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The Cleddau Community Award is celebrating the efforts of local people in Pembrokeshire who care for and protect the Cleddau Estuary and its wildlife.

This September, we will be hosting a Special Community Boat trip along the river, to share ideas, meet local experts and enjoy the estuary in all its natural beauty.

We would like to hear from anyone who has done anything, from litter picking and balsam bashing, to local history experts and bird counters, from water and wildlife monitors to woodland managers.

Anyone who connects their community to the river or does anything to protect its wildlife, please get in touch via our website – you can nominate yourself or someone else to join us aboard this special Cleddau cruise in September.

ANY ideas and projects are welcome and anyone of any age is included.

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JOIN US TO CELEBRATE OUR COMMUNITY ON A SPECIAL CLEDDAU RIVER CRUISE
IN SEPTEMBER 2026!

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Comprehensive list of funding opportunities- not all are eligible in Wales

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Social Impact Measurement- Social Business Wales

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Social Impact Measurement- Social Business Wales

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An excellent resource base from Social Business Wales

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Self- Evaluation Pack- full version- Eng

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Self- Evaluation Pack- full version- Eng

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Follow the instructions to calculate the social return on investment of your project

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Fantastic resource from Social Business Wales

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Comprehensive list of funding opportunities available- this is a generic list so some may not be available in Wales so please have a careful look at everything

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The library service have some great sensory toy library sessions planned for the autumn- a great opportunity to families

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A lovely event to start the Christmas spirit off

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A tree planting project with Adam yn yr Ardd.

To find out more about the project take a look at Adam's video...

https://youtu.be/Mj0ZwktyBd8

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Local Food Ecosystem Tour with Grwp Resilience.

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Local Food Ecosystem Tour with Grwp Resilience.

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Join Vicky from Grwp Resilience on Friday 11th October. This engaging tour will demonstrate some of the projects supported by Grwp and funded by the UK Government.

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In preparation for the Lantern Parade everyone is welcome to play a part in making the lanterns!

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Haverfordwest Lantern Parade is back for 2024! A spectacular event through the streets of Haverfordwest.

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VC Gallery's Woodland Wellbeing Project in the spotlight.

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VC Gallery's Woodland Wellbeing Project in the spotlight.

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VC Gallery’s Woodland Wellbeing Project transforms Mount Woods

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THE VC GALLERY’S Woodland Wellbeing Project in the Mount Woods has become a beacon of community engagement, encouraging people to immerse themselves in nature, learn about biodiversity, and restore public spaces damaged by ash dieback disease. Over the past nine months, the VC Gallery, in collaboration with commissioned partner Silbers CIC, has made significant strides […]

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New funding announced- community driven energy projects

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New funding announced- community driven energy projects

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Great news about funding available for energy projects to power Wales' green future.

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Welsh Government unveils new grant scheme to support the development of Smart Local Energy Systems.

The Welsh Government has announced a new £10 million capital grant scheme to support the development of Smart Local Energy Systems (SLES) across Wales. This initiative is a key part of delivering Wales's goal of generating 100% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2035 while empowering communities to take control of their energy futures.

The Ynni Cymru: capital grant funding programme 2024 to 2025 is open to community energy organisations, social enterprises, public sector bodies, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Applicants are encouraged to develop innovative projects that integrate local energy generation, storage, and infrastructure, making energy systems more efficient and delivering tangible local benefits, including lower energy costs.

Established by Welsh Government in 2023, the Ynni Cymru programme's aim is to ensure that energy generation benefits are retained locally, promoting community ownership of integrated renewable energy assets as a central strategy in the transition to a low-carbon economy.

Projects will need to be completed by 31 March 2025.

Applications for the Ynni Cymru Capital Grant will close at 5pm on 18 October 2024.

You can register for a webinar with further information by selecting the following link: Ynni Cymru Capital Grant Funding Programme - launch webinar (office.com). The webinar will be held 1pm to 2pm on 12 September 2024.

For more information on how to apply, please select the following link: Ynni Cymru: capital grant funding programme 2024 to 2025.
Green Growth Pledge
Sign up to the Green Growth Pledge and commit to positive actions that will help your business reduce its carbon footprint and impact on the environment while ensuring sustainable performance.

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£10 million for community-driven energy projects to power Wales's green future

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Welsh Government unveils new grant scheme to support the development of

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Community Action course for volunteers & trustees

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Community Action course for volunteers & trustees

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Great opportunity for your volunteers to complete some free training, develop their skills & confidence to make a positive impact in their communities

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Recording and photography

We may record each session, for internal purposes to reflect on how the course went and snippets might be used for promotional material for future courses.

Please note: your name (and number if you dial in) will appear on the screen and in the recording. You can change this when you join the session (or in your Zoom account beforehand, if you have one) - we can help you if you're not sure how to do this.

We may also take photographs, but we will let you know before we do. If you would prefer not to appear, please turn your video off while we take them. We may use these images for marketing purposes, including on social media.

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Introduction to Community Action course information - Eden Project Communities

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Everything you need to know about our short online course - "Introduction to Community Action".

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Open Grants Programme accepts applications across the UK from registered charities or not-for-profit for funding towards capital projects

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Learn More About What We Fund

Our Open Grants Programme accepts applications from UK registered charities or not-for-profits and who meet our eligibility criteria, for funding towards capital projects. The work of the organisation must fit within one or more of our specified programme areas. This Programme does not award grants for work outside the UK, even if the organisation is a UK-registered charity.

The Proactive Grants Programme allows us to fund more strategically, and to develop a greater level of knowledge and understanding of specific sectors. Unlike the Open Grants Programme, most of our Proactive Grants are for multi-year revenue projects where we are often the sole funder. Please note that our Proactive Grants Programme is not open to applications.

Open Grants Programme

We award grants to UK registered charities, CICs, and other registered UK not-for-profit organisations (including special schools). Grants are awarded towards capital projects which we define as:

Buildings: purchase, construction, renovation or refurbishment.

Fittings, Fixtures, and Equipment: this includes but is not limited to office equipment/furniture, sports/gym equipment, digital/audio visual equipment, garden equipment, specialist therapeutic (excluding medical) equipment. It does not include equipment for one-off use, or which will be given to service users for personal use on a permanent basis.

Vehicles: This includes a minibus, car, caravan, people-carrier, or 4X4. We are unlikely to fund the total cost of a new vehicle and do not provide grants towards vehicle leasing.

We fund both large and small projects. The size of grant awarded will depend on a number of factors including the size of your organisation and the cost and scale of your capital project.

You must be able to demonstrate that the work of your organisation fits within one or more of our programme areas, and that at least 50% of service users benefiting from the capital project are from one or more of those groups.

Learn more about applying for a grant here.

FUNDING EXCLUSIONS

Please read our 'Exclusions' page for a detailed list of organisations and types of project that are excluded from applying to us.
Click here to read about what we do not fund Back to the top.

Open Grants Programme Areas

Proactive Grants

Launched in 2007 and currently featuring five initiatives, our Proactive Grants Programme is not open to funding enquiries or applications. Initiatives are developed following extensive research and consultation with organisations working in the selected sectors.
Back to the top.

Proactive Grants Programme Areas

Read more about our COVID-19 Emergency Response Funding.

More

Read more about our Grantee and Applicant Perception Audit, or other recent reports, from the 'About Us' page.

More

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What We Fund | The Clothworkers' Foundation

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Our Open Grants Programme accepts applications from UK registered charities or not-for-profits and who meet our eligibility criteria, for funding towards capital projects. The work of the organisation must fit within one or more of our specified programme areas. This Programme does not award grants for work outside the UK, even if the organisation is a UK-registered charity.

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Tesco Stronger Starts is open to charities and community organisations to apply for a grant of up to £1,500. Every three months, three local good causes are selected to be in the blue token customer vote in Tesco stores throughout the UK

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The funding aims to make a positive difference - because where our communities thrive, our business and our colleagues thrive too. Tesco Stronger Starts is managed by Groundwork who are working with Greenspace Scotland to support applicants in Scotland.

How does Tesco Stronger Starts work?

Tesco Stronger Starts is open to charities and community organisations to apply for a grant of up to £1,500. Every three months, three local good causes are selected to be in the blue token customer vote in Tesco stores throughout the UK.

Apply for a grant

Step 1 Read the guidance notes
Before applying, we strongly recommend that all applicants read the Guidance notes for more detail about the grants and project eligibility.

Step 2 Find your local store
Enter your project's postcode into the store locator on the Tesco website. You need this information for your application form.

Step 3 Apply here
Please follow this link to submit your application.

Who is eligible to apply?

Grants will be awarded to schools, voluntary or community organisations (including registered charities/companies), health bodies (e.g. Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs), NHS Hospital Trust, Foundation Trust), Parish/Town Councils, local authorities and social housing providers.

