A community group is rallying together to challenge Powys County Council’s decision to close a 200-year-old school.

Friends of Llangedwyn Church in Wales Primary School was set up in November 2023 and has reportedly already gathered support for their campaign to challenge a proposal by Powys County Council to close the school.

Friends of Llangedwyn School (FOLS) have announced a number of meetings to provide updates on their progress in supporting the school such as raising £1,400 for the school during one event in December 2023, in what FOLS claim was “the biggest raffle the school had ever seen”.

A spokesperson for FOLS said: “Llangedwyn School has educated children for almost 200 years. Its importance is deeply felt, and it is ingrained in the rural culture. FOLS mission is to fundraise as much as possible to help the school.

“They wish to keep the school open to educate children academically (in the mediums of Welsh and English), learn essential life-skills, absorb Llangedwyn’s rich history, and promote the well-being of pupils now and for generations to come.

READ MORE: Powys Council set to agree Llangedwyn primary school closure

“FOLS have organised social media channels, a website (Llangedwyn School’s website was closed down in November 2023), plenty of community engagement, continuation of the strong links with Llangedwyn’s St. Cedwyn’s Church, a ground force day to improve the grounds of the school, fundraising days for the benefit of the school, and lots of enjoyable activities for the children.”

The group was formed shortly after Powys Council’s initial announcement that the school was facing closure. In October 2023 the council made the decision to begin the formal legal process that would see the school close on August 31, 2024.

FOLS also argued that the council did not provide a clear reason for the closure, saying: “It was widely publicised that the school had low pupil numbers, but nothing was stated about the reasons as to why. The decline in numbers has not been due to a decreasing population in the local area. It has been due to a strategic degradation of Llangedwyn School.”

The group is holding a public meeting on February 19 at 7pm in Llangedwyn Village Hall to provide updates on the situation thus far.