About Phoenix Cymru
Phoenix Cymru is a new social enterprise set up by local people in Aberystwyth to facilitate and promote community education.
The Phoenix Crew is an eclectic group of volunteers with an interest in IT and Community Education. Between us all, we have a very wide range of skills and expertise including:
- IT tuition in a range of subjects from Microsoft Office to Music Technology & Web site development
- Computer Hardware Maintenance
- Sound Engineering
- Systems Management
- Administration
- Accounting
- Fundraising
- Business Enterprise.
Biographies
Catherine Beckham - Chair / Project Co-ordinator
"Hello. I’m a multi media kind of girl, never without my phone(s), mp3 player and am constantly on line with Facebook, Napster and looking up lyrics on Google! I’ve found the greyscale button on Photoshop and it does wonders for ones complexion!"
"I have recently got into digital story telling and am a whiz on movie maker now. I’m planning to get back into electronic music again and need to brush up my skills on cubase, acid and fruity loops! I’m definitely an early 90s music fan with leftfield, underworld, faithless, moby, jah wobble and transglobal underground on heavy rotation. Other favourites from the 80s and 00s are Depeche Mode and Goldfrapp. And of course, her royal Madjesty, the queen of the dance floor – Madonna! Recently though, I’ve been hill billying it up in an Appalachian Style and have enjoyed a bit of blue grass! Good old Alison Krauss for reminding me of country music!"
Catherine brings over 10 years experience working within the voluntary sector with a background in project management and administration. In 1996 she started volunteering in London with the Stoke Newington Midsummer Music Festival where she worked with modern dance performers debuting their shows. She was also employed at the National Council for Voluntary Organisations where she was personal assistant to the Director of Policy. Her artistic work in Mid Wales includes a 2-year music-recording project with Max Trax and the production of "Celtic Electronica".
Her administrative work over the last 7 years in Aberystwyth includes working for Wales Wildlife and Countryside Link, Mentro Lluest and the Dyfed Powys Probation Services. She is now a proud mother to William and works full time as a volunteer co-ordinator for dim prob at Aberystwyth Student Union.
Huldah Knox-Thomas - Secretary / Project Administrator
"Huldah is the Company Secretary for Phoenix Cymru and she brings with her the ability to say “Grrr!” and be very scary when computers don’t obey her commands! She likes things nice and orderly and gets cross when people file things in the wrong place! Huldah is the one who scrutinizes the accounts, produces profit and loss reports and ensures everything is perfectly balanced by the end of the financial year! What a girl!"
Huldah started volunteering in 2001 in order to gain work experience in the area of administration. In that time she has worked with members of the public who used the ICT and internet facilities; provided help and support to learners; liaised with other volunteers in terms of recruitment, training and maintained the day to day running of the project.
During her volunteering she has overseen the administration of accounts (Sage), taking minutes and meetings and general correspondence and diary appointments. She achieved the NVQ Level 2 Business Administration Foundation Modern Apprenticeship which included customer service and information technology. Huldah is a single parent and a proud mother to Jacob.
Anthony McCreary - Treasurer / Sound Engineer
Anthony has a 25-year background in sound engineering and administration. He has studied at the London College of Furniture and has an HND in Musical Instrument Technology. In 1986 he started Max Trax with an 8-track analogue tape studio. In 1994 he came to Aberystwyth to do a humanities access course at Coleg Ceredigion. In 1996 he worked on a joint venture with Catherine and oversaw the recording and mixing of "Celtic Electronica".
In 2000 he started volunteering and gained work experience at an Internet café providing help and support to learners, carrying out front of house duties and assisting with volunteer recruitment. He worked with Huldah during this time and decided to assist with Phoenix Cymru, expanding on the youth work he had done at the Aberaeron Drop In Centre where he participated in the On Common Ground Project which is sponsored by the National Library of Wales teaching young people skills and techniques in sound engineering.
Anthony became a qualified mentor in 2007, and has been providing mentoring for local bands and musicians, with funding provided by complete control music, part of community music wales. He also provides a drop in centre for local musicians, with telephone line and laptop provided by Phoenix Cymru. He has recently taken to filming and recording bands creating music video demos for use on the internet.
Mark Giddens - Project Officer / Tutor
I have been with Phoenix Cymru right from the start, initially providing 'Build your own Computer' with CRAFT, and now project officer with 'Ceredigion Digital Inclusion', training community groups to create their own multimedia material.
I've been an eager 'early adopter' of digital technology for more than quarter of a century, starting in 1981 with what was then 'micro computing'. In 1992 I encountered an emerging notion called 'The Internet', and a couple of years later a text based application called 'The World Wide Web'. In 2001 I was awarded a post graduate diploma in Computer Science, and have been acquiring new digital skills ever since.
I've been the synthesizer player in a couple of bands, and have almost entirely given up painting having encountered the joys of PhotoShop. I am also proud to have an entirely un-vocational degree in Philosophy.
Tim Beckham - Tutor
Musician, designer and qualified tutor, Tim has lived in Aberystwyth since 2000. He has worked in private, voluntary and educational sectors within the local community, delivering training and providing graphic design, web design, IT support and consultancy.
Policies
Equal Opportunities policy 
(PDF 95Kb)
Child and vulnerable people protection policy (PDF 81Kb)
Recruitment policy (PDF 113Kb)
Security policy (PDF 107Kb)
Volunteering policy (PDF 116Kb)
Company Reg: 6034760
Reg Office: The Toll House, 1 Llanbadarn Road, Aberystwyth, SY23 1EJ