This list is not exhaustive and there will be many other types of organisations that will be funded.

Applications are not eligible from:

Individuals

Community Interest Companies with shares (CIC's)

Community Interest Companies with guarantee that are less than two years old

Profit-making organisations

What types of projects will Tesco Stronger Starts fund?

Applications are open to all local good causes, but we are currently prioritising helping projects that support children's food security and health and local store nominated good causes.

This is not an exhaustive list and other project ideas also welcomed.

Examples include:

School Breakfast clubs

Holiday clubs

Play areas

Food banks

Counselling and support services for children

Equipment or non-statutory services for nurseries or schools e.g. forest schools, library books

Equipment for Brownie, Guide or Scout Groups e.g. camping equipment, badges

Services or equipment to support children and young people's health

Equipment/kit for youth sports teams

Do we need match funding?

Tesco Stronger Starts can fund 100% of your project costs so you do not have to have any match funding. However, if you secured additional funding, there is no limit to what this amount can be and any funding awarded by Tesco can form part of your wider project costs.

Projects that are ineligible

Work that has already taken place

Political donations

Fundraising activities or challenges (e.g. costs for a sky dive etc.)

Running costs and organisation overheads

Conferences or seminars

Activities which collect funds for redistribution to other charities or individuals

Overseas appeals

Expeditions or overseas travel

Promotion of a religious or political cause

Marketing promotions

Research projects

Projects or activities that the state has a legal obligation to provide

Alternative and accessible formats

If you experience or anticipate any barriers with our application process, require help to make an application, or accessing our services and information, please contact the Groundwork Tesco Programme Team to discuss the type of support we can provide.

Tesco community grants have supported thousands of community projects since 2016.

Find out what has been funded near you:

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The funding aims to make a positive difference - because where our communities thrive, our business and our colleagues thrive too. Tesco Stronger Starts is managed by Groundwork who are working with Greenspace Scotland to support applicants in Scotland. How does Tesco Stronger Starts work?

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Really useful workshop for gathering evidence of need for future grant applications.

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You can read more about co-production here
Pembrokeshire Association of Voluntary Services (PAVS) has been awarded funding from the Shared Prosperity Fund via Pembrokeshire County Council for an Active Citizenship & Engagement programme which aims to get more people of all ages actively involved in helping out in their communities - doing the small things that make a big difference. The Active Citizenship & Engagement (ACE) programme is made up of three elements which combine to offer an integrated package of support to communities, voluntary groups, and individuals who want to help others.
The Engagement & Co-production element of the programme will help PAVS and our partners step up our collective ambitions for engagement and co-production in Pembrokeshire.

Working closely with the Co-production Network for Wales, PAVS is championing co-production in Pembrokeshire, setting up and facilitating an Engagement & Co-production Practitioners Network, organising training and events, sharing learning, and building the skills and capacity of Network members.

Training and practical support will also be offered to communities who want to co-produce Community Wellbeing Plans through a process of asset-based community development, or engage people in local issues, such as taking on community assets or addressing local challenges. This process will provide opportunities to engage people in local decision making using deliberative democracy processes, strengthen relationships, and create active, resourceful, connected, sustainable and creative communities.

Engagement will take place across all age ranges and be fully inclusive and accessible, building on good practice such as the Dream Team (Pembrokeshire People First), CWBR Youth (PLANED), Pembrokeshire Youth Assembly (Pembrokeshire County Council), etc. There will be a focus on youth participation in decision-making and encouraging people of all ages to think about getting involved with and/or standing for election to local democratic bodies.
PAVS can offer support to community and voluntary groups with co-production techniques and practise. This is delivered by our Engagement and Coproduction Officer Mark John-Williams. Mark brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in co-production to Pembrokeshire and is keen to pass on this knowledge. Our next Co-production training event is below. To book, contact mark.john-williams@pavs.org.uk

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Co-Production | Pembrokeshire Association of Voluntary Services

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Co-Production What is co-production? The Co-production Network for Wales definition is as follows: Co-production is an asset-based approach to public servic ...

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New business support drop in sessions in Fishguard starting next week!

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New business support drop in sessions in Fishguard starting next week!

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Useful contact for organisations based in Church buildings. 

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Useful contact for organisations based in Church buildings. 

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Gareth Simpson

Support Officer - Wales/Cymru - Swyddog Cymorth.  Cherish.

Homebased/Yn Gweithio Gartref – Vale of Glamorgan/Bro Morgannwg

National Churches Trust – Ymddiriedolaeth Genedlaethol yr Eglwysi

7 Tufton Street, London SW1P 3QB

t. 020 3937 9855| m. 07707 149286  nationalchurchestrust.org   ail iaith

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Support, advice, resources and the latest information about training and events to help churches in Wales remain open for good.

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Welsh Church Act Fund 2024-25

What is the Welsh Church Acts Fund?

The Welsh Church Act Fund is a Charitable Trust Fund, governed by the Welsh Church Act 1914.

The aim of the fund is to award grants of a philanthropic nature for a wide-range of purposes to benefit the people of Pembrokeshire.

Who can apply?

The fund is open to all voluntary, charitable or benevolent groups based in Pembrokeshire.

Applications are invited from:

Churches, chapels, places of public worship

Registered charities

Constituted voluntary and community groups

Not for profit organisations/social enterprises

Local branches of national third section organisations

You can bid using the parent body constitution but you must have your own bank account. We will also require confirmation that the parent body supports the application

Informal or formal (constituted) consortium working on a particular project.

All the organisations involved in an informal consortium must be eligible in their own right and must provide a copy of their constitution or governing document. The application form should be completed by the lead organisation who will be legally responsible for the grant and will receive the funding, should the application be successful

We are unable to accept applications from:

Private sector organisations

Individual beneficiaries

or for:

Any activity in relation to party political purposes

Applications on behalf of other organisations in the name of a professional fundraiser (exceptions may be made for Town and Community Councils applying on behalf of a community group)

What can you apply for?

Our current focus is the relief of local poverty, in line with our recently published 'Tackling Poverty Strategy' and our wider collective priority of poverty alleviation within Pembrokeshire.

You can apply for a grant for the following purposes:

Relief of poverty

Refurbishment of a community building or places of worship

Advancement of education

Libraries, museums, art galleries, etc...

Advancement of religion

Other purposes beneficial to the community

Please note: Churches, chapels and other places of worship in Pembrokeshire are eligible to apply but are limited to applications for building or other capital works e.g. renovation or repair

How much can be awarded through the grant?

Grants up to a maximum of £5,000 can be awarded to successful applicants.

Please note: In some instances, grant payments will only be made on receipt of appropriate documentation; for example, receipts, invoices or other suitable proof of expenditure.

When to apply

Applicants are permitted to apply once each financial year.

There will be set bidding rounds. Fully developed applications can be submitted at any time to be assessed at the next scheduled meeting.

Please note: There is no guarantee that all applications will be successful. Unsuccessful applicants will receive feedback and if appropriate, invited to re-submit. There is no right to appeal.

If the annual fund is fully allocated, the application portal will close for that financial year.

How are applications assessed?

Applications for funding are considered on a quarterly basis by a panel.

All applications are assessed against the same criteria and applicants will be required where appropriate, to demonstrate:

Charitable status/charitable objectives

Satisfactory constitutional, financial management and administration arrangements

Full financial information including income and expenditure, and other sources of finance

Funding will support the provision of a local service to the residents of Pembrokeshire

An equal opportunities policy is in operation

Need for the project

In addition, projects should be able to show they:

Have support from the local community and partner organisations through appropriate consultation.

Are well thought out, have clear financial plans and can be delivered.

Consider future sustainability.

Add value to existing activities and are complementary to other projects and initiatives.

Meet current and future needs and opportunities in their communities (through consultation)

Have considered how the project can benefit those who share protected characteristics (opens in a new tab).

We also expect successful applicants to:

Acknowledge any financial assistance granted by the Council in any advertising /literature that is produced.

Adhere to the Welsh Language Standards. Part of our bilingual policy, encourages those who receive financial assistance from the Council to provide their services or activities bilingually, wherever possible.

Advice and guidance on bilingual good practice is available on request

How to apply

All applicants are required to complete an application form
Welsh Church Acts Fund application form
*If you are applying for funding on behalf of a church, chapel or public place of worship, please complete the form below and return directly to jenny.ruloff@pembrokeshire.gov.uk
Welsh Church Act Fund application form for churches, chapels and places of worship
Please note: Incomplete forms will not be put forward for further assessment. Only one application per group or organisation will be permitted for each financial year.

