Meet the Team – Sara Perera-Hammond
There are many outstanding parts of our National Landscape but arguably the best known on the wider stage in the World Heritage Site centred on Telford and Jessop’s famous aqueduct at Pontcysyllte. The Site also embraces a large section of the Dee Valley and its canal and stretches from the Horseshoe Falls to Gledrid Bridge in north Shropshire. Our NL team has always maintained a very close relationship with the WHS and its Wrexham Council based team, currently led by Regeneration Project Manager Sara. She recently wrote a piece for Views on the importance of that relationship for both parties and we felt it was not before time that we underlined this by inviting Sara to tell us a little more about herself and her role. We met on a sunny spring morning at the Chapel Café, near the aqueduct itself. This is how our conversation went.
Tell me a little about how things started
Well, I was born in Wrexham, brought up and educated here – and it is where my mum and grandma still live. Truthfully, I was keen to broaden my horizons as soon as school came to an end and I jumped at the chance to study architecture at University in Manchester. The built environment, together with the natural world, was something that had always interested me.
What came next
After graduation I was very fortunate to gain a wide range of experience in my chosen field as well as taking the chance to travel when the opportunity came along. This really took off when I joined a Dutch company – Mecanoo – which had its HQ in Delft, where I then completed my Masters Studies. Working there expanded my perspective and influenced how I think about (then urban) spaces and places and their role in everyday life. After this, I moved to London and carried on working in similar practices with similar approaches. I am very grateful to have had these opportunities.
How did a return to home territory come about?
I’d really enjoyed spreading my wings but it felt like the right time to come home. A role came up with Wrexham Council – a short-term position managing a key fund grant programme with the Shared Prosperity Fund, a national government initiative aimed at stimulating local economies. I enjoyed making a contribution to my home area and quickly settled back. When a permanent position became available as the Co-ordinator for the WHS I was immediately interested and was delighted to be appointed. I’ve been in post for just over a year now and I’m really enjoying it.
The designation has really put the area in the spotlight.
It certainly has and there are so many positives but, as ever, there are pressures and problems which go with it, and these are what I have to focus on. The designation itself brings no additional funding with it to manage the increasing visitor numbers and I need to work closely with other organisations to ensure the needs of local residents are protected and local businesses are supported too. The WHS runs along from the Horseshoe Falls, over two aqueducts all the way into north Shropshire so the Canal and River Trust is obviously a key partner. Similarly, we are part of and are overlooked by the National Landscape and our relationship with them is also vital.
How is that working?
It works really well and I have a very good understanding with the NL team. When I first started in the role the Outstanding Picturesque Landscape Project funded by the National Lottery was in full swing and I was quickly able to get to know the right people. The project was really good at involving local schoolchildren and local people more generally, helping them better understand and appreciate both the WHS and its industrial heritage as well as the natural environment surrounding it. Moving on, we have the same overall objectives, and our next work together is a Recreation Plan to coordinate visitor management along the eleven miles of the WHS across a whole range of varied and sometimes conflicting interests. This Partnership working is so beneficial to both organisations, and to consolidating our links with related partners like the Canal and River Trust and Dwr Cymru.
What next?
I’m relatively new in the role and there are so many ongoing challenges to keep me interested. Continuing to develop ways to improve visitor infrastructure is one which is at the forefront. Working in what primarily remains such a wonderful landscape is a real pleasure and has heightened my awareness of and interest in the environment and all we need to do to protect it. I look forward to maintaining a very close relationship with the NL team.
What are you interests away from work
I am really busy renovating my -what still feels like new- home in Wrexham and this takes up a lot of time – as well as still fitting in interests in architecture, buildings and drawing. I do like to get out and go walking in the countryside, both locally and further afield is always on the agenda and there is loads still to explore since moving home.
Finally, what’s your favourite spot in our National Landscape?
I have to mention the aqueduct, of course, but what I really enjoy is meandering on the footpaths below the main Clwydian Ridge where there’s such a lot to explore.
