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Call for more volunteers to support Cynefin tithe map project

PRESS RELEASE
3-6-2015

As part of Volunteers’ Week – June 1 to 7 – the National Library of Wales is calling for more people to get involved in its ‘Cynefin: Mapping Wales’ sense of Place’ project (cynefin.wales).

Cynefin aims to digitise more than 1000 tithe maps – detailed parish or township maps produced between 1838 and 1947 - in order to create a unified tithe map of Wales, available to the public as an online research tool.

Help is needed to georeference the maps – to align geographic data to known coordinates. Over 36,000 documents providing details of landowners, field names and land use need to be transcribed and linked to relevant locations on the maps, while volunteers are also needed to research local history to uncover stories related to the maps.

People as young as 12 can take part in the project, which is registered on the Volunteering Wales website.  Participants can apply to receive certificates of achievement in recognition of their volunteering hours on the project.

Cynefin Project Manager, Einion Gruffudd, will host a session on the project at the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth on Wednesday 1 July at 1.15pm.  Admission is free by ticket - contact cynefin@llgc.org.uk or 01970 632 416 for further details.

While volunteers are able to complete the work at their own pace and from home, support is available in the form of group workshops, user guides and one-to-one tutorials with National Library staff.

Einion Gruffudd said: “We believe volunteering for Cynefin will appeal to a broad audience as the project covers such a range of interesting subjects, from geography and place names to social and local history.  Additionally, volunteers can work at a time and pace that suits them, and from the comfort of their own home.

“We’re delighted that Cynefin is now listed on the Volunteering Wales website and are excited at the prospect of reaching new audiences during Volunteers’ Week.”

Ends

For further information please contact Lydia Whitfield on LWhitfield@effcom.co.uk or 02920 838 315

Editor’s notes

  • The ‘Cynefin: Mapping Wales’ sense of Place’ project is run by a partnership led by Archives Wales, and also includes the National Library of Wales and People’s Collection Wales.  The majority of its funding comes from the Heritage Lottery Fund; the project is also supported by the Welsh Government through CyMAL, the National Library of Wales and Archives Wales.
  • Cynefin was launched in November 2014 and is due to be completed by the end of September 2016. To find out more visit the website: cynefin.wales; follow Cynefin on twitter, @CynefinProject, or contact cynefin@llgc.org.uk or 01970 632 416.
  • More information on Volunteers’ Week
  • Based in Aberystwyth, the National Library of Wales is home to over four million printed volumes, including many rare books such as the first complete Welsh translation of the Bible (1588).