In his Last Will and Testament, dated 20 February 1678, Edward Thomas gave his nephew and heirs Tir-y-Dduallt Farm in the parish of Llanwynno. The condition of the will was to ensure that every year on St Thomas’ Day (21 December), his nephew and future heirs would pay the sum of £5.00 to two Church wardens and four overseers of the poor of Llanwynno.
These representatives would divide the money between ten worthy people of the parish of Llanwynno, who received no alms from the parish.
This continued until 1927 when the local authority assumed responsibility as overseers of the poor and since that time the former Mountain Ash Urban District Council then Cynon Valley Borough Council and now Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council appoint four members to act as trustees for the charity.
Each year on 21 December, at 12 noon, the four Council trustees in conjunction with the two Churchwarden trustees and the Vicar of Llanwynno, choose ten people of the parish and award them with a special commemorative 50 pence piece each.
Since 2005 future nominations and selection of beneficiaries will be made on the basis of persons who have helped enhance or make a difference to people within the parish of Llanwynno.
Trustees will choose 10 beneficiaries and those beneficiaries will be presented with a limited edition Royal Mint 50 pence coin in a presentation box to recognise their contribution.
Images: St Gwynno’s Church, Llanwynno