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Community

£21 million allocated to secure the future of Wales’ voluntary sector

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£7M A YEAR has been allocated to support Wales’ voluntary sector over the current Welsh Government’s term, a commitment of over £21m across the next three years.

The announcement follows the publication of the draft Budget by Finance Minister Rebecca Evans last week (Dec 20).

This is in addition to around £7m provided every year by the Welsh Government’s Community Facilities Programme, a grant scheme of up to £250,000 for the improvement of local community projects and facilities.

The £7m of annual funding, beginning in 2022, will be provided to the Third Sector Support Wales. This partnership comprises of 20 organisations – 19 County Voluntary Councils supporting each county area and the national membership body for voluntary organisations, Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA).

These organisations provide an infrastructure to all of Wales’ voluntary sector organisations under four pillars of activity identified in partnership with Welsh Government: volunteering; good governance; sustainable funding; and engagement and influencing.

Additionally, the long-standing Community Facilties Programme will continue to provide small and large grants to well-used community projects to improve their sustainability and provide opportunities for local people to improve their day-to-day lives.

Announced every 3 months and split into pots of under £25,000 and up to £250,000, the latest Community Facilities Programme recipients are:

Up to £250,000:

£250,000 for Krishna Cymru, Cardiff to refurbish and turn their Grade II-listed building into a cultural heritage site and well-being community centre for Butetown, promoting physical and mental well-being through accessible training in yoga and meditation
£250,000 for Llanrumney Hall Community Trust, Cardiff to create a health and well-being centre
£250,000 for Newport Mind to complete the next phase of their project creating a fit-for-purpose centre with consultation, training and group rooms plus a sanctuary space on the first floor

Up to £25,000:

£25,000 for Mentoring for All, Cardiff to renovate and repair their roof, kitchen and toilet facilities and replace windows and doors
£25,000 for Ysgoldy Community Group, Ceredigion to provide a safe and sustainable off-road parking area, including planting native trees and hedgerows, creating an environment for local fauna and flora, enabling biodiversity and lessening their carbon footprint of the project
£25,000 for Clwb Rygbi Rhuthun, Denbighshire to renovate their clubhouse by providing a larger seating area, new kitchen and upgrades to their toilet / changing room facilities for more suitable access for all
£20,000 for Abergavenny Community Trust, Monmouthshire to install solar panels for their community centre as part of their net zero by 2030 plans
£25,000 for Llanelli Goods Shed, Carmarthenshire to create a community café and heritage interpretation area
£25,000 for Tabernacl Cardiff, Cardiff to repair their Grade II listed building including to the flat roof, stones repairs and roof lights
£8,000 for Bedwas Rugby 2011, Caerphilly to provide a new, low-carbon, floodlighting system.
£25,000 for the Parish of Abercynon, RCT to install a professional kitchen to develop a social enterprise café

Minister for Social Justice and with responsibility for Wales’ third sector, Jane Hutt, told this newspaper: “It has been yet another difficult year for many of us, but our community, charitable and third sector organisations have remained steadfast in their support for all.

“Continuing to commit considerable funding through both our Third Sector Support Wales network and Community Facilities Programme will allow our wonderful hyper-local projects as well as wider-ranging organisations to evolve and grow in their areas, ensure they remain fit-for-purpose and available for anyone who requires them.”

CEO of WCVA, Ruth Marks, told The Herald: “Third Sector Support Wales is a unique partnership supporting local, regional and national charitable and voluntary action. Our members are active in every community and make a significant contribution in every walk of life.

“This financial support will enable us to maintain and develop our services to meet current and emerging needs in the sector.”

Applications for the Community Facilities Programme are open year-round and organisations can find out more by searching for Community Facilities Programme on gov.wales

Community

Connecting the Coast project celebrates significant achievements in nature recovery

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CONNETING THE COAST, an ambitious three-year Nature Recovery project backed by Welsh Government funding, is drawing to a close, having taken impressive strides in protecting and enhancing the fragile ecosystems of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.

The project, designed to safeguard coastal habitats and enhance biodiversity in farmland adjacent to the iconic coastline, works in close collaboration with local farmers and landowners, to restore habitats, strengthen ecosystem resilience, and promote sustainable land management.

Connecting the Coast has yielded impressive results, with land management changes creating flourishing habitats for wildlife. This is evident in the reappearance of coastal wildflowers like centaury and sheep’s bit where conservation grazing has been implemented and the appearance of scarce arable plants, such as weasel’s snout and bugloss, in crop margins that have been left unsprayed.

New hay meadows are also thriving, offering sanctuary to pollinators and birds, while species-rich pastures are helping to secure soil health and protect carbon stocks. These biodiversity-rich areas form vital buffers in the coastal ecosystem, offering increased resilience against the impacts of climate change.

Connecting the Coast Project Officer Clare Flynn said: “At the heart of Connecting the Coast is a strong partnership with the local farming community and landowners, ranging from large dairy farms to smallholders with just a few fields – and we’ve been met with overwhelming support and a warm welcome from everyone.”

