Introducing our newest YAC: Gower Unearthed!

We’re pleased to introduce Gower Unearthed YAC based at the Gower Heritage Centre near Swansea, our latest addition to the Young Archaeologists’ Club network! Branch Leader, Helen, tells us about their plans for the branch and their exciting upcoming launch event…

History is  something you can touch, feel, and uncover with your own hands. That’s the spirit behind the brand-new Gower Unearthed Young Archaeologists’ Club (YAC), led by Helen Nicholas, which has officially launched this month.

The Gower peninsula is rich in archaeological treasures – from ancient caves and standing stones to medieval field systems and shipwreck stories. The new YAC gives young people the chance to explore this incredible heritage not from a classroom desk, but out in the landscape itself.

Helen Nicholas, Director of Gower Unearthed CIC, believes in hands-on learning – using the real world as the classroom.

“When children hold a piece of pottery, stand inside an ancient settlement, or see how our ancestors lived, history stops being an abstract idea and becomes something they can connect to,”

The club will meet regularly for activities such as:

• Excavating mock digs and handling real artefacts.
• Exploring historic sites across Gower with archaeologists and heritage specialists.
• Learning how to read the landscape and identify traces of the past.
• Trying out ancient crafts – from flint knapping to weaving.

The sessions are designed to be fun, interactive, and rooted in local history, giving young people both new skills and a deeper connection to the place they live.

The launch event corresponds with a Finds Day at Oystermouth Castle on 13th September;

The Gower Unearthed YAC is part of the wider national Young Archaeologists’ Club network, which aims to give children aged 8–16 unique access to heritage experiences.

“We’re not just teaching history – we’re helping the next generation to care for it.”

For more details on joining the club or upcoming sessions, email gowerunearthed@gmail.com or follow the project on social media.