Who we are

"To help broaden the mind and give men and women a new outlook on life" - WEA Llanelli, June 1914

How we started

WEA Llanelli has achieved remarkable status within Wales as one of the oldest and largest branches of the international Workers Educational Association (WEA). During its history it has contributed significantly to the quality of life of the town.

It's formation was first proposed in the months leading up to the First World War, when a meeting was held on the 20th June, 1914 at the old Town Hall in Hall Street. An article in the Llanelly Mercury provides an insight of that meeting as well as its ambition. The easy to read version is available here.

Secretary of the Workers Educational Association for Wales, John Thomas outlined through the article that “The Workers' Educational Association is a society of men and women united by the desire to bring within the reach of all workpeople the Higher Education which has hitherto been the privilege of the few” and that “it aims not at persuasion, but enlightenment. It does not merely tolerate differences of opinion; it welcomes and respects them.”

To quote the tutor of that time, Mr W. King BA, the objective was “to broaden the mind and give men and women a new outlook on life.”

The WEA was one of the very first organisations to recognise equal status for women being formed the same year as the British Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), founded by Emmeline Pankhurst, where its members were also known as the Suffragettes.

Despite the terrible and traumatic events of the First World War, Llanelli showed a ready commitment to adult learning when its workers primarily worked in heavy industry, docks , mines, tin works and had a liking for drinking the occasional pint of beer. By March 1915, lectures and classes were established jointly with the Aberystwyth Joint Committee for University Tutorial Classes.

A century and more on, through several economic depressions, another World War, the nuclear age and the digital age, the town has undergone monumental shifts in its prosperity. Its days as an industrial powerhouse have been diminished and we live in a cleaner, greener environment. With this shift, WEA Llanelli has changed too, reflecting on the present, looking into the future while learning from the past offering free monthly talks in a diverse range of subjects from politics, philosophy, economics, international affairs, history, music, science, art and literature.

What we do

Since 1914 we have evolved as society has evolved. It is hard to define an organisation which has played a part of Llanelli's history for well over a century. To quote the Llanelli Mercury article “It aims not at persuasion, but enlightenment. It does not merely tolerate differences of opinion; it welcomes and respects them” and remains the objective of WEA Llanelli to this day.

Back then it was proposed that “In an industrial centre like Llanelly, the W.E.A. branch should be to undertake a series of good winter lectures on popular and scientific lectures.”

Today, WEA Llanelli still holds regular talks, often at the Selwyn Samuel Centre, looking to the future with optimism, fostering new friendships, community engagement and committed to lifelong learning. The speakers are usually prominent in their field of activity and give us ideas to spawn further work by our current generation.

We remain supported by the people of Llanelli in its democratic approach to life-long learning, offering classes and free monthly lectures in a diverse range of subjects from politics, philosophy, economics, international affairs, history, music, science, art and literature.

Come and join us, change us, make Llanelli into a modern town and have fun doing so.

How we are run

We are an independent democratic voluntary organisation and all roles are served voluntary where members undertake tasks alongside our working life. We will never get things perfect, we strive to learn and welcome members who would like to join us or our committee for the benefit of our community.

The committee has a collective responsibility to produce a varied program and represent members views. If you would like to raise a point of interest, please contact one of our committee members on the emails below, or in person during one of our meetings.

We are independent and our history and values are aligned with WEA UK. The WEA (Workers Education Association) has evolved over time internationally, nationally and regionally and as a branch we are now affiliated with Adult Learning Wales. We remain independent and receive no direct funding from any organisation outside of the branch. If you would like to support us, become a member or consider donating. For more information on our history please click here.

Group photo of Maggie Dawson, Lady and Lord Griffiths (WEA Llanelli President), and Ken Owen
Maggie Dawson, Lady and Lord Griffiths (WEA Llanelli President), and Ken Owen pictured in 2014.
Headshot of Richard Talog Jones

Richard Talog Jones

Chair

Richard has always enjoyed learning more about the world around him. He had an early background in arts, worked in film and TV while serving as a military reservist as a student. He joined the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and in a military capacity when working in conflict zones. Deciding to come back home to Llanelli he worked in business and project management, alongside his new hobby of beekeeping. This hobby grew and he established a new commercial bee farm. Outside of the farm he still does some communications consultancy work and is also a member of a NHS Ethics Committee which fills a small hole of learning in attempting to understand new medical interventions or research. Richard is keen for the association to thrive and help it reach a wider audience.

