Brecon High School students have raised more than £1,500 for a local refugee charity through an art exhibition held in collaboration with The Found Gallery.

The student-led show, titled Imagine, was launched in celebration of UNESCO World Art Day in April and explored themes of peace, cultural diversity, and hope. It was coordinated by local art advocates Vivienne Williams and Geoff Lloyd, in partnership with teachers Karen Thomas, Catherine Huggins, Sarah Melhuish, and Jo Dover.

The work was exhibited at The Found Gallery in Brecon, where gallery owner Nicola Maughan showcased and sold students’ artwork without taking any commission.

All proceeds from the exhibition - totalling £1,518 - were donated to the Hay, Brecon and Talgarth Sanctuary for Refugees (HBTSR), a volunteer-run charity supporting displaced individuals and families.

The funds were formally presented earlier this summer at a community welcome day hosted by HBTSR. During the event, refugee student Sofiia delivered an emotional speech, standing alongside fellow young artists Kameliia, Kseniia and Max. Together, the group had created a collaborative painting titled Not a Memory, but a Dream.

In her speech, Sofiia said: “We didn’t want to show war. We wanted to show what is left after it - or sometimes, what is missing.

“Our painting shows a man carrying his daughter on his shoulders. She holds her country’s flag. But this moment never really happened. It’s not a memory. It’s a dream. A dream of safety. Of love. Of a world where children are not torn from their childhood.

“Sometimes, it’s not the loudest voices that stay with us - but the quietest moments of care. A parent’s hand. A steady presence. A dream of home.

That's what HBTSR charity brings into real life. That sense of being held. Of being seen. Of being heard. Of being known. Of being remembered. Of being safe - even when everything else has fallen apart.

“So today we are incredibly proud to be handing over the money raised through our paintings to Hay, Brecon and Talgarth Sanctuary for Refugees: a charity that brings not only comfort, but also hope, to refugees who have lost not just their homes, but pieces of themselves.”

She concluded with a moving dedication: “To all the families who had to choose between their past and their children’s future. To all the people who stayed, and held, and carried - we dedicate this painting to you.

“Thank you for giving this dream a voice. Thank you for believing in hope, and in the power of staying.”

Receiving the cheque, HBTSR chair Margaret Blake said: “This donation will go directly to help those in need. It allows us to run welcoming days that bring together children, staff, parents, local councillors, and the wider community - all united in offering friendship and sanctuary to those who have lost so much."

Brecon High School Headteacher Rob Edwards and Deputy Head Lisa Buttle praised the students' contribution, describing the project as “a testament to the power of youth, art, and empathy.”

More information about HBTSR can be found at: hbtsr.cityofsanctuary.org