Llanelli Township is a Community Benefit Society (#9150) which is a type of democratic non-profit cooperative.

Our society was started by some friends from Llanelli who decided to stop waiting for better times to come and start a town wide grass roots regeneration project.

Llanelli town centre is in a shocking state, with many building that have been empty for years. So bad is the situation, a two storey business premises in the heart of town was recently on the market for £60,000.

The population of Llanelli is around 50,000, which means we have the power to buy a building by contributing around £1 each - which is exactly what we plan to do: Raise money to buy a building and operate it democratically for the good of people instead of profit maximisers.

Home Llanelli

Times are very difficult and basic essentials are becoming unaffordable. Even warmth is becoming a luxury for the average family. Wales is also a constant rainfest especially in winter, which makes socialising a real challenge.

Once we own a building, mortgage free, we plan to create something really, really cool. An open access flexible use space called Home Llanelli, where community groups and members of the public are welcome to sit, talk, eat, drink, game, together or just chilling with the plants... without having to buy something!

A debt free beginning and handful of volunteers will make Home Llanelli a sanctuary from consumer capitalism. A place where people can be people for a while, instead of customers and clients.

A place to socialise indoors without bringing your purse or wallet - we think Home Llanelli will have a terrific impact on our mental health and wellbeing, not to mention brightening our town centre.

No donations, thanks!

Community Benefit Societies are better than any other type of non-profit. Why?

A CBS can raise money by issuing community shares, which unlike a donation, can be sold back to the Society at the price paid. They give the shareholder a real sense of ownership over their asset and project.

A CBS operates the purest form of democracy that gives each member a single vote, no matter how many community shares they own, or how much money they give the society, or how loud they can shout!

Members of Llanelli Township will be asked to fund Home Llanelli by paying a self-determined membership subscription (£1 per year minimum). Similar to being a member of the Coop supermarket, except we will use our member subs to keep Home Llanelli safe, clean, warm, open access and free to visit!

Volunteers

Home Llanelli will need loads of volunteers when we are operational.

The backend stuff has already been done: Llanelli Township has been registered and we have Community Directplus account at Cooperative Bank. We spent hundreds of hours gathering support for our plans from diverse stakeholders across Llanelli and Carmarthenshire.

To kickstart our project we just need a website, so we came here looking for some help - especially from web designers and content writers!

Please feel free to email our Secretary: giantbee_82@hotmail.com

Thanks for reading and we hope to hear from you soon,

Team Llanelli Township