Community sits at the heart of everything we do at Cowshed. Our work on Caerphilly Town 2035 demonstrates how insight-led engagement can shape regeneration projects that people genuinely feel part of.
To celebrate the unveiling of the Caerphilly Town Relief Map and the transformation of Dafydd Williams Park, we created Made in Caerffili – a town-wide campaign celebrating the people, places and stories that make Caerphilly unique.
The launch on 11 July brought together the work of our insight and engagement specialists, designers and PR team in one integrated campaign, turning a regeneration milestone into a celebration of local identity, with some Strictly sparkle sprinkled on top.
The voice of Caerphilly residents has been central to this journey. Through bespoke insight work, we recognised what people’s priorities were – they wanted:
- More connection between the top and the bottom of the town
- Comfortable seating
- Original and engaging artwork
- A modern play area for children
Most significantly, people wanted to feel pride in the place they love to call home.
That insight inspired Made in Caerffili – a campaign celebrating the people, stories and creativity that have shaped the town.
Working with local creative studio Ongl, we commissioned internationally recognised artist Sebastien Boyesen to create the Caerphilly Town Relief Map: a unique bronze artwork featuring miniature scenes of the town’s history and its most recognisable figures.
Now that the construction of the park and the bronze statue was underway, we saw an opportunity to do something special…
In addition to its famous cheese, Caerphilly has gifted the world many characters: Tommy Cooper, Aaron Ramsey, and Amy Dowden to name a few.
We created a Trail of Tales, with bespoke artwork designed by our in-house team, featuring Caerphilly’s characters. These are currently on display throughout the town’s high street.
On a sunny Saturday in July, Made in Caerffili was launched.
More than 400 people joined us, to see Amy Dowden and Sebastien Boyesen unveiling the relief map.
The campaign generated 27 pieces of media coverage, including ITV Wales News, BBC News Online and Good Morning Britain, while organic social content reached more than 81,000 views.
But the real measure of success was how residents embraced the campaign. From local businesses to community groups, people recognised Made in Caerffili as a celebration of the town’s identity and a reminder that regeneration is most successful when it’s shaped by the people who live there.
“Very excited to be a part of this.” – Caerphilly Audio Tours
“I’m so honoured to be a part of Caerfilli’s Trail of Tales, it is such a brilliant way to celebrate not only Caerphilly and what we have to offer, but also to improve the look and feel of the town for our regulars and visitors.” – Nicola Downie, owner of Nicola Downie Florist.
