LUNABELL GLAMPING AND PICNIC EVENTS £4,822.98 – Neath Valley
NOVEMBER 25th 2021
Lunabell Glamping and Picnic Events launched in 2021 with the help of a £4,289 Micro Fund grant from Pen y Cymoedd, as the world started emerging from tough lockdown restrictions – bringing people together in a safe environment was exactly what everyone needed!
With a keen passion for interior design and the opportunity to throw a friends 30th party, the idea of Lunabell was born to offer a glamping experience at home. This has proven to be very popular in America, but with little competition across South Wales. The initial ideas was to deliver, erect and decorate a 5 meter bell tent in customers gardens for a range of uses such as an outdoor sleepover party including the provision of beds and soft furnishings. Other options included using the bell tent as a chill out tent, date night den or graze tent for adults and children.
Lunabell met with us and a Business Wales advisor at one of our advice sessions in December 2020, to discuss her potential business idea and what she needed to help her dreams of running her own business become a reality. The PyC Board were impressed with the time spent exploring the business model alongside a full time job as well as her commitment to support other local businesses to offer the full with many of the events and parties she organises now catered for by local business The Mine. The Mine is actually another local business supported by Pen y Cymoedd funding.
The business was fully booked until Autumn 2021 within weeks of launching, offering luxurious garden picnic set ups, bespoke slumber parties and organising and decorating for full private events were just some of the services Lunabell has offered in the six months they have been trading.
Pen y Cymoedd are passionate about supporting women in work, whilst helping new business start-ups access secure, favourable funding to help realise their dreams.
The aim is to build the business brand further to sustain a full time salary. The biggest obstacle has been having the time around a young family and working a full time job but with her commitment and such a beautiful brand and product we have no doubt she will succeed.
“I had support from Pen y Cymoedd. Michelle was a great mentor and put me in touch with Business Wales who attended my initial meeting with PyC. Business Wales really helped with the financial planning and working with them enabled me to access other support such as workshops and online business resources. We are so fortunate to have this opportunity for investment in our community and what’s best is anyone can apply, regardless of their personal circumstances, which is great!. The funding from Pen y Cymoedd has been fantastic” Stephanie – Owner Lunabell
The Fund was established by energy company Vattenfall to benefit the communities hosting the Pen y Cymoedd wind farm across the upper Neath, Afan, Rhondda and Cynon Valleys. It exists to support local people, groups and organisations to invest in themselves, their ideas and their communities.
The Community Fund has a substantial annual budget that is index-linked, meaning it increases in line with inflation. As an example, this equated to around £2.5 million in 2025. The Fund will continue to support communities until 2043, creating long-term opportunities for growth, resilience and positive change.
The Fund is managed by an independent, locally based not-for-profit Community Interest Company. It is overseen by a Board of Directors with strong local connections and delivered by a small but dedicated staff team with extensive community engagement experience. We are here to help ensure the Fund delivers on the vision and priorities of local communities.
Over the next 10 years, the Fund is focusing on investment in people, places and businesses — helping the Valleys to thrive, driving bold ideas, supporting transformation and creating lasting impact for current and future generations.