We learned on Wednesday that we have been successful in our first major bid for funding for doing up Pen y Cae.

The Brecon Beacons National Park’s Sustainable Development Fund has deferred a decision on our bid back in September whilst they asked for more details on a couple of points.

This time we were able to join the ‘meeting’ to answer directly any concerns they had. Sue and I joined from a wet Grwyne Fawr and Cath Larkins from lock-down in sunny France! The wonders of modern technology!

We joined the meeting just in time to hear Pen y Cae being described in rather downbeat terms by one of the panel members, but it turns out we just missed his very glowing memories of using the centre in the 80’s and 90’s.

We were pleased to note a number of friendly faces around the screen, people Sue and I have worked with in the past and present, so hoped that would be a good omen.

It turned out they were the ones who asked the more awkward questions, while one member of the panel sat stroking his cat like a certain villain out of a James Bond movie!

Fortunately, we had come armed with all the information they needed and Cath was able to quote some of her learned dissertations on child welfare which seemed to bring out nods of approval.

Then with a few quick Thank You’s from the Chairman and we were summarily cut off!

A quick phone chat with Cath and we felt we were probably onto a winner, and fortunately the confirmation arrived via e-mail only an hour or so later.

We have yet to see the full offer, but we assume it is for the full £21,300 we applied for.

Now we await a decision on the next bid at Awards for All for their maximum of £10,000.