A NEW report has urged the Welsh Government to work more closely with voluntary organisations to ensure communities are better prepared for future emergencies.

The call comes from the Senedd’s Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee, which examined how lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic have shaped Wales’ current emergency planning.

The report highlights the crucial role played by voluntary groups during the pandemic, particularly in supporting vulnerable people and responding quickly to rising community needs.

Clair Swales, Chief Executive of the Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations (PAVO), welcomed the committee’s findings and its recommendation that government bodies strengthen collaboration with the voluntary sector and commissioning organisations.

The recommendation includes making greater use of long-term funding arrangements to support infrastructure investment and improve the sector’s ability to respond to sudden surges in demand during emergencies.

Giving evidence to the committee last November, Swales warned that continued financial pressures across the sector could weaken its ability to respond effectively in future crises.

She said: “If I was asked to bring the third sector together to respond to an emergency at this moment, I could. However, future involvement may become more challenging as the sector continues to face significant financial and capacity pressures.”

The committee’s report, published on Tuesday (Mar 11), explored how the Welsh Government and public bodies responded to the pandemic and what improvements have been made since.

It also considered findings from Module 1 of the UK COVID-19 Inquiry, which examined resilience and preparedness across the UK.

Swales said the report recognises that the work carried out by voluntary organisations during the pandemic came at a significant cost to the sector.

She added: “Evidence from a number of voluntary organisations shows the sector is facing considerable funding and resource challenges.

“We will continue to work with commissioners and the Powys third sector to maximise opportunities, represent the sector’s voice in policy and investment discussions, and ensure rural communities are considered when funding and commissioning services.”

The report has been submitted to the Welsh Government and will be debated by Members of the Senedd during a plenary session on Wednesday (Mar 18).

Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations is the County Voluntary Council for Powys and operates offices in Newtown and Llandrindod Wells.

COMMUNITY food organisations and food banks across Wales are to receive an additional £1 million in emergency funding from the Welsh Government to help support families struggling with the rising cost of living.

The funding increases the Welsh Government’s total investment in emergency food aid this year to £3.44 million.

Ministers say the money will help charities and community groups buy, store and distribute food, including surplus food that might otherwise go to waste. The aim is to boost their capacity to meet increasing demand while ensuring households facing financial hardship can still access nutritious food.

The announcement comes as economic uncertainty linked to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East raises concerns that global market pressures could push up the cost of everyday essentials.

The Welsh Government says the funding forms part of wider support measures aimed at helping households cope with financial pressures. Between 2022 and 2026, ministers say more than £7 billion has been invested through a range of programmes designed to reduce household costs, maximise income and provide financial support.

Through the Claim What’s Yours campaign, which directs people to Advicelink Cymru for free and confidential advice, more than £10.5 million in unclaimed financial support has been secured for people across Wales since 2020. The service helps residents access benefits, pensions, council tax reductions and support with care costs.

The Welsh Government also provides more than £30 million each year to the Warm Homes Nest scheme, which offers free energy efficiency improvements to low-income households. Since 2022, a further £7.4 million has been allocated to the Fuel Bank Foundation to run a national fuel voucher and emergency heat fund in Wales, supporting more than 230,000 people with energy top-ups and fuel deliveries, particularly those living off the gas grid.

In addition, eligible households receiving both the Council Tax Reduction Scheme and Disabled Band Reduction are receiving a £100 winter payment through their local authority.

The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Jane Hutt, said the funding was intended to help people facing ongoing financial pressures.

She said: “The cost of living continues to put pressure on many households across Wales, and the war in the Middle East may drive up prices, adding to the anxiety many people already feel about putting food on the table, paying their bills and heating their homes.

“Supporting people through these pressures is a priority for us and we are doing all we can to help those who need support. This additional £1 million will help community organisations and food banks reach more people as part of our wider work to tackle poverty.”

People seeking financial advice or support can contact Advicelink Cymru on 0800 702 2020 for free and confidential guidance.

A MAJOR new hydrogen production facility worth around £50 million is expected to begin construction in Milford Haven later this year, marking another step in Pembrokeshire’s transition towards low-carbon energy.

The West Wales Hydrogen project, planned for land at the Impala Terminal within the port of Milford Haven, will transform part of a former oil refinery site into one of the UK’s early commercial-scale hydrogen production facilities.

Developers say the plant could create around 60 jobs during construction and support about ten permanent roles once operational, with commissioning currently targeted for early 2028.

The project is being led by MorGen Energy, a Zurich-based company founded in 2021 to develop large-scale green hydrogen projects across Europe.

Built at former refinery site

The facility will be located at the Impala Terminal site, formerly operated by Puma Energy, which historically handled refined oil products.

Milford Haven has long been known as the UK’s largest energy port, home to major LNG import terminals and oil infrastructure. Supporters of the hydrogen scheme say the new plant will help the port shift gradually towards cleaner energy technologies while making use of existing industrial infrastructure.

The project also sits within the Celtic Freeport zone, an area covering Milford Haven and Port Talbot that aims to attract investment into low-carbon industries, advanced manufacturing and renewable energy.

MorGen says the plant will benefit from the port’s existing storage facilities, energy connections and shipping infrastructure.

How the hydrogen will be produced

The proposed plant will produce hydrogen using electrolysis, a process which splits water into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity.

When powered by renewable energy, this method produces low-carbon or “green” hydrogen, which can be used as an alternative fuel in heavy industry.

Once fully operational, the facility is expected to produce around 2,000 tonnes of hydrogen per year. Developers estimate this could cut more than 15,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually, compared with conventional fossil fuel-based hydrogen production.

Electricity used to power the plant is expected to come largely from renewable energy sources, particularly wind farms.

Hydrogen produced at the facility could be used for several industrial purposes, including:

• industrial heating
• manufacturing processes
• heavy transport
• decarbonising port operations

Government backing

The project has received backing through the UK Government’s Hydrogen Allocation Round (HAR), a funding programme designed to support the development of low-carbon hydrogen production across the country.

The scheme aims to help the UK develop a domestic hydrogen industry capable of reducing emissions from sectors that are difficult to electrify.

Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens said the project showed Wales was playing a leading role in the shift to cleaner energy.

She said the investment would help create jobs while supporting economic growth.

UK Energy Minister Michael Shanks said hydrogen would play a crucial role in cutting industrial emissions and strengthening energy security.

Industrial uses for hydrogen

Energy experts say hydrogen is particularly important for sectors that require extremely high temperatures, such as steel, glass, ceramics and heavy manufacturing, where electrification alone may not be practical.

Professor Sara Walker, an energy specialist at the University of Birmingham, said hydrogen could allow these industries to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels.

She explained that many industrial processes already use hydrogen, but most of it is currently produced from natural gas. Producing hydrogen using renewable electricity instead could significantly reduce carbon emissions.

A growing energy hub

Milford Haven has increasingly been identified as a key location for the UK’s emerging hydrogen economy.

The port already handles large volumes of energy imports, including LNG, and its industrial landscape has attracted several proposals linked to hydrogen, floating offshore wind and carbon capture.

Supporters argue the new hydrogen plant could help position Pembrokeshire at the centre of Britain’s clean energy transition, while maintaining the area’s historic role as a major energy hub.

MorGen Energy chief executive Werner Lieberherr described the project as a major milestone for both the company and the UK hydrogen sector.

He said it demonstrated that green hydrogen projects in the UK were becoming viable long-term infrastructure investments.

If delivered on schedule, construction could begin later this year, with the facility expected to start producing hydrogen by 2028.