Tidy People: Olwen Chislett- open hearts and open doors.

Welcome to Tidy People — a new series celebrating the amazing people who make their communities better with kindness, creativity, and action.

To kick things off, we’re starting with the person who inspired the whole series — Olwen Chislett.

You can listen to Olwen’s story in her own words on the Tidy people podcast or via the Tidy People series on youtube.

Meet Olwen Chislett

At 90 years old, Olwen Chislett is still going strong — organising, encouraging, and bringing people together just as she’s done her whole life. Born in 1934 in Milford Street, Tynant, Olwen was raised in a household where generosity and community spirit were simply a way of life. Her father, a war  veteran and colliery worker, could fix just about anything — from clocks to children’s shoes — often using tins to fashion springs or soles, making sure even the poorest kids walked with pride. Her mother, a former Canary Girl in wartime Hereford, always had an extra baby in her arms and a door open to anyone in need.

That open-door warmth runs right through Olwen’s story.

Despite battling polio as a child, Olwen found strength through movement — teaching herself to swim in the local river, then earning her way into Pontypridd Baths. Her determination caught the eye of the National Lottery, who filmed her as part of a celebration of local resilience and history.

Books became another gateway. Thanks to the Carnegie Library in nearby Church Village, she discovered Tarzan, Enid Blyton, and the world of pen pals — corresponding with people from Germany to New Zealand, many of whom later became lifelong friends. Her love of writing never left her.

Professionally, Olwen carved out a path in education and administration, working as a clerk, then bursar, and eventually head of support staff in her local school. Her academic hunger took her to the Open University where she studied everything from political philosophy to German. She even visited Russia with Cardiff University and once hosted a Baptist minister from Moscow in her own community.

But it’s her instinct for bringing people together that truly defines her. From helping found “Mothers in Hospital” to launching local WI and Arts Society branches, and keeping her local U3A and library vibrant, Olwen has always seen the potential in people — and helped them see it too. She doesn’t claim to be “clever,” just good at spotting talent and connecting dots: “I’d find out how good you were at something… and I’d start a little group.”

Her home remains a hub of activity — her trusty Rayburn warm, her kettle always on, and her cakes a staple at the library. “It’s good to be busy,” she says, and for Olwen, busy means building — community, connection, and joy.

Olwen Chislett is more than an organiser. She’s a living example of what it means to be a tidy person — not in the polished sense, but in the deeply Welsh way of being dependable, generous, and rooted in place and people. And at 90, she’s still just getting on with it.

Want to know more?

Don’t forget, you can listen to Olwen’s story on Podbean  or by searching Tidy People wherever you get your podcasts.

You can also watch Olwen talk about her story below.