“We are at a crossing point in history where soundbites and simplicity attempt to cover complex issues, sometimes leading to an uninformed audience. WEA Llanelli has a role to play in ensuring people have a deeper understanding of issues, learning from history and understanding new ideas, so that we as a society can make informed decisions and develop well rounded independent critical thinking”

chair@weallanelli.org

Dr Christopher Slader

Treasurer

I have been a member of WEA Llanelli committee of for over 10 years - yet I am lazy, bad tempered and can't spell since the age of 2. It is fun being 82 years old, I can find an excuse for being late. Plans to move to the criminal side of life have not yet materialised. I was a medical consultant in Scotland for 10 years before deciding to leave the anonymity of hospital medicine and find a community in which to raise our family with my wife. Llangennech was that community and I practised as a GP. I was International President of Servas for 10 years, a Peace Hosting and Traveling organisation, formed after WW2 by a Belgian, an American and a German who thought that communication together was the best introduction to Peace and Understanding. It is now present in nearly 70 countries and is run entirely by volunteers. I was appointed as treasurer due to an ability to find reasons why figures do not tally rather than my talent to direct people who came to see me in my medical surgery who are usually directed to a surgeon. Give me a bottle of gin for my birthday and as an Englishman magic will fly in Cymraeg.

"Life is an adventure not a competition and WEA helps us to communicate respectfully and to help us understand each other”

treasurer@weallanelli.org

Headshot of Rhodri N Owen

Dr Rhodri N. Owen

Membership and IT

Rhodri is passionate about science and the power that knowledge brings to society. He is an academic researcher and most recently has focused on bioanalytical chemistry with the development of new methods in life sciences through collaborative work between Swansea University and Welsh Health Boards while also lecturing within Higher Education. Rhodri is an active member of the Royal Society of Chemistry, locally and nationally serving on a number of its committees and is also a trustee and treasurer of the British Mass Spectrometry Society. Having gained his initial graduate degree and subsequent post graduate PhD from Swansea University he values higher education being made available to a wide audience and breaking down barriers that prevent access.

“WEA Llanelli has a long history of providing easy access to quality higher and further education content to its members on a range of topics, talks that inspire and informs debate for mutual understanding. I want to make sure that face to face dialogue continues well into the 21st century to prevent siloed society.”

members@weallanelli.org

Headshot of Bill Griffiths

Bill Griffiths

Committee Member

Bill has been a member of the WEA for almost 20 years and was Chairman of Llanelli branch from 2016 until 2025. A native of Pontrhydyfen, Port Talbot, Bill studied at the University of Wales, Cardiff graduating in Economics and Sociology, before completing a Diploma in Industrial Relations and Personnel Management. He joined British Leyland Motor Corporation in Llanelli before prior to the international company 3M at Gorseinon becoming Personnel and then Group Employee Relations Manager, remaining there for 35 years. He also joined the government Advisory, Arbitration and Conciliation organisation (Acas) as a project lead

He and his family have been based in the Llanelli area mainly at Llangennech but also at Hendy for 15 years. In Llangennech Bill was a member of Llangennech Community Council for over 30 years and was chairman on 3 separate occasions. He has been secretary of Bryn Seion Presbyterian Church of Wales for over 25 years and an Elder of that body for over 40 years. He is also a member of Llanelli Scarlets, Glamorgan Cricket club and the Llangennech rugby and cricket clubs.

“I believe that the WEA remains important in providing learning opportunities and education for all ages, but particularly those who may have missed earlier opportunities and now wish to recover this ground during their retirement. In particular, I facilitate the popular courses on international politics and history at Llangennech for the last 18 years.”

bill@weallanelli.org

Headshot of Marian Slader

Dr Marian Slader

Committee Member

Marian has a medical degree and worked as a GP in Llangennech for 30 years after leaving hospital medicine in psychiatry. She has been highly involved in the local community since coming to Wales from Glasgow, sitting on the local Community Council as a Councillor and helps to run the Community Centre in the village. She has been involved with Llanelli WEA committee for 20 years.

“Llanelli WEA has changed from its original role of providing affordable basic education. It now tries to provide us with topics to consider that we wouldn't otherwise encounter. I attend the politics and history courses. These, and the lectures, are stimulating and enlightening while in the company of like-minded fellow travellers.”

marian@weallanelli.org

David Edwards

Committee Memeber

With an academic background in Economics from University College, Cardiff, David has worked successfully on a wide variety of projects as a management consultant following his earlier career in Industrial Training in the engineering, hospitality and healthcare sectors. David is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and holds a diploma in Counselling at Work, Roehampton.

More recently he was the Development Manager for the Heart of Wales Line, where he was successful in overseeing a project to increase the service frequency and also developing a successful marketing programme.

“I believe that the WEA has an important and positive part to play in spreading information and understanding to mature students in the Llanelli area.”

david@weallanelli.org

Roger Price

Vice Chair

vicechair@weallanelli.org

Ruth Ferris Price

Secretary

secretary@weallanelli.org