Tyrone O'Sullivan led the co-operative of over 220 miners who bought the Tower Colliery in 1994. With their redundancy money, knowledge and skills, they saved the Tower Colliery from closure and saved their jobs. The Government of the day had a grand plan to close every pit in Britain. Many pits were told, like Tower, that coal reserves were depleted and that their pits were uneconomic to run.

Tyrone O'Sullivan (pictured) knew otherwise and organised the miners' buy-out of the pit. In 1995, coal production began again, with thousands of tons of good quality anthracite coal being sold to worldwide markets. It took 13 more years to exhaust the seams of coal left in the ground - the coal they had been told was not there.

Tyrone O'Sullivan was secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers for 22 years, and it was during his time as chairman of the union that he led the miners to challenge and finally prove wrong the then government's decision to close the pit. Not only was Tower Colliery made a financial success, it ensured that valuable mining skills were retained. Tower Colliery produced coal from 1808 until a few weeks ago in 2008. Four generations of Tyrone's family worked in mining, not without some tragedy, his grandfather and uncles being killed at Mardy Colliery in the 1885 disaster and his father was killed at Tower in 1963.

A man of great stature, energy and ability, Tyrone has been recognised by many walks of life. He was awarded an OBE, an Honorary Fellowship of the University of Wales, an Hon. Masters' Degree of the Open University, an Hon. Doctorate of the University of Glamorgan and an Hon. Fellowship of Trinity College, Carmarthen. He also served for six years on the board of the former Welsh Development Agency.

At 63 years of age, he doesn't yet plan retirement. The Miners' Co-operative own the site on the mountain at Hirwaun, and they plan to develop an undertaking there which will be of great value to the people of the area for generations to come. Tenby and District Branch of the Labour Party have invited him to speak at St. Teilo's Church Hall, Tenby (opposite the Five Arches Monument and the old Town Walls) on Saturday morning February 16, at 11.30 am.

You are warmly invited to attend. The speaker has a real story to tell.