Further information

If you have any questions or queries about theWelsh Church Act Fund in Pembrokeshire, or the application process please contact: WCAF@pembrokeshire.gov.uk

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The Welsh Church Act Fund is a Charitable Trust Fund, governed by the Welsh Church Act 1914. The aim of the fund is to award grants of a philanthropic nature for a wide-range of purposes to benefit the people of Pembrokeshire. The fund is open to all voluntary, charitable or benevolent groups based in Pembrokeshire.

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GSK IMPACT Awards

For charities with income between £150,000 and £3 million

The GSK IMPACT Awards provide funding, training and development. They are judged by a prestigious panel of judges and give national recognition for the winning charities. Up to 15 awards will be made, ranging from £4,000 to £50,000. In addition, the training and development is valued at a further £13,500. Organisations will also receive help with press and publicity, be given a set of promotional materials and receive pro bono offers from GSK.

View the guidelines and access the application form.

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The GSK IMPACT Awards provide funding, training and development for charities doing excellent work to improve people’s health and wellbeing. Apply for you charity today.

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Get in touch with Jennifer Summers via social media for more information

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The Children’s Festival is fast approaching, don’t forget to follow them on social media to find out about all of the exciting events they have coming up.

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https://www.facebook.com/share/p/McHhhgqjSk5CKbyf/?mibextid=WC7FNe

Check out the new refurbishment of the restaurant at the Crymych Arms, it is looking fantastic.

Well done to everyone involved 👏

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Funding opportunity for community spaces

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Funding opportunity for community spaces

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FUNDING OPPORTUNITY: £10,000 - £25,000 grants to fix, repair or develop a community building or space.

If your charity wants to improve or develop its infrastructure, this grant from Asda Foundation could be perfect for you.

Find out more and apply: https://asdafoundation.org/our-grants/investing-in-spaces-and-places-grant/

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Next Social Enterprise Network - online event Zoom link here. 

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Next Social Enterprise Network - online event Zoom link here. 

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Below is the zoom link for our next social enterprise network meeting on the 18th of July 2pm – 4pm

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81634228634?pwd=yvvFfP3RKM6p2HpOgf4hD14zmUk1ZZ.1

We look forward to seeing you all online,

The contents of this online network will be:

3 Social Enterprises having the chance to present about a project or their experience – for other organisations to learn from in the sector

Break out rooms for potential alliances

A chance for any organisations to advertise events or activities coming up

An update from PAVS and PCC on what funding, support and future plans coming up

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Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise video communications, with an easy, reliable cloud platform for video and audio conferencing, chat, and webinars across mobile, desktop, and room systems. Zoom Rooms is the original software-based conference room solution used around the world in board, conference, huddle, and training rooms, as well as executive offices and classrooms. Founded in 2011, Zoom helps businesses and organizations bring their teams together in a frictionless environment to get more done.

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1. Read the full criteria to ensure your group/project is eligible to apply for this grant. You can use the online Eligibility Check to help with this.

2. Applications open on the 9th of July. To start your application, complete the Eligibility Check and if your group meets criteria, an 'apply now' button will appear.

3. By clicking the 'apply now' button, you will access our Grant Management System, hosted by SmartSimple. You will be prompted to register your organisation, which will include uploading your group's required documents (see Essential Criteria). Once complete, you will be able to apply for an Asda Foundation Investing in Spaces and Places grant.

4. Once your group's application is fully complete, and all required documents are provided, Asda Foundation will review your application. Applications which don't meet all criteria points or are missing required documents will be unsuccessful.

5. Completed applications that meet criteria will be assessed and scored.

6. All funding outcomes will be communicated in September.

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Investing in Spaces and Places Grant | Asda Foundation

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Supporting grassroots community groups to transform spaces at the heart of their local community.

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Children's Festival- great start to the summer!

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Children's Festival- great start to the summer!

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From pasta making to robotics, art and science, dancing to gardening, there's activities to suit everyone in this summer's Children's Festival week in Haverfordwest.

29 July - 4 August 2024

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Social Business Wales Awards. Nominations open! 

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Social Business Wales Awards. Nominations open! 

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The Cleddau Project, MY RIVER COMMUNITY EXHIBITION, 28th and 29th June, Haverhub

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The Cleddau Project, MY RIVER COMMUNITY EXHIBITION, 28th and 29th June, Haverhub

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Join the Cleddau Project for the launch of the 'My River' community exhibition. Featuring artwork and stories from over 300 children at 12 schools in the catchment and a brand new Illustrated Children's Map of the Cleddau by Fran Evans.

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Useful FREE course on sustainability for small businesses. 

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Useful FREE course on sustainability for small businesses. 

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Sustainability for Small Business - Free Programme

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Great opportunity to nominate any of the work you are doing which is developing green space to encourage community members to start gardening for the first time. Closing date 9th June!

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Community groups who have transformed a green space can nominate themselves for an award in partnership with BBC's The One Show

In April 2024, the RHS and BBC's The One Show launched a community gardening competition to find community groups that are transforming green spaces and encouraging local people to try gardening for the first time.

We are particularly keen to hear about projects that involve a diverse range of people - diversity isn't just about visual difference, it's about celebrating individuality. We would love to hear from those traditionally under-represented in gardening and who have benefited from starting to garden or having a new outdoor space to use.

The deadline to submit entries is 6pm on Sunday 9 June 2024. The results will be announced on the BBC's The One Show on Friday 13 September 2024.

Discover The Up Garden, the 2023 winner of the Growing Together Award for Community Gardening.

How can your community enter the competition?

We are looking for projects that clearly demonstrate the transformation that has taken place. We would love to know what the space was like before you started, what work was needed, what (if any) challenges you had to overcome, and who volunteered to help

We want to hear about the people who have been making use of your transformed space, and how you've been getting new gardeners involved. We would love to know who they are, and how they got involved, how easy it was for them to participate, what activities they have been doing, and whether they joined in one-off activities or have become regular volunteers

We want to understand what the newly transformed space means to your group and your local community. We would love to know what makes it special and why it is important to your group, and how it benefits the local community and the local environment

Before your community group enters, please see the information below to learn more about what is covered and if you are eligible:

The lead community group applicant must be aged 18 years or older at the time of submitting your entry

Entrants must be a community group of three or more people that is not profit-making (e.g. their activities are not for the financial benefit of any individuals or owners)

Entrants must not be a school, education or childcare provider. (However, an educational space may be the transformed space, and schoolchildren or students may benefit from or participate in the community garden)

Community gardening groups that entered the competition in 2023 may re-enter the competition in 2024, however the transformation should relate to a different project or be in a different location.

The entry must be in the UK. The competition is open to all eligible community groups in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man

To enter the competition, the community gardening group must have created a community garden in the UK that:

1. transformed a previously under-used space

2. is open to the public and available for use by the local community, either all or most of the time (e.g. the space may be locked at night, but it must be generally accessible)

3. is not used for the purpose of generating a profit (however, selling products to generate funds to reinvest in the community garden or not-for-profit is acceptable)

4. is not used for the purpose of promoting a religion or a belief (incorporating information about a religion or belief in the community garden is acceptable, so long as the local community are able to use it freely, regardless of their religion or belief)

5. must have secured permission from the landowner and any other relevant permissions before work started

6. enabled people who are not a main participant or leader of another gardening group to take up community gardening for the first time

7. followed sustainable gardening practices (examples of which can be found on the RHS website)

8. was transformed within 36 months before the competition opening date

9. is intended to be in existence for a minimum of 12 months after the winner is announced

If you have any questions about entering or whether your project is eligible, please send us an email [email protected]

The overall winner will receive £1000 in National Garden Gift Vouchers, a plaque and certificate

The most outstanding runners-up will each receive £100 in National Garden Gift Vouchers, a plaque and certificate

Every entry will be recognised with a certificate

The BBC's The One Show will film some of the most outstanding entries

Click here to complete and submit your entry

Entries are now open for the RHS & BBC The One Show's Growing Together Award 2024.

The deadline to submit entries is 6pm on Sunday 9 June 2024

The results will be announced on the BBC's The One Show on Friday 13 September 2024

Community groups need to complete and submit the final version of their entry by 6pm on Sunday 9 June 2024. If you are still editing your entry after 6pm, your final version might not submit as the competition closes automatically at that time.

Entrants are asked to answer a few short questions about the project and to submit either a few photographs or a link to a video of the space they have transformed.

Before starting an entry, entrants are required to read the terms and conditions >

Data Protection Statement: The Community Group Applicants submitting an entry to The RHS and the BBC's The One Show Community Gardening Competition 2024 agree that the RHS and the BBC can hold name and contact details and contact them in relation to The RHS and the BBC's The One Shows Community Gardening Competition 2024 and with regard to related press and PR opportunities. The contact details will be held by the RHS for two years. Please read the relevant section in our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy, for more information on how we process your personal data and your rights.

