Visit Pembrokeshire and holidaycottages.co.uk launch joint initiative to support local charities

COMMUNITY organisations and charities across Pembrokeshire are being invited to apply for a share of £3,000, following the launch of a new funding initiative aimed at supporting grassroots projects across the county.

The Visit Pembrokeshire Community Fund, launched in partnership with holidaycottages.co.uk, will award three grants of £1,000 each to local groups whose work directly benefits the area. The deadline for applications is 7 July 2025.

Organisers say the fund is designed to support projects that help strengthen communities, enhance the environment, and boost the local economy. Suggested uses for the grant include the creation of community gardens, accessible signage such as braille and town trail maps, and new seating in public spaces—though innovative ideas are also encouraged.

The initiative marks the start of a new partnership between Visit Pembrokeshire and holidaycottages.co.uk, part of the Travel Chapter group, which aims to deliver tangible benefits to the places most popular with visitors.

Serena Pearce, Regional Communities Manager at Travel Chapter, said:

“We are incredibly excited to be launching this community fund with Visit Pembrokeshire. At holidaycottages.co.uk, we are passionate about supporting the communities where we operate, and we take great pride in giving back to the places our guests love to visit.

“By investing in local projects, we hope to create lasting, positive impacts that help towns and villages thrive and remain cherished destinations for both visitors and residents. We can’t wait to get started and make a difference together.”

Emma Thornton, CEO of Visit Pembrokeshire, added:

“This partnership reflects our shared vision for Pembrokeshire to be a global leader in regenerative tourism. That means ensuring the visitor economy delivers a net positive for the people who live and work here, as well as those who visit.

“We’re grateful to holidaycottages.co.uk for joining us in this effort, and we look forward to seeing the impact of this collaboration.”

Holidaycottages.co.uk has already supported a number of community initiatives in the region, most recently sponsoring the Saundersfoot New Year’s Day Swim, which raised over £30,000 for local causes.

Applications for the Visit Pembrokeshire Community Fund can be submitted online. Full details, including eligibility criteria and the application form, are available at:
👉 www.visitpembrokeshire.com/industry/community-fund-initiative

The deadline for applications is Sunday 7 July 2025.

A PROPOSED new ‘traveller site’ on the outskirts of a Pembrokeshire village, which has seen a petition of nearly 300 objections, is expected to be refused by national park planners next week.

The Authority has served an Enforcement Notice on the site, which requires its return to its previous condition.

The scheme for the creation of one traveller site incorporating one static caravan, one touring caravan, day/utility room and ecological enhancements (partly retrospective) on land at Froghall Yard, Moreton Lane, Saundersfoot, is recommended for refusal at the May 21 meeting of Pembrokeshire coast National Park’s development management committee.

It was deferred from the April meeting pending a site visit.

Nearly 300 people have signed a petition against the scheme and the objection to the site is also being shared by the village’s community council.

Around 50 people attended a recent meeting of the community council when members voted unanimously to object to the application.

The application is made by Dai Evans of Pontypool, through agents Hayston Developments & Planning Ltd.

Saundersfoot Community Council has pointed out that the site is agricultural land, with no caravan or other use in over 30 years.

There was also concern that the site – where two previous planning applications had been rejected – is overlooked from Incline Way above and cannot be screened.

Members have said granting permission “would be gross overdevelopment setting a precedent for development literally anywhere throughout the national park”.

The community council’s objection finished: “The applicant lives in Pontypool and claims no connection to the area.  There is no rationale as to why the applicant chose a site approximately 100 miles away from their home.”

A supporting statement accompanying the application states: “The applicant belongs to a long-standing Romany Gypsy family and generations have lived a traditional and cultural lifestyle living in caravans all their lives.

“Mr Evans and his partner currently reside on an overcrowded Traveller site in Pontypool where living conditions are poor. They currently only live in rented accommodation and its brick and mortar and not in keeping with their cultural preference, as they prefer to live in a caravan.”

It says Mr Evans and family have stayed in a touring caravan at the site during the summer months since the late 1980s when it was owned by another gypsy family, later purchased by Mr Evans in 2023, clearing and refurbishing the site.

“The application’s aspirations are to continue his Gypsy culture and traditions residing in a caravan on site.”

A park officer report recommending refusal says the applicant has accommodation and is not currently homeless, giving only moderate weight “to the existing level of outstanding unmet need for Gypsy Traveller accommodation in Pembrokeshire,” adding: “That level of need should be weighed against the likely impact of development on the National Park landscape and habitat in this area.”

It says there has been “significant site clearance undertaken prior to the submission of the application, and the impact on the landscape, biodiversity and ecosystem resilience has been assessed as negative,” with officers considering further caravan development “would exceed landscape capacity”.

County scoops highest number of accolades in national environmental honours

PEMBROKESHIRE has been officially named home to the best beaches in Wales, securing a record-breaking 17 Wales Coast Awards in 2025—more than any other part of the country.

The results, released today (Thursday) by environmental charity Keep Wales Tidy, recognise coastal locations across Wales for exceptional environmental standards, excellent water quality, and a commitment to education and sustainability.

Out of the 49 beaches honoured across Wales, Pembrokeshire claimed 10 of the 21 Blue Flag Awards, including well-known locations such as Tenby South and North, Poppit Sands, Broad Haven (North), Newgale, Dale, Whitesands and Coppet Hall.

Saundersfoot and Tenby Castle beaches are also celebrating their 25th consecutive year holding Blue Flag status—an international mark of environmental quality administered by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). All of Pembrokeshire’s Blue Flag beaches have successfully retained their awards from last year.

In addition to its Blue Flag successes, Pembrokeshire also leads Wales in the number of Green Coast Awards, which are given to more remote, unspoilt beaches with high environmental standards. Of the 13 Green Coast Awards presented this year, seven went to Pembrokeshire beaches: Aberiddy, Freshwater East, Manorbier, Penally, Caerfai, Druidstone and West Angle Bay.

The Green Coast Award celebrates lesser-known, “hidden gem” beaches that offer natural beauty alongside excellent water quality and environmental care.

Keep Wales Tidy has managed the Wales Coast Awards for over 20 years. The awards play a vital role in protecting the Welsh marine environment and are internationally recognised as a symbol of quality. To qualify, beaches must meet rigorous criteria on water quality, public information, environmental education, safety, and site management.

In addition to the Blue Flag and Green Coast accolades, 15 beaches across Wales earned the Seaside Award—a UK-only honour that signifies clean, attractive, and well-managed stretches of coastline. This year’s Seaside Award winners include Aberystwyth South and North, New Quay Harbour, Aberavon in Neath Port Talbot, and Whitmore Bay and Jackson’s Bay in Barry Island.

Owen Derbyshire, Chief Executive of Keep Wales Tidy, praised Pembrokeshire’s outstanding performance.

“The Wales Coast Awards are a fantastic celebration of Wales’ beautiful and diverse coastline,” he said.
“They are testament to the huge effort of staff and volunteers at sites across Wales. Thank you to everyone who works so hard to protect and preserve our natural landscape in the face of increasingly challenging circumstances.”

Cllr Rhys Sinnett, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services at Pembrokeshire County Council, said: “We are incredibly proud to once again receive the highest number of Wales Coast Awards.
Pembrokeshire is rightly recognised as being home to some of the world’s best beaches, but it takes hard work and year-round commitment to maintain these standards and secure prestigious awards like the Blue Flag and Green Coast.”

“We look forward to welcoming both residents and visitors to our outstanding beaches this summer.”

A full list of this year’s award-winning beaches is available on the Keep Wales Tidy website.