Community

Lottery boosts outdoor activities

Published

11 years ago

March 2, 2015

PEOPLE across Wales will be benefiting from outdoor and wildlife activities through the latest funding announced today by the Big Lottery Fund.

As part of the latest announcements from the Awards for All small grants programme, a total of £225,301 will be shared across 56 projects in Wales.

Hwb Dolgellau C.I.C. in Gwynedd will use £5,000 to give young people in the area opportunities to try outdoor activities such as canoeing, bushcraft, outdoor swimming and trail running. The grant will also be used to train volunteers to manage the activities.

Director for Hwb Dolgellau, James Charlwood said in receipt of the Award: “We’re delighted to receive this grant from the Big Lottery Fund. We will be able to give young people in the local area opportunities to take part in healthy and fun outdoor activities whilst helping the local community get even more value out of what we have at Hwb Dolgellau.”

1st Ystrad Mynach Scout Group, based in Hengoed will use £4,921 to purchase improved camping equipment for their members including tents, groundsheets, cast iron double burners and a generator.

In Conwy, Trefriw Walkers are Welcome, receive £4,802 to offer a range of walking opportunities to local school children, families and experienced walkers. The grant will be used to fund experienced sessional workers as well as notice boards and information for participants.

Bryncynon Walk Group in Abercynon will use a grant of £1,975 to fund minibus travel for walking trips to areas across Wales including the Brecon Beacons, Elan Valley and Rhossili.

Chairman of the Walk Group, Terrence Britten said: “Our Walk Group is made up people from the local area of all different abilities. We want to build up a community of people that want to get together and have fun in an outdoor environment. This grant will help us visit new areas and take in as much of the Welsh countryside as possible.”

Ysgol Cylch y Garn in Holyhead will receive £4,998 to run a Forest Schools programme in local woodlands and will host events for the local community so that they can discover the area.

Headteacher Ann Roberts at Ysgol Cylch y Garn said: “The grant will help the school to participate in exciting outdoor activities. We will be establishing close links with the community and using local resources. The children will have varied and practical experiences in the world of nature in a local environment in the North-west Anglesey countryside.”

Other projects being funded include Cruse Bereavement Care Powys who will use a grant of £5,000 to run a course for 16 volunteers to provide them with the skills to support people who have experienced bereavements.

Elsewhere, Swansea Hard of Hearing Group will receive £4,361 to fund lip-reading classes for the hard-of-hearing as well as to fund trips to places of interest where members will be able to use their new skills in every day environments as a group.

Chairman of Swansea Hard of Hearing Group, Douglas Adams said: “The grant will help local people who are hard of hearing feel less isolated by providing lip-reading classes for up to 50 of our members. Deafness can be difficult to cope with in crowded situations and these classes will allow our members to communicate more easily.”

Community

Duck race draws crowds to Cresswell Quay

Published

1 day ago

June 4, 2026

Tom Sinclair

AN ANNUAL Rotary duck race and pig roast brought crowds to Cresswell Quay on Friday (May 29), with organisers hailing the evening a success.

The event, organised by Narberth and Whitland Rotary, saw yellow ducks released onto the water as spectators gathered along the quay to watch the race unfold.

Perfect conditions

ORGANISERS said the tide and weather “could not have been better” for the popular community event.

Families enjoyed a relaxed evening of entertainment, food and fundraising, with Bat-A-Rat proving popular with youngsters while adults enjoyed a pig roast, with pork provided by Tom at Andrew Rees Butchers.

Live music from Jack Castle added to the atmosphere as people gathered at the riverside venue.

***Rotary fun: Crowds gathered at Cresswell Quay for the annual Narberth and Whitland Rotary Duck Race and Pig Roast***

Thanks to supporters

JOHN Sleigh, of Narberth and Whitland Rotary, thanked everyone who attended and helped make the evening such a success.

He said: “What a fantastic evening. The tide and weather could not have been better for the annual Rotary Duck Race and Pig Roast at Cresswell Quay.

“We thank you all for being there and making the event such a success.”

Community

Crisis response dogs launched to support people through trauma and distress

Published

1 day ago

June 4, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A NEW project using specially trained dogs to support people during moments of trauma, grief and crisis has been launched by Cariad Pet Therapy.

The volunteer-led Crisis Response Dogs project aims to provide comfort, emotional support and compassionate human contact to people experiencing distress, loss or heightened stress.

The dogs and their trained handlers will be able to support people in hospitals, schools, emergency response settings, wellbeing events, relief centres and community support environments.

Cariad Pet Therapy says the project is designed to offer a calm and non-judgmental presence at times when people may be struggling to cope.

Volunteers involved in the scheme have undertaken a bespoke training programme, including accredited Mental Health First Aid, Emotional First Aid, Trauma-Informed Practice, Safeguarding, Professional Boundaries, Dynamic Risk Assessment, Dog Welfare, Crisis Awareness, and training in psychological responses to trauma and distress.

The project is also working with emergency management and resilience partners, including the South Wales Local Resilience Forum, to support communities during emergencies, major incidents and recovery situations.

As part of its development, volunteers have attended specialist seminars on suicide prevention, the human-animal relationship, emergency planning and resilience.

Robert Thomas, Crisis Response Dogs lead for the project, said: “We have already witnessed the incredible impact these dogs can have on people facing difficult moments.

“Sometimes a calm presence, a conversation, or simply the comfort of a dog can make someone feel seen, supported, and less alone.”

The project has received funding from The National Lottery.

For more information about Crisis Response Dogs, or to request a deployment, contact Robert Thomas on 01437 609985 or visit www.crisisresponsedogs.co.uk.

Crisis response dogs: Cariad Pet Therapy has launched a new project to support people during trauma, grief and distress across Wales (Pics: Cariad Pet Therapy).

Community

Youth centre given colourful new look thanks to local firm

Published

2 days ago

June 3, 2026

Tom Sinclair

YOUNG people at a Haverfordwest youth centre have helped transform one of its rooms into a bright and welcoming space.

The Edge Youth Centre, Haverfordwest, has thanked W.B Griffiths & Son Ltd for supporting the painting and decorating project, which saw young people work alongside Chris, a painter and decorator from the company.

The project has given the room a colourful refresh, creating a cheerful space for young people using the centre.

Rabart Decorators Merchants, Pembroke Dock, also supported the work by supplying the colourful paints.

A spokesperson for The Edge Youth Centre said: “We’d like to extend a huge thank you to W.B Griffiths & Son Ltd for supporting us with the painting and decorating of one of the rooms at our Youth Centre.

“The young people were fortunate enough to work alongside Chris, a painter and decorator from W.B Griffiths & Son Ltd, to transform the room.

“Thanks to Chris and the young people’s hard work and enthusiasm, the space is now looking bright, welcoming, and cheerful.

“We’d also like to thank Rabart Decorators Merchants, Pembroke Dock, for generously supplying the colourful paints. Your support has helped create a vibrant room that young people can enjoy for years to come.”

The centre added: “Thank you both for your generosity and for helping us create such a positive space for our young people.”

Photo caption: Bright new look: Young people worked alongside W.B Griffiths & Son Ltd to refresh a room at The Edge Youth Centre, Haverfordwest.