens with its first exhibition.
Past crowdfunding appeal
The superstructure is a magnificent naturally curved timber-frame and straw-bale build, made of locally sourced materials and has been beautifully crafted by volunteers from all over the world. Through your support we aim to complete the final stages of the construction and refurbishment and bring this place to life!
The cafe will provide coffee made using only top quality beans and a barista in the know (because we love great coffee!). We will have a range of cakes to choose from for those of you with a sweet tooth, as well as a range of sandwiches and soups using as much as we can from our own community garden. Cakes, pastries and sourdough will be freshly baked on-site and the wood-fired cob oven also be used for pop up pizza evenings. Lined with artwork and bookshelves - the café will provide a relaxed and warm environment for you, our customers. In the evenings, the café space will be used to host a varied programme from music, traditional Welsh Noson Lawen performances, storytellings, cultural events and celebrations - to community pizza nights! And to top it all off, not only will you feel fantastic enjoying local and sustainable produce, but also, through your custom, you'll be supporting valuable training opportunities for young people and volunteers at the Felin Uchaf Centre.
So that Caffi Felin can open its beautiful carved oak doors to our local community, volunteers and visitors, we’re asking for your support. Through donating towards this crowdfunder appeal, you’ll meet the costs of the remaining capital items, full-access ramps, catering kitchen fixtures, fittings and essential appliances and will be fully furbishing the interior ready for the Big Summer 2023 opening ! On top of that, we will follow through on your support by taking the positive action of planting a tree on the land at Felin Uchaf for each and every donation given.
Summer 2023 Caffi'r Felin
