“Everybody in Llanelli has a connection to the club,” explained project development officer Nia Lloyd. When Scarlets moved from its historic site to a new stadium out of town, “it felt almost like the community had lost its identity.” This sense of loss was the spur for a heritage project.

Its focus was the club’s history and large collection of sporting memorabilia – at that time stored out of view. The project set out to involve the whole community. College students came in on work placements to build cases for the memorabilia, while older volunteers – many of them lifetime Scarlets supporters – catalogued artefacts.

“I really enjoyed the experience and feel proud to see the work we’ve done on display. I brought my mates to a game and showed them the cabinets… they were really impressed!”

Kyle, Carpentry Student

The collection is now far better housed, displayed and interpreted. The interpretation of Scarlets’ history also includes a heritage trail – a 12-stop timeline that visitors follow as part of the stadium tour. It’s a truly multisensory experience: the film of matches, the sounds of crowds and team speeches, even the smell of the changing rooms.