Get in touch

If you'd like more information about the RHS & BBC The One Show's Growing Together Award 2024, please email [email protected] .

To speak to a member of our team

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK's leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone's life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.

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RHS and BBC The One Show | Growing Together Award 2024 for Community Gardening / RHS Gardening

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Learn about the RHS & BBC The One Show's Growing Together Award 2024, aimed at community groups transforming green spaces and encouraging new gardeners.

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An independent event to celebrate Pembrokeshire & create new partnerships for positive change- EVERYONE IS INVITED! Click on the image to get more info and booking details

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In each of these discussion zones we'll be asking, what are the opportunities, what is already happening, and what else needs to happen? Come and share your views, ideas, and project updates on the themes that interest you, and hear diverse insight from participants across all sectors of community and business.

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It's Your Pembrokeshire 2024 - 4theRegion

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In each of these discussion zones we'll be asking, what are the opportunities, what is already happening, and what else needs to happen? Come and share your views, ideas, and project updates on the themes that interest you, and hear diverse insight from participants across all sectors of community and business.

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Great event on Sunday 28th April to journey through examples of non binary fineries that will make you reflect on our planet and our preconceived ideas about it!

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New workshops & courses at Hwb Dysgu'r Tir

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New workshops & courses at Hwb Dysgu'r Tir

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New & upcoming land based workshops and courses at Hwb Dysgu'r Tir, our land learning skills centre in Tegryn.

​There is a mixture of horticultural, agricultural, land management as well as natural arts & crafts. Some sessions are also Welsh only / bilingual!

There are also weekly volunteer sessions on the land at "Clwb Hwb", which enables you discounted places on our courses!

Please find all listing details and how to book here:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/cc/hwb-dysgur-tir-3151999

Upcoming:

How to make & use Biochar | Sut i wneud a defnyddio Bio-olosg , Thu, 2 May, 10:00

How to Survey Land | Sut i Arolygu Tir Wed, 8 May, 10:00

ADAM YN YR ARDD: Y Gardd Lysiau a Garddio Natur-Gyfeillgar , Sat, 18 May, 10:00 & 14:00

Taith Gerdded Amaeth-Goedwigaeth | Agroforestry Farm Walk, Thu, 6 Jun, 10:00

ADAM YN YR ARDD: No Dig Gardening & Companion Planting , Wed, 12 Jun, 10:00 & 14:00

How to make really good compost | Sut i wneud compost gwych , Thu, 13 Jun, 10:00

The Weatherproof Farm with Niels Corfield , Wed, 19 Jun, 10:00

BIOFERTILISERS & Garden Amendments | BIOWRTAITH a Gwelliannau i'r Ardd , Thu, 25 Jul, 10:00

Any questions, please get in touch : hwb@cwmarian.org.uk

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Hwb Dysgu'r Tir courses provide training and professional development in sustainable land management practices, food, natural crafts and nature recovery for farmers, food producers, land managers and rural communities.

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Garth Youth Project host women’s national team training 

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Garth Youth Project host women’s national team training 

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The Garth Youth Project are currently hosting the Wales women’s national street football team at the Hive in preparation for a national tournament in Dublin which starts on the 7th of June.
The ladies train once per week, developing their skills and knowledge of international street football as well as developing social connections, improving their mental health and wellbeing.

Pob lwc ferched! #CYMRU

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POINT engage in a positive litter pick within their community

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POINT engage in a positive litter pick within their community

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Young people from POINT were successful in completing a litter pick in and around their community - collecting an impressive 7 bags of litter!

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Haverfordwest Town Museum opens in their new home

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Haverfordwest Town Museum opens in their new home

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HAVERFORDWEST TOWN MUSEUM said this week they are excited to announce the opening date for a new pop-up museum and exhibition space, funded by UK government's Shared Prosperity Fund as part of the Levelling Up agenda.

The pop-up museum opens its doors on March 25 in Riverside Shopping Centre, Haverfordwest, just in time for the Easter break!

The museum temporally closed in 2023 in preparation for construction works at Haverfordwest Castle, to make way for the creation of a new flagship heritage attraction on the site.

While the museum eagerly awaits its new home, curator Simon Hancock and the museum's volunteers are delighted with the new pop-up museum, located in the old GAME store within the Riverside Shopping Centre on the Eastern bank of the River Cleddau. The pop up is likely to stay there until 2027 when it will move back into a refurbished home at Haverfordwest Castle as part of the new attraction.

The pop-up museum will be open six days a week, Monday to Saturday, 10am-4pm and open all year round including bank holidays (except Christmas and New Year).

The museum holds a wealth of hidden gems, revealing fascinating and little-known stories from Haverfordwest's past. Haverfordwest is a historic market town and Pembrokeshire's administrative hub, with heritage assets such as the castle and multiple stories that reveal its Norman origins, its mediaeval history and more recently its role as a primary trading port, once rivalling Bristol. A number of notable people either came from or lived in Haverfordwest, for example Gwen John (1876-1939). You can find out more about their stories by visiting and talking to one of the knowledgeable museum volunteers.

When you visit, expect to discover more on Haverfordwest's interesting archaeology, including the recent exciting archaeological discovery of the Dominican Friary of St Saviours on the former Ocky White's store site. There is a fascinating array of objects made in Haverfordwest during Victorian times and a case of locally-found treasures dating from medieval times.

The exhibition space will change regularly and includes digital and interactive displays as well as more traditional displays on a variety of themes including Haverfordwest Port, Castle and the Llewelyn Churn Works. There will also be a variety of paintings including some by artist David Lindley and a display on famous people of Haverfordwest - covering the wide variety including artists, musicians, explorers and athletes.

An exciting addition is the new museum shop selling a range of Haverfordwest-themed products including biscuits, chocolates, fudge, tote bags, water bottles and lollipops.

Tim Evans, chair of trustees for Haverfordwest Town Museum told The Herald: "We are very excited about this new chapter in the museum's life. It's such a great opportunity for us, moving to a location where we will see a much larger footfall. We're really hoping to engage and involve a whole new generation in the history of our special town."

The museum is still on the lookout for new volunteers and wants to welcome a diverse range of people to get involved - you don't need to have any previous knowledge of the town's history to become a volunteer. Training will be provided and there is a wide variety of roles available.

If you are interested in finding out more or getting involved in any aspect of the pop-up museum please email the museum's curator Simon Hancock at [email protected]

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which is supporting this project, was set up to provide funding for communities across the UK in order to breathe new life and grow the economy in regions of the country which need additional help. Haverfordwest is currently the focus of a number of projects supported by this funding, aiming to boost the economic regeneration of the town.

Pembrokeshire, often overshadowed by more common concerns, holds a hidden threat: radioactive radon. This natural gas, lurking in the earth, carries a sinister risk, elevating the spectre of cancer among those unknowingly exposed.

Radiating from the ground beneath our feet, radon infiltrates every building, its presence more pronounced in certain regions, dictated by geological quirks. A recent initiative by the UK Health Security Agency provides an illuminating tool: an interactive map, revealing the lurking presence of radon in our neighbourhoods. Through a spectrum of shades, the map delineates areas of peril, with darker hues signalling a greater than one in three chance of radon intrusion, while lighter tones offer a reprieve, indicating a risk of less than one in a hundred homes.

In the tranquil expanse of Pembrokeshire, where verdant landscapes stretch uninterrupted, one might assume safety from such urban perils. Yet, contrary to expectations, the region exhibits a concerning prevalence of radon, outstripping even the bustling metropolises of London, Birmingham, and Manchester. However, it falls short of the heightened risk faced by rural counterparts like Cornwall and Derbyshire.

Within Pembrokeshire's borders, a mosaic of risk emerges. Tenby, Milford Haven, Pembroke, and others hover in the 10-30% bracket of maximum radon potential, while Saundersfoot resides in the 3-5% range. On the fringes, Hook and Broad Haven bask in a relatively low risk, boasting a mere 1-3% potential. Yet, amidst the picturesque landscapes, enclaves such as Stackpole and areas south of Buckspool cast a darker shadow, harbouring a potential of over 30%.

But what exactly is radon gas? This silent intruder, devoid of colour or scent, stealthily penetrates homes, a by-product of radioactive decay in subterranean minerals. Its radioactive emissions pose a perilous threat, particularly to lung tissue, leaving a chilling legacy of lung cancer in its wake.

The question looms: How perilous is radon? Ukradon warns of its insidious nature, its radiation quietly wreaking havoc on vulnerable tissues. The real danger lies in its invisibility, easily inhaled and ensnared within the lungs, where it sets the stage for cancer's cruel advance. Duration of exposure serves as the harbinger of risk, with prolonged contact amplifying the peril.

