This autumn, British Wool marks 75 years of backing sheep farmers and marketing wool produced by British flocks.
To mark this milestone, British Wool is opening the doors of its Newtown and Brecon depots for special open days, giving visitors the chance to see first-hand where the UK’s wool journey begins.
Newtown, the mid-Wales depot, will welcome visitors on Tuesday 30th September and Brecon, to the South, will host guests on Thursday 2nd October.
Visitors will enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour of British Wool’s grading and sorting operations while exploring its many uses from high fashion and interiors to garden products, pet beds, and even tennis balls.
Alongside depot tours, guests can explore stalls from some of Wales’ wool innovators, including Melin Tregwynt, Cambrian Wool, Baavet, Chilcott, Dinefwr Blankets, Wool Insulation Wales and The Woollen Cwtch Company.
The events will also shine a spotlight on the people and stories that have helped shape the wool trade over the years, including:
- Alun Evans, ex-Chairman of the NFU Mutual and Agricultural Society in Wales and Chairman of British Wool from 1985-2000. At 92 years of age, Alun still helps on his family farm – which has now been passed down to his son
- Former, long-standing British Wool employee, Dewi Jones – who retired in 2013 after clocking up 48 incredible years at the Brecon Depot
- Gareth Jones, Head of Member Engagement for British Wool, who started his career with British Wool in the 1990s
- Gethin Havard – Welsh based sheep farmer from Sennybridge whose family have been farming for 960 years! Gethin was a British Wool Board Member for 12 years and ex-Vice Chairman
Andrew Hogley, CEO at British Wool, said:
“Owned by more than 30,000 sheep farmers in the UK, British Wool collects, grades, markets and sells British wool on behalf of its members to the international textile industry for use in flooring, furnishings and apparel.
“British wool isn’t just a legacy fibre, it’s a material for the future, and is gaining new relevance in a world increasingly concerned with environmental impact. Every fleece tells a story and by choosing British wool, the UK is backing a thriving industry that values people and the planet.”
The Newtown and Brecon open days are part of a series of exclusive, regional celebrations taking place across the UK this autumn, celebrating 75 years of British Wool and its vital contribution to farming.
For more details and to find out how to attend, visit:
