The Circle, Tredegar

Number 10, The Circle, was once home to the Tredegar Medical Aid Society, a revolutionary organisation born in 1890 which through member contributions offered healthcare free at the point of use. Later this was used as a blueprint by Aneurin Bevan when the National Health Service was born in 1948. It’s an important piece of Welsh history that was sadly left neglected for many years.

In 2019 The Coalfields Regeneration Trust bought the building and set to work making it a visitor attraction, chronicling this origin of one of the UK’s most important public services.

Thanks to a £500,000 refurbishment 10 The Circle was brought back to life. Nearing the completion of this refurbishment we were commissioned by the Trust to develop all interpretation contained. This included the branding of the heritage site (influenced heavily by the NHS Wales colours), design of the logo, all graphics panels within as well as supply of the AV equipment that would allow visitors to learn about and engage with the history of this hugely influential site.

This project happened to co-inside with the shocking outbreak of Covid-19, highlighting once again how important the NHS is to the United Kingdom, something the researcher and content creator we worked with for this project Gareth Kiddie (of Gareth Kiddie Associates) chose to feature on panels in the entrance to the building.

The importance of Aneurin Bevan (a larger than life character) is made clear with a larger than life print in the main exhibition room. One of his most famous speeches is activated via button push with additional videos available on a 22″ open frame screen built into his chest.

Inside you’ll find an assortment of other devices, ranging from PIR triggered audio as visitors enter rooms, to a bespoke Candlestick Telephone on a period desk and even a 22″ touchscreen kiosk.

Upon this kiosk you’ll find our off-the-shelf multi-app package Lightbox 3 ‘Collections’ which allows visitors to explore Tredegar’s history in more depth with a range of multi-media items. You can see it in action below.

This was a difficult project given the circumstances at the time, a pandemic affecting the whole world has a way of creating certain barriers… However we feel the results speak for themselves, a magnificent piece of Welsh history has been preserved for years to come.