So, what recourse do we have? Prevention begins with awareness. A Radon Risk Report, available for a nominal fee from the UK Government, unveils the threat lurking beneath our feet. For those at risk, a simple procedure unfolds: detectors dispatched to monitor radon levels in the home, offering a lifeline of awareness in the face of this silent menace. Yet, even as we take these precautions, let us not forget the compounding risk posed by smoking, a potent catalyst for radon's deadly dance.

Interactive map here: https://www.ukradon.org/radonmaps/

AS the telephone industry upgrades from analogue to digital landlines, Age Cymru is warning older people to be wary of rogue traders trying to take advantage of the switchover.

The change will see calls made over a broadband line instead of the old analogue network, which is becoming increasingly unreliable.

The charity says for most customers, all aspects of the switchover will be free of charge with no home installation work required. If customers require additional support with set up, they will be contacted by their telephone provider.

Age Cymru therefore warns that if somebody offers to carry out work relating to the switchover, in return for some form of payment, it's likely to be a scam that should be reported to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.

People can also check with their telephone provider about what work is or isn't taking place in their area. However, if anyone feels threatened or in any danger from a rogue trader they should call the police as soon as possible.

Age Cymru's chief executive Victoria Lloyd says "It's such a shame that we must warn older people to be on their guard in relation to the digital switchover as this is something that should improve people's experiences of phone services.

"We've been told that lines will be clearer, which will help those who are hard of hearing. There'll be a facility to enable three party lines which will help people to have mini group chats with friends and family and thereby help reduce loneliness. And there'll be increased protection against unwanted marketing or nuisance calls.

"However, given our experience of how rogue traders work we want to forearm older people so they can avoid potentially expensive and emotionally damaging scams and instead take full advantage of the new phone services without any unnecessary fears."

Understanding the digital switchover process

BT, the biggest supplier of landlines in Wales, is holding dozens of events across the country to advise customers face-to-face about the switch. Other phone providers may also be organising similar events.

Age Cymru understands that for most customers, digital switchover will simply involve connecting your home phone handset to a router rather than the phone socket on the wall. And for BT customers, if you don't have the correct router, they will send you one completely free of charge.

At this stage, BT will be writing to all their customers to make them aware of the changes, and following up with those who are ready and eligible to make the switch. BT will not be switching customers who may have difficulty making the change just yet and will give these customers additional support when the time comes.

If you think you'll have a problem with the transition, think you are vulnerable, or use a healthcare alarm connected to your landline, please contact your phone provider and tell them.

And if anyone uses a personal healthcare alarm, they should also check with their suppliers that they have everything they need prior to the switchover.

BT customers who are ready and eligible to make the switch will be contacted four weeks before making the move to ensure they have everything they need.

While BT are by far the biggest provider of telephone services in Wales, this is an industry-wide change and other telephone providers are managing their own switchover process so contact your provider to understand how the change will affect you.

How big is the issue of scamming in Wales?

According to the Wales Against Scams Partnership (WASP) older victims of scams in the UK lose an average of £1,200 over their lifetimes.

WASP also cites Action Fraud data showing that they receive around 15,000 cases of fraud from Wales each year. However, Action Fraud believes that the reported figure is just the tip of the iceberg and that the actual number of scams undertaken, or attempted, is seven times bigger.

And according to recent BBC research it is estimated that the UK is losing £2,300 per minute to scam activity.

MILLIONS of families who claim Child Benefit will automatically receive increased payments from 6 April 2024, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has confirmed.

Families with one child will now receive up to £1,331 a year - an annual increase of £83.20, and up to £881 a year per additional child - an annual increase of £54.60. There is no limit to how many children families can claim for.

Parents will receive £102.40 every 4 weeks (£25.60 per week) for the first or only child and £67.80 every 4 weeks (£16.95 per week) for each additional child.

Families with ongoing claims do not need to contact HMRC, as the increased benefit payment will continue to be paid directly into their bank accounts. Anyone who needs to update their personal details, such as a change of bank account or address, can do so using the HMRC app or online at GOV.UK.

Parents with a newborn baby are encouraged to make a claim online as soon as possible and could receive their first payment in as little as three days. Child Benefit claims can be backdated by a maximum of three months.
Angela MacDonald, HMRC's Deputy Chief Executive and Second Permanent Secretary, said:
"The increase in Child Benefit rates for existing claimants is automatic and families do not need to contact us. New claimants should apply online or using HMRC's app. Search 'child benefit' on GOV.UK for more information."

HMRC is reminding parents yet to benefit from Child Benefit that it is quick and easy to claim on GOV.UK or via the HMRC app, which can be used to:

· apply online

· backdate claims for up to 3 months

· add a new baby to a claim

· tell HMRC about a change in circumstances

· update details i.e. change of address/bank details

· view or print proof of entitlement to Child Benefit

From 6 April 2024, families where the highest earner has a salary of up to £60,000 a year will not be subject to the High Income Child Benefit Charge (HICBC). Previously, a person who had an annual income of £50,000 or more would be liable to pay the charge if they or their partner were receiving Child Benefit.
Laura Trott, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said:
"We are ending the unfairness in the child benefit system, and as a result 170,000 families will no longer have to pay back child benefit, and nearly half a million families will save an average of around £1,300 next year.

"The legacy of the pandemic and the war in Ukraine has put pressures on everyone's cost of living. But, by taking difficult decisions, the economy is starting to turn a corner, and we can now provide further support to parents."

For those earning between £60,000 and £80,000, the amount of Child Benefit they are entitled to receive reduces as income increases within this range. If an individual's income exceeds £80,000 the HICBC will be equal to the Child Benefit payment. Parents who make a claim and then choose to opt-out of receiving Child Benefit payments can still receive National Insurance credits if one parent is not working.

Parents with an income above £50,000, who reinstate their Child Benefit before 6 April 2024, may be subject to HICBC charges if they choose to start payments in the 2023 to 2024 tax year. For new claimants who claim Child Benefit on or after 6 April 2024, any HICBC liability will be based on the new 2024 to 2025 threshold of £60,000 to £80,000.

More information can be found on GOV.UK. Search 'High Income Child Benefit Charge.'

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Pop-Up museum launching in Haverfordwest on March 25

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HAVERFORDWEST TOWN MUSEUM said this week they are excited to announce the opening date for a new pop-up museum and exhibition space, funded by UK government's Shared Prosperity Fund as part of the Levelling Up agenda. The pop-up museum opens its doors on March 25 in Riverside Shopping Centre, Haverfordwest, just in time for the [...]

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Milford Haven Maritime & Heritage Museum

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Milford Haven Maritime & Heritage Museum

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Exhibit / Milford Haven's Waterways

Discover Milford Haven's Waterways

Our exhibits offer a unique glimpse into the past, telling the stories of the people and industries that have shaped Milford Haven from it's beginnings to the present day.

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Milford Haven Museum | Discover Our Coastal Town's History

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Explore Milford Haven's vibrant past through exhibits on social industrial history, whaling, oil & gas, and more at Milford Haven Museum. Plan your visit now!

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Sandy Bear Childrens Bereavement Charity

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Sandy Bear is a charity supporting children and young people, and their families coping with the death of a parent or sibling.

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Menter Iaith Sir Benfro, Crymych. 1,470 likes · 13 talking about this · 5 were here. Nod Menter Iaith Sir Benfro yw hybu’r Gymraeg o fewn y sir. Menter Iaith Sir Benfro’s main objectiv

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Music, film, photography, sports, games, arts and crafts, cookery, gardening, events, trips and more... Come and join us!

​

OUR YOUTH, OUR FUTURE

CURRENT TIMETABLE

Online support and advice is always available during normal opening hours.

​

5pm-7pm

Project Night

(booking required)

7:30pm-9:30pm

All ages drop-in

To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key.

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Youth Club | Tanyard Youth Project | Pembrokeshire

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Tanyard Youth Project is a Youth Club in Pembroke open six evenings a week throughout the year and welcome all 10-18 year-olds. We are also introducing daytime activities for adults 18+ and young people up to age 25 this year.

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The Cleddau is in crisis. Decades of pollution from sewage, agriculture, industry and other sources - as well as climate change - is severely compromising the health and habitats of the entire catchment ecosystem. Our river is failing, and we need to act now to save it from irreversible decline.

The Eastern and Western Cleddau Rivers unite at Picton Point to form the Daugleddau Estuary. Often referred to as Pembrokeshire's hidden waterway, the estuary snakes some 16miles south, picking up the Carew and Cresswell rivers on its way to meet the sea at St Anne's Head.

The Cleddau Project aims to shine a spotlight on this beautiful, diverse and extensive waterway whose good health is so vitally important for nature and for the people of Pembrokeshire.