Cwrdd â’r Tîm – Sara Perera-Hammond
Mae yna lawer o rannau rhagorol o’n Tirwedd Genedlaethol ond gellid dadlau mai’r mwyaf adnabyddus ar y llwyfan ehangach yw Safle Treftadaeth y Byd, wedi’i ganoli ar draphont ddŵr enwog Telford a Jessop ym Mhontcysyllte. Mae’r Safle hefyd yn cwmpasu rhan fawr o Ddyffryn Dyfrdwy a’i gamlas ac yn ymestyn o Rhaeadr y Bedol i Bont Gledrid yng ngogledd Swydd Amwythig. Mae ein tîm NL wedi cynnal perthynas agos iawn erioed â’r WHS a’i thîm yng Nghyngor Wrecsam, dan arweiniad Sara, Rheolwr Prosiect Adfywio ar hyn o bryd. Yn ddiweddar, ysgrifennodd ddarn ar gyfer Views ar bwysigrwydd y berthynas honno i’r ddwy ochr ac roeddem yn teimlo nad oedd hi’n bryd tanlinellu hyn trwy wahodd Sara i ddweud ychydig mwy wrthym amdani hi ei hun a’i rôl. Cyfarfuom ar fore heulog o wanwyn yng Nghaffi’r Capel, ger y draphont ddŵr ei hun. Dyma sut aeth ein sgwrs.
Dywedwch ychydig wrthyf am sut y dechreuodd pethau
Wel, cefais fy ngeni yn Wrecsam, fy magu a’m haddysgu yma – a dyma lle mae fy mam a fy nain yn dal i fyw. A dweud y gwir, roeddwn i’n awyddus i ehangu fy ngorwelion cyn gynted ag y daeth yr ysgol i ben ac fe wnes i neidio ar y cyfle i astudio pensaernïaeth ym Mhrifysgol Manceinion. Roedd yr amgylchedd adeiledig, ynghyd â’r byd naturiol, yn rhywbeth a oedd wedi bod o ddiddordeb i mi erioed.
Beth ddaeth nesaf
Ar ôl graddio, roeddwn i’n ffodus iawn i ennill ystod eang o brofiad yn fy maes dewisol yn ogystal â manteisio ar y cyfle i deithio pan ddaeth y cyfle. Dechreuodd hyn o ddifrif pan ymunais â chwmni o’r Iseldiroedd – Mecanoo – a oedd â’i bencadlys yn Delft, lle cwblheais fy Astudiaethau Meistr wedyn. Ehangodd gweithio yno fy mhersbectif a dylanwadu ar sut rwy’n meddwl am ofodau a lleoedd (trefol bryd hynny) a’u rôl ym mywyd bob dydd. Ar ôl hyn, symudais i Lundain a pharhau i weithio mewn practisau tebyg gyda dulliau tebyg. Rwy’n ddiolchgar iawn o fod wedi cael y cyfleoedd hyn.
Sut y daeth dychwelyd i’m tiriogaeth gartref i fodolaeth?
Roeddwn i wedi mwynhau lledaenu fy adenydd yn fawr ond roedd yn teimlo fel yr amser iawn i ddod adref. Daeth rôl i fyny gyda Chyngor Wrecsam – swydd tymor byr yn rheoli rhaglen grant cronfa allweddol gyda’r Gronfa Ffyniant a Rennir, menter llywodraeth genedlaethol gyda’r nod o ysgogi economïau lleol. Mwynheais wneud cyfraniad i’m hardal gartref ac fe wnes i ymgartrefu’n ôl yn gyflym. Pan ddaeth swydd barhaol ar gael fel Cydlynydd y Safle Treftadaeth y Byd, roeddwn i wrth fy modd yn cael fy mhenodi. Rwyf wedi bod yn y swydd ers ychydig dros flwyddyn bellach ac rwy’n ei mwynhau’n fawr iawn.
Mae’r dynodiad wedi rhoi’r ardal yn y chwyddwydr.