Throughout its duration, Connecting the Coast has achieved several significant milestones in its mission to restore and protect habitats. These include installing almost 19,000 meters of fencing to improve conservation grazing and safeguarding over 80 hectares of coastal slopes to protect iconic coastal species. In addition, over 50 hectares of hay meadows and 50 hectares of species-rich permanent pasture have been created, enhancing biodiversity and supporting soil health.

As the project enters its final months, the team will continue to provide tailored support and advice to landowners, while closely monitoring the ecological outcomes of habitat restoration efforts. The project is committed to deepening conversations with both farmers and the Welsh Government to secure sustainable farming support and ensure that nature recovery remains a top priority in Pembrokeshire and beyond.

Connecting the Coast has received financial support from the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Landscapes, Sustainable Places fund.

Although applications for funding are now closed, further information about the project can be obtained by emailing Clare Flynn at [email protected].

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Community

Haverfordwest quayside scheme approved by planners

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A SCHEME to refurbish a quayside building in Haverfordwest’s conservation area, along with works to the existing Haverhub community hub has been backed by county planners.

The application, by Gitti Coats, for the refurbishment and extension of Haverfordwest’s Quayside Building to form multi-functional community spaces, along with an extension to the bar building to create a first-floor terrace at Quay Street was recommended for conditional approval at the November 5 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee.

A report for planners said: “The application site comprises of two existing buildings and associated outdoor area located within the Quayside area of Haverfordwest.  One of the buildings is known as the Quayside Building, which fronts the quayside and is currently vacant. The second building, which currently addresses Quay Street to the west, is known as the ‘Haverhub’ community hub.”

The Grade-II-listed Haverhub building, is a former post office, described as “a finely designed neoGeorgian Post Office in Bath stone,” built in 1934-6 for the General Post Office (GPO), and “is an example of the high quality neo-Georgian post offices of the inter-war period”.

A report for planners said the Quayside building would increase in height from approximately 7.9 metres to 11.7 metres with the creation of a second floor and accommodation within the roof space, the ground floor utilised for space in connection with a performance space within the Haverhub building.

To the first floor would be a multi-function room, which would also connect to a proposed bar area and associated first floor terrace which includes outdoor seating.  The second floor of the Quayside building would include a second multi-function and meeting room.

The main Haverhub building would be extended to provide a gallery and entrance lobby.  The existing bar and kitchen would also be extended.

The Haverhub building was granted a change of use to a community hub in 2018, with the use and building benefiting from a ground floor internal outdoor courtyard area, which is located below the proposed first floor terrace.

The report said that, as there is already an outside space for the community hub to utilise “the addition of the first-floor seating area would not create a significantly greater impact in terms of noise generation or impact on amenity than the existing outdoor area to the ground floor”.

Speaking at the November 5 meeting, Gitti Coates said Haverhub had spent the last eight years “recognising the real value of abandoned buildings,” with “a desire to see something positive happening for the town”.

She said the “iconic” quayside building had been purchased with “a significant contribution from Pembrokeshire County Council’s Enhancing Pembrokeshire fund”.

Committee chair Cllr Simon Hancock, who moved approval, described the scheme as “marvellous,” saying it would be “a distinct improvement” to the area, with Haverhub “doing the most remarkable job in trying to regenerate the town”.

Cllr Mark Carter said: “A wonderful scheme, something the town is going to be proud of.”

The application was unanimously approved by members.

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Community

Neyland church which served community for 160 years to become homes

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A CALL to convert a former Pembrokeshire church, which has served its community since almost the start of its town’s creation, has been approved.

In an application recommended for conditional approval at the Pembrokeshire County Council planning committee meeting of November 5, Mr and Mrs Davies sought permission for a change of use of the former Zion Presbyterian Church, High Street, Neyland to two dwellings.

Zion Presbyterian Church was one of the first built in Neyland and is evident on the 1862 Ordnance Survey (OS) map identified as a Calvinist chapel with the date above the north door. It was later extended in 1871.

A report for planners said the church, in the town’s conservation area, closed in July 2023 due to the condition of the building and the lack of funding to ensure its maintenance, and was bought by the applicants in June of this year; the only interested parties, the price being lowered during the marketing exercise due to there being no demand.

It would be converted into two units, the first in the original church building, and the latter in a rear extension of the building.

Members at the November 5 meeting heard the congregation was now attending Gilead chapel, Maidenwells and Ebenezer church, Haverfordwest.

Moving approval, committee chair, local councillor, and historian Cllr Simon Hancock said: “I know this chapel very well, it’s in my electoral ward.

“In some ways its quite sort of poignant, it was built in 1861 designed by W H Linsey who was a noted local architect at the time when Neyland had only been a town five years; it’s served the community for 160 years and closed in the summer of 2023, it didn’t create even the merest ripple in the community, which is really sad, but I believe there’s a chapel closing in Wales every week.

“It’s really, really, sad; all the generations that have been associated with and affiliated with this chapel and the contributions it has made to the social and religious life of the community.

“As things are, that’s the increasing trend, so a historic building will only survive if it has an end use, I’m really pleased the outside treatment of this building is going to be carefully maintained,” adding: “I think it’s really important the outside of this building remains as unaltered and authentic as it can be.”

The application was unanimously approved by committee members.

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