» Our work in Wales «

Community support is in the DNA of Green Man. Green Man Trust works in partnership with the festival to tackle poverty and social inequalities created by Wales’ growing wealth and age gap, raising funds for those hit by natural disasters, backing local schools and social hubs, and building inclusive, resilient communities.

The challenge is stark: by 2040, one in four people in Wales will be over 65; by 2045, the over-90 population will double. Demand for care will soar; 40,000 more staff and 20,000 more beds will be needed. Health and social care are already under strain.

Our community work in Wales has seen
- £87,000+ donated through the Community Grants Fund in Powys since 2023
- £10,500+ raised for Crickhowell High School
- £3,000 to support Ukraine aid
- £13,000 to food banks in 2022
- £16,000 donated to households affected by Storm Dennis in 2020
- £50,000 raised for Llangattock Primary School
- £60,000+ raised at the Green Man Trust Cafe for local projects
- £280,000+ donated by Green Man festival in free pitches, tickets and services to support local fundraising initiatives, including the refurbishment of Cwmdu Village Hall.
Community Grants in Action
Since launching the Community Grants Fund in 2023, we’ve donated £87,000+ to local projects in Powys, from mental health workshops to sensory spaces for neurodiverse students. Here are just a few:
- Arts Connection and The Honeypot - to run Residential Respite Breaks and offer creative workshops for young carers aged 5-12
- Local Schools in Crickhowell, Llangatock and Llangynidr – new sensory and outdoor learning spaces for children and training to launch Forest Schools activities
- Brecon Pride – to support an inclusive celebration
- Sense Cymru – helping children with complex mobility disabilities
- Llangattock Community Council - restoring and rewilding a local grassland area
- Llangorse Community Centre - upgrading facilities in the village hall
- Schools Service, Powys County Council - to launch an intergenerational free Sunday lunch club
- Little Brecon Theatre - offering students from Pupil Referral Units summer workshops
- MPYT - getting young people with learning disabilities involved in making theatre
- Re-Engage - to establish support services for older people aged 75+ in Powys
- WildChild - to pilot wellbeing walks for older adults and those who experience isolation
Case study - Brecon Community Swap Shop
Located in the heart of Brecon, inside a repurposed shipping container is a space that’s become one of the most impactful projects the Green Man Trust has ever supported: the Brecon Community Swap Shop.

Opened in 2024, the Swap Shop was born out of a simple but urgent need - families were struggling and needed a welcoming, stigma-free place where anyone could give what they had and take what they needed. No money. No judgment. Just community.

The Green Man team renovated and fitted the container using recycled materials with love and intention. The walls were brought to life with murals, messages of hope and celebration of community, transforming a metal box into a warm, vibrant hub of generosity.

The Swap Shop quickly became a lifeline:
- For families struggling with the cost of living, it’s a reliable place to access essentials without stigma.
- For elderly residents, it’s a warm space where someone knows their name.
- For children, it’s a joyful, familiar space where they can play, talk, and be heard.
- For families, it offers drop-ins with Family Liaison Officers, housing advisors, Flying Start teams, councillors, and local health workers.
- For the community, it’s a symbol of what’s possible when people come together.
In just one year, the Brecon Community Swap Shop became a beacon of dignity, generosity and solidarity; proof that even a small space can hold enormous power to change lives. As the mural on the container reads: “Powys for the People.”

‘We are so grateful to the Green Man Trust for the support they are giving our community in such tangible ways, as it would have taken us years to raise the funds to afford projects like these that have a true impact and lasting legacy on our children and their families.’ Claire Pugh, Headteacher PCIW School Brecon