Crickhowell High School officially opened its new Redwood Recording Studio on February 20, a project jointly funded by Crickhowell Rotary Club and the Llangattock Community Education Trust (LCET).
The event celebrated the community’s ongoing support for the enhancement of arts education at the school.
The Redwood Recording Studio is a significant addition to the school’s facilities and is part of a wider initiative to provide opportunities for local students and the community.
£15,000 of funding for the project was made possible through financial legacies, including a donation from the Redwood family, Professor Martin and Mrs Pamela Redwood. The couple, who were long-time members of the Crickhowell community, had previously gifted a grand piano to the school. Their legacy continues to support local education, along with the legacy from the 1980s sale of the Miles Hall - with Rotary and LCET contributing equally to the new recording studio.
Geoffrey Davies, Chair of LCET, highlighted the importance of the project, particularly in light of the decline in arts education across the UK.
“Our hope is that this demonstrates to everyone, our community’s continuing and increasing concern at the dwindling attention paid to music and the arts in the development of young people throughout the UK,” said Mr Davies.
Mrs Vicky Callow, Head of Music at Crickhowell High School, and Mr Brian Brookshaw, Youth Chairman of Rotary, were instrumental in developing the studio. Two projects were selected for funding: a transitional programme for Year 6 pupils and the creation of the Redwood Recording Studio.
The studio is designed to serve students of all ages in the Crickhowell cluster of schools. It will be used not only for music but also to foster cross-curricular learning, helping students develop valuable skills for the future. In addition, the studio will be available as a bookable community resource, providing a space for local groups to come together and explore the arts.
Headteacher Claire Jones expressed her pride in the project, saying: “The Redwood Studio was planned with sustainability and inclusion of all in mind.
“The facility will play a part in our curricular and extra-curricular provision, adding further richness to our vision that our students become ambitious, healthy, confident and capable adults that will go on to lead the way for others.”
Ms Jones also paid tribute to Mrs Callow’s dedication and creativity, which played a crucial role in bringing the project to life.
During the opening ceremony, David Haycock, President of Crickhowell Rotary, presented Mrs Callow with Rotary’s prestigious Paul Harris Fellowship Award in recognition of her outstanding contributions to music education and her commitment to the community.
Rotary was established by Paul Harris in 1905 and the fellowship was established in 1957. ‘Service Before Self’ is the motto that guides all Rotary community activity.
The ceremony was followed by a ribbon-cutting event, and Ms Jones concluded the day with a fitting quote from John Lennon: “A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.”