Tower miners open their doors
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Tower Colliery, Britain's only worker-owned pit and Wales's only surviving deep mine, is opening a window on mining history with a visitor centre, inaugurated yesterday in the shadow of the pit's winding gear in the Lee of Rhigus Mountain near Aberdare.
The colliery has been producing coal for more than a century and was saved from closure by British Coal in 1994 after the 240 miners each chipped in pounds 8,000 to buy it. It has been run at a profit for the last two years.
Tyrone O'Sullivan, former secretary of the Colliery's National Union of Mineworkers' lodge and now a director of the pit co-op, believes the saga of Tower's survival has lessons for other enterprises struggling to stay afloat. "Community support was vital to us. Our new visitors' centre underlines this and is a lasting tribute to those who helped us," Mr O'Sullivan said. Tony Heath
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments