BP Refinery (Llandarcy) Limited - St. Athan 31st August – 2nd September 1962

George Thomas, MP (Labour) for Cardiff West, follows in the footsteps of the Queen Mother by visiting the St Athan's Boys' Village, meeting the new pensioner mayor and mayoress.

A camp that initially provided a holiday venue for young colliers, under the auspices of the Boys' Clubs of Wales, became the St Athan's Boys' Village, welcoming youth groups for courses/holidays from across the UK and Europe. Here, the apprentices are seen engaging in sporting and cultural activities in the disciplined, Christian environment designed to encourage community responsibility and to assist in the transition from youth to adulthood.

By 1962, this camp had been open for over 30 years. It was established by Lord Davies of Llandinam and Captain J Glynn-Jones (respectively President and Welfare Officer of the Ocean Coal Company), both of whom had founded the Boys' Club Movement in Wales in 1922, the same year in which Ifan ab Owen Edwards founded the Welsh language youth movement, Urdd Gobaith Cymru. A major refurbishment in 1962 was commemorated by a visit from the Queen Mother and the camp was re-named the St Athan's Boys' Village. By tradition, every year an ex-miner and his wife would be elected Mayor and Mayoress of the camp and enjoy a free holiday there. The Llandarcy apprentices seen here may have been on a training course or a holiday.