Yn sicr mae wedi gwneud hynny ac mae cymaint o bethau cadarnhaol ond, fel bob amser, mae pwysau a phroblemau sy’n mynd gydag ef, a dyma’r hyn y mae’n rhaid i mi ganolbwyntio arno. Nid yw’r dynodiad ei hun yn dod ag unrhyw gyllid ychwanegol gydag ef i reoli’r niferoedd cynyddol o ymwelwyr ac mae angen i mi weithio’n agos gyda sefydliadau eraill i sicrhau bod anghenion trigolion lleol yn cael eu diogelu a bod busnesau lleol yn cael eu cefnogi hefyd. Mae’r Safle Treftadaeth y Byd yn rhedeg o Rhaeadr y Bedol, dros ddwy draphont ddŵr yr holl ffordd i ogledd Swydd Amwythig felly mae’r Ymddiriedolaeth Gamlas ac Afonydd yn amlwg yn bartner allweddol. Yn yr un modd, rydym yn rhan o’r Dirwedd Genedlaethol ac yn cael ein hanwybyddu ganddi ac mae ein perthynas â nhw hefyd yn hanfodol.
Sut mae hynny’n gweithio?
Mae’n gweithio’n dda iawn ac mae gen i ddealltwriaeth dda iawn gyda thîm y Gogledd Iwerddon. Pan ddechreuais yn y rôl gyntaf, roedd y Prosiect Tirwedd Darluniadwy Eithriadol a ariannwyd gan y Loteri Genedlaethol ar ei anterth ac roeddwn yn gallu dod i adnabod y bobl gywir yn gyflym. Roedd y prosiect yn dda iawn am gynnwys plant ysgol lleol a phobl leol yn fwy cyffredinol, gan eu helpu i ddeall a gwerthfawrogi’r Safle Treftadaeth y Byd a’i dreftadaeth ddiwydiannol yn well yn ogystal â’r amgylchedd naturiol o’i gwmpas. Gan symud ymlaen, mae gennym yr un amcanion cyffredinol, a’n gwaith nesaf gyda’n gilydd yw Cynllun Hamdden i gydlynu rheoli ymwelwyr ar hyd un ar ddeg milltir y Safle Treftadaeth y Byd ar draws ystod eang o fuddiannau amrywiol ac weithiau gwrthgyferbyniol. Mae’r gwaith Partneriaeth hwn mor fuddiol i’r ddau sefydliad, ac i atgyfnerthu ein cysylltiadau â phartneriaid cysylltiedig fel Ymddiriedolaeth y Gamlesi ac Afonydd a Dŵr Cymru.
Beth nesaf?
Rwy’n gymharol newydd yn y rôl ac mae cymaint o heriau parhaus i’m cadw â diddordeb. Mae parhau i ddatblygu ffyrdd o wella seilwaith ymwelwyr yn un sydd ar flaen y gad. Mae gweithio yn yr hyn sy’n parhau i fod yn dirwedd mor wych yn bennaf yn bleser gwirioneddol ac mae wedi cynyddu fy ymwybyddiaeth o’r amgylchedd a’m diddordeb ynddo a phopeth sydd angen i ni ei wneud i’w ddiogelu. Edrychaf ymlaen at gynnal perthynas agos iawn â thîm y Loteri Genedlaethol.
Beth yw eich diddordebau y tu allan i’r gwaith?
Rwy’n brysur iawn yn adnewyddu fy nghartref – sy’n dal i deimlo fel newydd – yn Wrecsam ac mae hyn yn cymryd llawer o amser – yn ogystal â dal i gynnwys diddordebau mewn pensaernïaeth, adeiladau a lluniadu. Rwy’n hoffi mynd allan a mynd am dro yn y cefn gwlad, yn lleol ac ymhellach i ffwrdd, ac mae hynny bob amser ar yr agenda ac mae llawer i’w archwilio o hyd ers symud.
cartref. Yn olaf, beth yw eich hoff fan yn ein Tirwedd Genedlaethol? Rhaid i mi sôn am y draphont ddŵr, wrth gwrs, ond yr hyn rwy’n ei fwynhau mewn gwirionedd yw crwydro ar y llwybrau troed islaw prif Grib Clwyd lle mae cymaint i’w archwilio.