Working with local people, groups and organisations, The Cleddau Project wants to engender a deeper relationship with our river, encourage greater care for its waters and habitats, and build a sense of local ownership by developing and delivering positive, practical action on the ground.

The Cleddau Project aims to provide a coordinated, strategic approach to improving the Cleddau from source to sea, returning the tributaries, brooks, rivers and estuary to good health for the benefit of nature, the community and future generations.

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The Cleddau Project | Restoring the health of our waterway from source to sea

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The Cleddau is in crisis. Decades of pollution from sewage, agriculture, industry and other sources - as well as climate change - is severely compromising the health and habitats of the entire catchment ecosystem. Our river is failing, and we need to act now to save it from irreversible decline.

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The community of Hayscastle has lost its shop, post office, petrol station and school over the last 50 years. We can't let the pub close too!

The Cross Inn is a pub located in the centre of the village of Hayscastle Cross which is strategically located between the County town of Haverfordwest, the city of St David's and the coastal town of Fishguard.

Our Vision

To ensure the Cross Inn remains at the heart of our vibrant community.

To provide a place for people of all ages to socialise both in the traditional bar and the newly renovated 'Cwtsh', which will provide a welcoming and family-friendly environment to compliment the more traditional bar.

To provide a comfortable and welcoming space for use by local people and organisations.

To hold Welsh events and social evenings.

To support local businesses and form partnerships with local companies and organisations.

To oﬀer drinks and meals, using local produce.

To secure employment and training opportunities for local people, young and old, and support them to fulﬁl their potential.

What have we done?

Survey undertaken to obtain public feedback.

Feasibility study undertaken to assess the viability of the community purchase.

Y Cross Cas-lai is a registered Community Benefits Society - approved by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Y Cross Cas-lai CBS bank account has been secured with the Cooperative Bank.

A Business Plan encompassing every aspect of the Y Cross Cas-lai vision including financial forecasts has been developed.

Y Cross Cas-lai Share Offer document is finalised and ready for distribution.

Minimum Share Offer Target reached. Just over £210k from share sales.

£244k grant funding secured.

Building and equipment purchased.

What next?

Essential renovation of the building.

Develop the "Cwtsh" which will be family friendly space for good food, social activities, and events.

Have a welcoming and nature-friendly family usable garden space.

Our Community Benefit Society business model has an asset lock, meaning all profits have to be re invested in the business. Any surplus can be used to support other organisations in the community.

We will work together in harmony with Hayscastle Community Centre to ensure a joined up collaborative community approach.

We have come a long way, let's finish the job! If not for us, then for future generations!

Please help us on our journey

Click on the above link to access the transcript of the General Meeting held 27th February 2024 at Mathry Hall.
26th February 2024 - Details of Director and Committee member biographies 22/02/2024 - TEMPORARY PUB CLOSURE
We have received a Health & Safety report from Pembrokeshire County Council following their recent visit. A false report was made to various agencies prompting a council Health & Safety Officer inspection. There were a few key issues including;

The Fire Risk Assessment was not given to the inspector and the Council and Fire Service assessed the pub was non compliant. This is despite the Society having provide the assessment to the employee hosting the visit.

Despite a responsible waste agreement in place, there was an unacceptable build up of waste in the pub and remedial actions are now being taken

The main entry door, which was designated for use by Society keyholders, had again been bolted on the inside preventing emergency access. Keys for all other doors had been wrongly removed from the key safe and the individual was unavailable to return them. Locks had to be changed to allow an urgent safety assessment and rescheduled stock take.

Closing the pub is extremely disappointing for us all but we must put safety first. Please be kind and show understanding. Unkind words are against our code of conduct and devalues our community pub and hub, making it harder for the project to be successful, impacting our ability to attract future customers and employees.

We know the root cause and these matters are being investigated.

Multiple interviews are in progress for the pub manager position and we aim to re-open the pub in a structured way, with a new manager. That way, the pub can re-open and remain open and serve the purpose for which the Community Benefit Society (CBS) exists... to provide a welcoming family friendly Community pub with a warm welcome for all.

The pub will remain closed for a few weeks whilst the new manager is appointed and prepares for reopening. In the meantime our priority is to undertake the remedial and statutory actions covered by the report and these documents will be shared on our website in due course.

We are interim custodians of our community venture and we continue to welcome new volunteers who are willing to bring fresh perspective and make a positive impact.

Please remember our mission - let's work together as a community for our community pub and hub.
Stronger Together / Gyda'n gilydd yn gryfach CAMRA Nomination
Y Cross has been shortlisted for the CAMRA National Pub Saving Award. 40 nomination were received and 12 pubs have been shortlisted. The winner will be announced in mid-December. We are very grateful to the local CAMRA branch for the nomination and also for their support to ensure we can save our much loved pub.

Future Events

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The community of Hayscastle has lost its shop, post office, petrol station and school over the last 50 years. We can't let the pub close too! The Cross Inn is a pub located in the centre of the village of Hayscastle Cross which is strategically located between the County town of Haverfordwest, the city of St David's and the coastal town of Fishguard.

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Tegryn Jones, Chief Executive, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority

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Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum (PCF) manages and delivers marine related projects including the Marine Code, Outdoor Charter and Marine Energy Pembrokeshire.

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Support us

As a registered charity we need your support to bring great artists to the venue, develop high quality music and learning programmes, improve our stage and production facilities and increase the accessibility of our programme for all sectors of society.

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The Queen's Hall is one of Scotland's premier independent live music venues, playing host to an extraordinary range of world-class artists from all musical fields including classical, jazz, folk and roots, rock and pop and Americana. Scottish Charity No: SC012294

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The VC Gallery | Combatting Social Isolation Through Creative Engagement

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Workplace recycling is changing

From 6 April 2024, it will become law for all businesses, charities and public sector organisations to sort their waste for recycling.

It also applies to all waste and recycling collectors and processors who manage household-like waste from workplaces.

The Welsh Government is introducing this law to improve the quality and quantity of how we collect and separate waste.

What waste needs to be separated

The following materials will need to be separated for collection, and collected separately:

Food

Paper and card

Glass

Metal, plastic and cartons

Unsold textiles

Unsold small waste electrical and electronic equipment (sWEEE)

There will also be a ban on:

Sending food waste to sewer (any amount)

Separately collected waste going to incineration and landfill

All wood waste going to landfill

You can mix paper and card together in the same container, and you can mix metal, plastic, and cartons together.

Who the law applies to

All businesses, charities and public sector organisations will need to separate their waste.

This includes:

Agricultural premises

Hospitality and tourism - restaurants, bars, pubs, bed and breakfasts, hotels, campsites and caravan parks, holiday accommodation, and licensed premises

Showgrounds

Service stations and petrol stations

Entertainment and sports venues including leisure centres

Transport - bus stations, railway stations, seaports, airports, and heliports

Care and nursing homes

Pharmacies, GP surgeries, dental surgeries, and other primary care settings

Construction sites

Factories and warehouses

Car garages

Education - universities, colleges, and schools

Garden centres

Heritage buildings

Libraries and museums

Offices and workshops

Places of worship

Prisons

Outdoor markets and festivals

Retail

The only workplace that has an additional 2 years to comply is NHS hospitals and private hospitals.

The Code of Practice gives you more detailed information about the new workplace recycling law and how should comply. It is important you read this alongside the guides.

WRAP's Business of Recycling website has guides and free downloadable communication resources for your workplace.

Why the law is changing

We want to improve the quality and quantity of recycling from workplaces. This is an important step towards reaching zero waste, reducing our carbon emissions and tackling the climate emergency.

We want to keep materials in use for as long as possible. With the costs of materials rising, keeping high quality materials in use will help our economy and support our supply chains. For example, by avoiding landfill tax and creating job opportunities.

We are already the best in the UK for domestic recycling and third best in the world.

The new law supports the actions from our circular economy strategy, Beyond recycling.

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From 6 April 2024, it will become law for all businesses, charities and public sector organisations to sort their waste for recycling.

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to host an LGBTQ+ Pride event in a location in Wales, which can include opportunities for LGBTQ+ performers and artists

to undertake outreach with wider communities with a focus on exploring safer spaces and supporting new social events

to contribute towards our programme for Government commitment for Wales to be the most LGBTQ+ friendly place in Europe

For further information please select the following link: Grassroots Pride Fund | GOV.WALES

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to host an LGBTQ+ Pride event in a location in Wales, which can include opportunities for LGBTQ+ performers and artists to undertake outreach with wider communities with a focus on exploring safer spaces and supporting new social events to contribute towards our programme for Government commitment for Wales to be the most LGBTQ+ friendly place in Europe For further information please select the following link: Grassroots Pride Fund | GOV.WALES

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Home - ThThe Fore is running its Summer 2024 Funding Round. We are offering unrestricted grants of up to £30,000 to help small charities and social enterprises develop, grow or become more sustainable.

