TOURISM and hospitality businesses across Wales are being invited to apply for grants from a new £2 million fund aimed at creating more accessible and inclusive visitor experiences.

The Welsh Government’s Croeso i Bawb scheme will support practical improvements designed to remove barriers faced by disabled and neurodivergent visitors, people with hidden conditions and those travelling with them.

Eligible projects could include accessible toilets and bedrooms, improved paths and visitor routes, hearing loops, inclusive play areas, sensory spaces, rest areas and accessible outdoor seating.

Businesses will also be able to use new guidance and a practical toolkit to assess every stage of the visitor experience, identify potential barriers and prioritise the changes likely to make the greatest difference.

The resources have been developed in partnership with PIWS, a Wales-based not-for-profit organisation which contributed expertise based on the lived experiences of disabled people.

Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy Adam Price said the fund would help ensure that Wales offered a genuine welcome to every visitor.

He said: “A quarter of all visitors to Wales are disabled. If Wales says ‘croeso’ to the world, that word cannot come with small print. The welcome to Wales must be real for everyone.

“It must hold true for disabled visitors, neurodivergent visitors and people with hidden conditions and barriers. That is why we are launching Croeso i Bawb, to help tourism and hospitality businesses open their doors wider still.

“Accessibility is good business but, more than that, it is simply what hospitality means.”

Davina Carey-Evans, of PIWS, said the most successful accessibility improvements were those informed by the experiences of disabled people.

She said: “Accessibility is not just a legal requirement; it is a strategic investment.

“By investing in accessible premises and facilities, tourism businesses can enhance customer satisfaction, support and retain staff, attract new markets and generate a measurable return on investment, while helping to make Wales a truly welcoming destination for everyone.”

Grace Maidment, owner of Stangwrach Holiday Cottages and winner of the Visit Wales Accessible and Inclusive National Tourism Award 2025, said improving accessibility had enabled the business to welcome guests who might otherwise have been unable to visit.

She said: “Everyone deserves the opportunity to enjoy a relaxing and memorable break, regardless of mobility, age or the need for support.

“Being accessible to all guests makes complete business sense, and we welcome the opportunities the Croeso i Bawb scheme provides.”

Applications from tourism and hospitality businesses must be submitted by September 21, 2026.

WOMEN across the Dyfed-Powys area are set to benefit from improved access to specialist support following the opening of a new Women’s Centre Hub at Parc Dewi Sant.

Operated by The Nelson Trust, the hub forms part of the continued development of trauma-informed services for women experiencing multiple disadvantage.

It provides a safe and supportive environment where women can access practical advice, guidance and specialist help to address the challenges they face.

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner has worked alongside The Nelson Trust and partners from the Local Criminal Justice Board to support the development of the facility.

The project forms part of the board’s wider commitment to improving outcomes for women throughout the Dyfed-Powys area.

The hub was officially opened on Friday, July 3, bringing together organisations involved in delivering support and recognising the partnership work that helped establish the new service.

Peer support will also play an important role, with volunteers drawing on their own lived experiences to help women facing similar circumstances.

Referrals to the Dyfed-Powys service are currently made through the Community Rehabilitation Service via probation. The hub is not presently accepting self-referrals.

Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn said: “Women experiencing multiple disadvantage deserve access to the right support at the right time.

“By working closely with our partners, we can help ensure that women across our communities are able to access the specialist services they need to address the challenges they face and build safer, more positive futures.

“This partnership demonstrates what can be achieved when organisations come together with a shared commitment to supporting vulnerable members of our communities.”

Volunteer-run garden recognised among record number of award-winning green spaces across Wales

THE DEDICATION of local residents has secured Manorbier Community Garden its first prestigious Green Flag Community Award.

Around 50 people gathered at the garden to celebrate the achievement with food and refreshments before watching the Green Flag being raised.

The award was announced by Keep Wales Tidy as part of the 2026 Green Flag Awards, which recognise the best-managed parks and green spaces across Wales.

A record 330 Welsh sites have met the standards required to fly a Green Flag this year. Of these, 93 received full Green Flag Award status, while 237 volunteer-run spaces were presented with Green Flag Community Awards.

Manorbier Community Garden was recognised for its environmental work, welcoming visitor facilities and strong level of community involvement.

Green Flag Community Awards celebrate high-quality spaces managed largely by volunteers, including community gardens, local nature reserves and other valued neighbourhood sites.

Wales has now secured more Green Flag Community Awards than any other country taking part in the scheme for the third consecutive year. The total has risen from 223 last year to 237 in 2026.

Work on Manorbier Community Garden began in April 2024, transforming an area of scrubland into a flourishing community space in little more than two years.

Led by local couple Ollie and Sian Cromwell, volunteers have built raised beds using repurposed materials and filled them with vegetables, flowers and other plants donated by residents.

Everything is grown organically, without the use of pesticides or herbicides, and produce from the garden is available for the community to share.

The site also includes a secure chicken enclosure housing six hens, a children’s mud kitchen and spaces where residents can meet, play and enjoy the outdoors.

Pick-a-Pumpkin events have also been organised for local children.

Keep Wales Tidy supported the project by providing food-growing and orchard packages, a metal tool shed and a small polytunnel. Volunteers have since constructed a larger polytunnel using donated materials.

Sian Cromwell said: “We are absolutely delighted to have received the Green Flag Community Award. It means so much to our community and celebrates what can be achieved when people come together with a shared vision.

“Just over two years ago, this was simply scrubland. Today, it is a thriving and welcoming space, rich in biodiversity and bursting with life.

“There are fresh vegetables for everyone to share, flowers, chickens, a mud kitchen for children and space for people to play, meet and connect.

“The garden belongs to the whole community. We are incredibly proud of how far we have come and warmly invite everyone to play a part in its sustainable future.”

The Green Flag Award scheme was established 30 years ago and now recognises well-managed parks and green spaces in more than 20 countries around the world.

In Wales, the awards are administered by Keep Wales Tidy.