Machynlleth’s beloved school calendar is hitting the shops this week for the fifth year in a row.

What started as a lockdown project has become a popular annual tradition which sees students from Ysgol Bro Hyddgen Primary and Secondary School create their own calendar.

Twelve budding photographers are selected from submissions of photos of local spots.

Some of the photographers if this years calendar
Some of the photographers if this years calendar (Ysgol Bro Hyddgen)

The calendar began as a way to encourage people to visit local shops after the first Covid-19 lockdown in 2020.

The project has been so successful it is now a mainstay of the town, being sold with glee from independent businesses in exchange for a £5 donation to the school.

Town Councillor Ann MacGarry said: “It's a great example of cooperation in the town and people in the wider area. “One encouraging aspect is that the shops and cafes are very keen to participate, so distributing the calendars is a real pleasure.

“The town and area is promoted, the pupils see their work in print and the school gets a small, much-needed boost to the school fund.”

She added about the late Cllr Michael Williams who passed away last week: “Of course, Michael Williams was an active supporter of this project; just one of the many practical ways that he quietly helped the community.”