 

Successful applicants will receive:

A grant of up to £30,000 of unrestricted funding over 1 to 3 years.
Access to free, highly skilled support provided by experienced professionals.
Access to our programme of skills training workshops, covering areas such as fundraising, communications, finance, strategy and more.
A fully-funded place on an impact measurement course.
Access to peer networking opportunities.
 

Who is eligible to apply?

 

All UK-registered charities, CIOs, CICs and CBSs with an annual income of under £500,000 are welcome to apply. Please also take our eligibility quiz here.

 

Our grants are intended to create a step change for your organisation. What do you need to get to the next stage of your development? Our grant might help your organisation to grow, increase your staff capacity, become more sustainable or make your systems more efficient – we don’t mind, we just want you to be able to be better at what you do.

 

How to apply:

You will need to register your interest in applying. Registration will be open for one week from 12pm on 28th March to 12pm on 4th April. During this time, please register your interest on our Apply for Funding webpage (this will take 2 to 3 minutes).
On 5th April, all registered applicants will receive confirmation of whether they have been allocated a place on the funding round along with details of how to apply. If there are more applicants registered than places available, places will be allocated at random.
Once you have received confirmation of your place on the funding round, write your application before the deadline of 5pm on Monday 29th April.
 

Please come along to our online Q&A session on Thursday 28th March, 1pm to 2pm to hear more from The Fore team about our processes and pose your own questions before you register to apply. You can sign up here. If you can’t make it on the day, please register if you would like to receive the recording after the event.

 

If you have any questions, we are happy to help – Please email us at info@thefore.org 

 

Kind regards,

The Fore

 

The Foree Fore

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The Fore is the first seed funder for the charity sector in the UK. We are a collaboration of individuals, businesses, funders and social entrepreneurs committed to breaking down barriers and sharing skills. Our mission is to ensure that anyone with the talent and drive to create social change is connected with the support they need to reach their potential. We open up access to finance and skills for high-quality small charities and social enterprises innovating across all sectors. Our grantees are developing fresh ideas for mental health support, preventing environmental damage, reducing education inequality and improving racial justice.

Our venture capital-style approach offers a complete package of unrestricted funding, professional expertise and impact measurement support. Read more about the impact of our work and how we are reaching organisations overlooked by other funders here. Follow us @theforetrust to be kept informed on dates for future funding rounds.

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The Fore is the first seed funder for the charity sector in the UK. We are a collaboration of individuals, businesses, funders and social entrepreneurs committed to breaking down barriers and sharing skills. Our mission is to ensure that anyone with the talent and drive to create social change is connected with the support they need to reach their potential.

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Contact PAVS for more information and to check eligibility

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Have a read of the written statement from Vaughan Gething, MS, Minister for Economy published today. Interesting reading.

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Following the loss of EU funding I announced in May 2022 a Welsh Government commitment of £20.9m per annum, up until March 2025, to continue the Business Wales support service. Following a full service refresh I am pleased to announce the service is fully operational.

The Business Wales services deliver on our ambitions outlined in the recent Economic Mission and on our Programme for Government commitments for a more prosperous, fairer and greener Wales.

I can confirm the Social Business Wales service is a consortium made up of Social Firms Wales, Development Trust Association Wales, UnLtd, WCVA and led by Cwmpas to provide specialist business advice to the sector.

The Business Wales Entrepreneurship and Start up Service was awarded to Enterprise Partnership Cymru (EPC), a consortia partnership between Business in Focus, M-Sparc and Menter Mon.

Furthermore, since April 2023, Careers Wales are taking the lead in the delivery of Big Ideas Wales in schools to strengthen the integration of entrepreneurship with mainstream employment opportunities and align provision to support schools' implementation of the new curriculum. Further integration under the Young Person's Guarantee has enabled the delivery of the Employment and Enterprise Bureau in further education and further grant support for higher education to accelerate student entrepreneurship until March 2025.

The Business Wales Business Development and Growth service contract was awarded in June 2023 to Enterprise Partnership Cymru. The service is open to any micro or SME business in Wales seeking to build resilience, improve productivity or realise ambitions for growth. The service incorporates specialist advisory support including employment, skills and fair work, decarbonisation advice, alongside our business and financial planning for business growth.

The Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme contract was awarded to Newable International Ltd. This contract will commence from 1 April 2024 and the target audience for this service will include both pre-revenue and established high-growth businesses located in Wales that can demonstrate the potential for rapid high growth in an inclusive and sustainable way, through quality employment, export and investment over the next 5 years.

The service provides flexibility to adjust to new government and economic priorities. The transition between contracts has been smooth with no break in service for clients.

To date, during this term of government, Business Wales has assisted 6,564 individuals to develop business proposals, helped start 2,901 new businesses, assisted 3,490 entrepreneurs and SMEs, safeguarded 4,525 jobs and helped create 9,909 new jobs. During the same period the Business Wales Helpline has dealt with over 33,500 enquiries, the Business Wales website has had almost 10.3m hits, and the Business Wales service has supported over 94,500 enterprises with information and signposting. Since the launch of the Young Person's Guarantee over 509 young people have started a business and over 403 received a Young Person's Start-up Grant.

The Business Wales service continues to have a positive impact with every £1 invested delivering up to £18 of added value and a new business supported by Business Wales being twice as likely to still be operating after five years compared to an unsupported business.

Annex

Business Wales May 2021 - January 2024

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Written Statement: Business Wales Service

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Vaughan Gething MS, Minister for Economy

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Come along to Cilrath Acre to get involved in their first training workshop, How to Graft an Apple Tree. Follow the Eventbrite link to book your place for an amazing day at this beautiful site

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This workshop will give you the opportunity to learn the traditional skill of bench grafting. During this half-day (afternoon) workshop you'll learn all about bench grafting and be shown how to graft your own apple tree to take home with you.

All grafting materials are provided. Please bring gardening gloves and wear suitably warm / waterproof clothing and footwear.
Workshop costs:
We're delighted to be able to offer this workshop based on a pay by donation basis.

As a charity we would kindly ask for a minimum donation of £10 towards the costs of administration and materials for the course. However, should you feel able to pay more, then additional donations would be gratefully recieved and will help to support us as a charity. As a guide the normal cost to book this particular workshop would be £20-25.

Please make your booking donation (and anything further you wish to pay) via our local giving site here: Cilrath Acre (Acts West Wales) | Localgiving

Workshop hosted by Cilrath Acre and facilitated by Neil Kingsnorth from Patch of the Planet.

This activity is supported by the Levelling Up Shared Prosperty Funding and the Sustainable Communities Grant (via Pembrokeshire County Council).

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workshop - graft an apple tree pembrokeshire

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workshop - graft an apple tree pembrokeshire tickets

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Eventbrite - Cilrath Acre presents Workshop - Graft an Apple Tree - Thursday, 14 March 2024 at Cilrath Fach Farm, Pembrokeshire, Wales. Find event and ticket information.

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Great website from Play Wales with signposting to funding opportunities- take a look!

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Please note: Play Wales does not distribute funding.

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Have a look at some great activities in St Dogmaels for families

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Women’s Street Football National Team Trials at the Hive

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Women’s Street Football National Team Trials at the Hive

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The Hive will be hosting the Welsh street football national team trials at the Hive on the 26th of February on the Cruyff Court Jo Price. This will be the first national team trial to be held in Pembrokeshire.
The selected players will represent Wales in an international tournament held in Dublin from the 7th - 10th June.

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Menopause & Mindfulness Session at the Hive 

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Menopause & Mindfulness Session at the Hive 

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Clear out your cupboards & bags.....great opportunity to donate or swap your football or rugby boots

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Some great fun was had over half-term with families enjoying exciting activities with Jig-So

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Pop along to see the new land learning skills centre at Cwm Arian in Tegryn when they host their official launch on Saturday 23rd March. Get a chance to explore what the project entails, have a cuppa & a cake......and get involved in tree-planting! Look forward to seeing you there!

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Are there people who would benefit from being involved in your project/ event but don't know they can access it?

Have a look at the information from the Access Officers in Pembrokeshire County Council.

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Cwm Arian are offering a 4 day hedge restoration course- scan the QR code to book a place

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Have a look at this newsletter from Cwm Arian with fantastic opportunities coming up for you to get involved in

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Congratulations to Cariad Pet Therapy who are the first therapy dog organisation in the UK to receive this recognition and demonstrates their dual commitment to volunteer experience and dog welfare.

