The University of Wales Trinity Saint David has appointed Hazel Thomas as coordinator for the Tir Glas Project on the Lampeter campus.
The aim of Canolfan Tir Glas is to promote the local food industry, sustainability, resilience and innovation in a rural context. It will focus on strengthening the economic infrastructure of Lampeter and its hinterland providing the town and area with a clear focus in terms of identity and brand.
Gwilym Dyfri Jones, Provost of the Carmarthen and Lampeter Campuses said:
“Canolfan Tir Glas is an important project for UWTSD in Lampeter and appointing Hazel to the role of coordinator is a great step forward in realising the vision. Her local connections, her substantial experience together with her interest in the field of sustainability as a whole – and specifically the area of food sustainability – is a great advantage as the University cooperates with key partners to develop Canolfan Tir Glas in Lampeter over a period of time.”
This project has been funded by The Welsh Government Rural Communities project – Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, that’s funded by the Welsh Government and the Rural European Fund for Rural Development.
Hazel’s roots are deep in Ceredigion. She was born and brought up in the village of Drefach, in the parish of Llanwenog near Lampeter. When Hazel was 16 she moved to London to follow a 3 year full time Professional Chef's course at Westminster College.
She gained her first post as a professional chef in the Dorchester Hotel, London, as well as being offered a post as a chef in the House of Lords. Then after a few years she moved to Tregenna Castle in St Ives, Cornwall to work as a professional chef.
Following a bereavement Hazel had to return home, and this is when her relationship with the University began when she helped a Philosophy graduate student, who wanted to stay in the town, to open a business.
As a member of the Lampeter Chamber of Trade, she helped establish the ‘Lampeter Food Festival’ in 1998, with a team of ladies.
Following the success of the event, Hazel played a key role in 1999 in ensuring a new location for the Food Festival, on the campus of the University, and this raised the appeal and success of the event. Since returning to Lampeter Hazel has run two other businesses in the town before she established herself as an Independent Food Consultant and Events Organiser.
Over the years, Hazel has studied several courses with the Open University in Wales, such as Social Science, Health and Disease, and Social Problems - Social Welfare, before using her credits to gain entry to a Welsh degree course at Lampeter University. More recently, Hazel worked at the National Library of Wales for 7 years on the Peoples’ Collection Wales programme, having left the library after a period as Head of External Relations. She then joined Cambrian Training as a Training Officer, delivering Apprenticeships in Hospitality.
Becoming a member of staff as the coordinator for the Tir Glas Project at the Lampeter campus means a lot to Hazel, and she is looking forward to working on the project:
“Being a part of this innovative project is a great honour. The Canolfan Tir Glas Project is a long-term project, and each element of the vision appeals to my interests in sustainability, none more so than food sustainability. I very much hope that the project will attract the support it deserves.”
The Tir Glas Project vision encompasses several elements that are important to Hazel. Hazel is passionate about seeing the University and Lampeter town cooperating closely with each other, to ensure the long-term success for the project. As somebody from the area, the project is a fantastic opportunity to build on the economic infrastructure of the town and the area, and she is really looking forward to seeing this happen.