IN October 1913, the world’s worst mining disaster in Senghenydd left the community devastated, with 440 men and boys dead, 205 widows and 542 orphaned children. For 100 years the people of Caerphilly have waited for an appropriate memorial. Now their dream is to come true at last.

A beautiful sculpture garden is emerging on the site of the explosion, through the financial support of the Aber Valley Heritage Group, the Aber Valley community council, Caerphilly CBC and the Welsh Assembly. But there is still a considerable shortfall to meet before the planned opening in October.
Requests for help met a magnificent response from the public, with donations coming in from far and wide. Cor Cochion added their voices to the appeal, with street collections in Caerphilly and Cardiff.
We must never forget the massive contribution that miners and their families made to Wales over the years.
We can never wipe out the pain of the memory of the Senghenydd explosions of 1901 and 1913 and the human suffering it caused to the community; but we can help realise the long held dream of the families, to place a beautiful memorial on the site of the unspeakable tragedy.
Ray Davies, Wendy Lewis and Cor Cochion Caerphilly