A CELEBRATION of personal histories of Gwent’s residents was featured in Cardiff Bay on Wednesday evening, as part of the Living Levels project to improve people’s engagement with the landscape.

The event saw the culmination of a 10-week project conducted by oral historian Marsha O’Mahony and her team of volunteers, who interviewed up to 50 Gwent residents about life in the region.

A grant of £2.5 million from the National Lottery was given to the Living Levels project in 2018 to help recapture the heritage of the historic Gwent Levels landscape.

The aim is that the legacy of the work will help people interpret the importance of the landscape, and why it should be preserved.

Gwent residents crammed the Pierhead Futures Gallery in Cardiff Bay to see the result of Ms O’Mahony’s team’s work, including Newport East AM John Griffiths.

Speaking about her work, Ms O’Mahony said: “Conventionally, history records the voices of the powerful; I wanted this to raise the profile of the region by giving a voice to the everyday person.

“I think Gwent is sometimes overlooked, but it’s such a unique area. It’s bleak and beautiful, there’s sea, industry and a strip of farmland in between. What that means is that there is a variety of people and stories to tell.

“I’d like to think that we’ve almost rescued some messages from obscurity. It’s important that first-hand accounts are preserved. They’re informal and authentic, and I hope they will mean a lot to people in the future.”

One of the people that Ms O’Mahony interviewed is Susan Waters, who has lived in Newport for 70 years.

“I remember people who have passed away now telling me how important the levels were to them – the beautiful countryside and the marshlands,” Mrs Water said.

“We must continue where they’ve left off and make people aware of what is important about our area.

“We can’t have development in abundance. There must be recognition of Gwent’s history.”

Photographs of Gwent’s residents, from farmers to fisherman and people who had been bombed in the Second World War were all present, alongside snippets of their musings.

Speaking at the event, John Griffiths said: “The Levels are unique; they have a unique history, appearance and there is a close-knit community that lives there.

“I was recently part of a campaign against the M4 relief road, and this was at the forefront of the debate. We must preserve the environment and traditions that generations have worked hard to create.

“The project has worked to help people to understand the value of the landscape.

“The challenge now is to continue the efforts beyond the end of the funding.”

Programme manager Elinor Meloy added: “Gwent's coastal path is one of the least used in all of Wales. It’s a vast and stunning area, and our challenge is to find out why people are not using it as much as they could.

“Part of the project is to improve signage and sculptures to draw people in.”

To find more information about the project visit the Living Levels website at https://www.livinglevels.org.uk/.