New Voices from Wales

A short documentary portrait of the last three nuns at a north Wales convent. The Sisters of the Bon Sauveur ran a convent school in Holyhead for 87 years before the decline in numbers of young women taking vows led to its sudden closure in 1983. At its height, the convent school included 150 pupils and 18 sisters, and at its head was Sister Miranda Richards. Headmistress at the age of 25 and an ex-pupil of the school, Sister Richards lead for eight years.

Including BBC Wales archive footage from an interview with Sister Richards in 1977, she recounts the formation of the order, its move to Wales, its golden years as a convent school and the school's eventual closure and collapse into decay and demolition. She discusses why young women chose the life of a sister and the shift in society away from convent life.

Today, similarly to the recruitment crisis the sisters experienced in the 1980s, the Catholic church is facing difficulties in recruiting priests to fill parish positions. With testimony from those who have worked alongside the sisters, we hear how they have adapted their mission to continue serving their faith community and the people of Holyhead by taking up roles traditionally occupied by priests.

Ophelia Dos Santos is Welsh textile designer advocating for climate action and sustainability within fashion. At this early stage of her career, she faces the dilemma of whether to move out of Cardiff to pursue her creative passions. Growing up she had set her sights on cities more renowned for fashion such as London - but could the move provide her with better opportunities and more connections?

On her journey, Ophelia looks deeper into her mixed Welsh and Cape Verde heritage with the help of her grandfather Mike. They explore the inherited artistry of the family, full of creatives who have established careers for themselves in Wales. Reflecting on Mike's roots in Tiger Bay, Ophelia learns the importance of appreciating community.

Enlisting the advice of other young creatives, Ophelia finds exciting new opportunities within Cardiff and discovers that location isn't always essential. There is a collaborative arts scene emerging in the capital - but is it enough to keep Ophelia on home soil?

The former mining community of Ystradgynlais, nestled in the Swansea Valley, has a long history of welcoming communities from across the world. In 2019, brothers Aboudi and Ahmad moved to the town with their family after fleeing the Syrian civil war, joining the ranks of several refugee families who now call Ystradgynlais home.

Refuge follows the brothers as they recount their flight from war-torn Homs, to finding temporary refuge in Lebanon, before being permanently resettled in Wales by the UK government. The brothers discuss their memories of Syria, the difficult decision to leave their home and their excitement at finding out they had been accepted by the UK Home Office for resettlement.

The documentary similarly explores the story of Josef Herman, a Polish-Jewish artist who lived in Ystradgynlais for 11 years. Herman fled from Nazi-occupied Brussels during World War Two and came to the UK – like Aboudi and Ahmad - as a refugee of war. He was similarly welcomed by the local community, and came to be fondly known as ‘Joe Bach' (‘Little Joe').

Squirrel's Nest is not only a workshop, but also a place you can come if you're struggling. It's a part of the Men's Shed movement, which encourages men to open up about mental health, grief and loneliness. It has been a lifeline for its members, but its future is now in danger.

Mandy Thomas is a photographer and has been coming to The Nest for years. She talks to the Squirrel's Nest founders, finding out why they set it up in the first place, and to the ‘Squirrels' themselves, hearing how coming to The Nest has changed them.