Beacons Creative is a social enterprise based in Brecon which provides employment and training opportunities to adults with disabilities in a safe and caring environment. They design and create a range of beautifully handmade, wax based products at the centre including environmentally friendly candles, soaps and firelighters, as well as skincare and wholefoods.
The social firm is led by a strong voluntary board of directors brought together to provide leadership, a broad range of management skills and a wealth of experience. They give up their time to oversee the legal, strategic and financial management of the company.
Commenting on his new volunteer role Chris, who lives with his family in Brecon, said, “I’d been a customer of Beacons Creative for a long time as they bake the most delicious homemade bread. Completely by chance, I met a couple of their board members in Brecon, and told them how much I admired what they did in giving people a chance in life. Not long after, they contacted me and asked if I would volunteer to join their board which I was only too happy to agree to.”
One of Chris’s first contributions was in true festive spirit when he gave up his time on Friday 17th December to man Beacons Creative’s Christmas stall at Cardiff’s open air Christmas market.
Chris said, “Whilst we didn’t have any bread or soap to sell, we did have an array of beautiful candles, all made by hand with responsibly sourced ingredients. It was a really successful day. I was busy from the first minute to the last, and had a lot of fun at the same time. I was especially pleased to see a few colleagues come along during lunch hour and buy some presents for Christmas.”