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UK Quality Volunteering Standard Investing in Volunteers (IiV) awarded to Cariad Pet Therapy

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Cariad Pet Therapy is proud to be an Investing in Volunteers (IiV) achiever, having been awarded the quality mark/standard in January 2024. It shows that they value their volunteers and demonstrates a commitment to volunteering within the organisation. Robert Thomas, Quality & Development Manager said, ’we are extremely pleased to have achieved this standard as a voluntary organisation - it offers a benchmark for providing our volunteers across Wales and into Scotland with the best possible volu

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BITC Cymru Networking Event: Business & Community in Pembrokeshire

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BITC Cymru Networking Event: Business & Community in Pembrokeshire

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This event is designed to support both members and non-members of Business in the Community (BITC), including businesses, charities, and community organisations with operations in Pembrokeshire and surrounding areas.

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" All Events

Business in the Community Cymru and hosts Bluestone are delighted to invite you to connect with communities and local businesses.

This is an in person event.
Audience

This event is designed to support both members and non-members of Business in the Community (BITC), including businesses, charities, and community organisations with operations in Pembrokeshire and surrounding areas.

Background

Business in the Community and its members in Wales are acutely aware of the challenges faced by many communities in Pembrokeshire, struggling to cope with the impacts of the cost-of-living crisis and persistent inflation. As such, at this event key discussion topics will include business volunteering, community collaboration and inclusive recruitment.

About the Event

This networking event is open to all businesses, charities, and community organisations with operations in Pembrokeshire and surrounding areas. The session will celebrate existing positive connections between local businesses and the communities they serve, whilst also providing space for more potential partnerships to flourish across Pembrokeshire and beyond.

Refreshments

Tea, coffee and sandwiches will be provided.

Audience

Open to BITC members and non-members

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Supporting Business and Community in Pembrokeshire

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Business in the Community Cymru and hosts Bluestone are delighted to invite you to connect with communities and local businesses.

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Get involved in exciting opportunities at Canolfan Clydau Tegryn by coming along to a weekly volunteering session. Everyone is welcome to get involved & play an active role in tree planting, maintenance, growing vegetables & fruit. You will learn new skills and make friends along the way

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Hats off to the Take a Bow team who put on a fantastic show at the Torch Theatre on 12/12/23.

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Welcome to Funding Wales the new funding search platform created by Third Sector Support Wales. Find funding for your charity, community group or social enterprise using our free online search engine.

You can search hundreds of grant and loan finance opportunities from local, national and international sources. From small grants to large capital projects we can help you find the funding you need.

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Welcome to Funding Wales the new funding search platform created by Third Sector Support Wales. Find funding for your charity, community group or social enterprise using our free online search engine. You can search hundreds of grant and loan finance opportunities from local, national and international sources.

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Home | Cariad Pet Therapy | Therapy Dogs | Wales | Scotland

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We care about dogs and people | Pet Therapy | Pet Food Bank | Memory Pets | Employment Support | Wales | Therapy dogs showing consent to participate and engage | CariadPetTherapy | Cariad Pet Therapy | Therapy Dogs

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The Crymych Arms successfully open their doors to the community.

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(Image: Media Wales)

There are few things more traditional in Wales than heading down to the local pub for a drink after a long week and catching up with friends, family and neighbours, to engage with those around you and to feel part of something very special - a community. That cosy and dare we say nostalgic pleasure is under threat in many places across Wales and further afield, however.

For many, their villages - once home to one or even several local boozers - are now just a through-road of houses, filled with residents sat behind closed doors, left with nowhere to socialise and often nobody to talk to. Across Wales and England, more than 32 pubs closed each and every month in 2022. Energy bills, staffing pressures, a lack of footfall as the erstwhile pub-goer tightens his or her belt....whatever the reason, there seems to be a crisis - among a sea of crises - enveloping the pub trade as we begin 2023.

In Crymych, a Pembrokeshire village some eight miles south of Cardigan, residents always had a pub, dating back to at least the mid-1800s. The Crymych Arms stood proudly at the north end of a village which sits quietly underneath the majestic hills of Preseli. But in September 2021, the pub pulled its final pint and shut out the pandemic-stricken world outside. You can get the latest WalesOnline newsletters e-mailed to you directly for free by signing up here.
Read more: Man left devastated after his home was flooded for the third time
Its owners, Bill and Meima Evans, had kept the pub open when allowed to do so during different periods following the outbreak of coronavirus in March 2020, but they understandably decided less than a year and a half later that it was time for a change, a time for retirement, having run the old place successfully since 1984. Through nobody's fault, another rural gem had bitten the dust. Closed. Gone. Full of empty kegs and endless memories.

While there is a rugby club up the road which is still operating, the Crymych Arms was the village's only pub, and it had become the only social outlet for many. But now, thanks to a group of locals who recognise that a part of Crymych died when the pub shut, a plan has formed to resuscitate it and put it back at the forefront of village life. A month ago, a public meeting was held at the local Market Hall to gauge if there would be any interest in buying the pub, not just as an investment, but to reopen it, restock it, and run it for the community. More than 40 people attended the meeting and at its end it was decided that an ambitious plan would proceed.

Those behind it will now form a 'community benefit society' with the aim of raising more than £300,000 which will be used to purchase the pub, its stock and to carry out some work inside. The problem with ambitious plans is they are not always achievable, but Crymych can take hope from the fact that this kind of venture has worked in recent times, and in nearby communities, including at the inimitable Tafarn Sinc, nine miles away in the village of Rhosebush, and at the 141-year-old town shop in Newport, Pembrokeshire. It can happen, it can work, and the hope in Crymych is that it will do so again.

"When you lose a pub you lose touch with people," said Cris Tomos, one of the driving forces behind the initiative. Mr Tomos is a local community councillor and asset co-ordinator at PLANED, a community-led organisation which has experience in exactly this kind of project. "A lot of elderly people used to come here for a meal, and that ability to socialise, to sit down and be with other people has been lost. It's a real issue moving forward, both socially and economically. Local pubs and local shops are just not there and I think it's something that the country in a wider context needs to address. We've had success with this type of share offer before so we called a meeting before Christmas just to see if it was something we could try and do. A lot of people turned up and everyone said 'yeah, let's go for it'."

The way the share offering works is that everyone and anyone is able to buy a share, or shares, and therefore own their own part of the Crymych Arms. One share costs £100 (which can even be paid for in instalments), and people can buy as many as they like up to a maximum value of £100,000 per person. Crucially, one share will equal one vote, so everyone will have a say in the pub's future and the way it is run, regardless of the size of their respective stake. A business plan is being drawn up to look at the rewarding of dividends, or dividend vouchers to be spent in the pub, to shareholders, and those involved will be able to sell shares at a later date, after an initial period when the company establishes itself and hopefully makes a success of the venture.

Crucially, explained Mr Tomos, those investing will be buying more than a pub. "We will be issuing a share offer with a full business plan so that people will see the complete details of what they're buying. But as well as the pub itself, people will own part of a building, which includes two flats to the side and above the pub. Whatever you are putting in, you know you are buying bricks and mortar so if it didn't work out in the long-term we can sell it and people would still own their share of the building."

Another key part of the proposal is making the Crymych Arms more than just a pub - it will be the home of Crymych FC. The football club was only formed in 2019 but it has already achieved success by winning a local cup and gaining promotion from Division 2 to Division 1 in the league it joined less than four years ago. The club currently uses the hall in the nearby village of Hermon as its base, but those that run it want its home to be in the centre of Crymych.

"You don't see some people here now for weeks or even months since the pub shut," said Robin Davies, who is also a community councillor and the secretary of the football club. "I don't think it's very good for people's mental health, and it's the same when schools and shops close in villages up and down the country. Villages need these things. The idea to try and buy the pub happened one night when a few of us were having a pint after a game. It had been shut for a while so we started talking about reopening it and basically using it as a football club and a pub.

"The current owners are 100% behind the idea because they want it to reopen as it was - they'd be delighted if it came off. They've looked after the pub very well over the years and structurally the building is fine - all we would have to do is a bit of a redesign on the inside. They don't want to sell it to a developer to turn it all into a house or flats because if that happens then the village pub is gone forever."

So far, just a month after that initial meeting, more than £80,000 worth of pledges have already been made from people desperate to save the pub and own a share of it. The hope is that more people will come forward and enough money can be raised to make this dream a reality. There's also the possibility of support by way of grant funding from the UK Government's Community Ownership Fund, which could provide thousands in match funding as part of its Levelling Up programme.

The hope is that the share offer can be launched next month and Mr Tomos, having been involved in this type of project before, considers it realistic that the Crymych Arms could be open by the end of the summer, in time for the beginning of the next football season. The people behind the plan will continue to move forward and raise as much money as they possibly can, and increase awareness by contacting different people - including Wales footballing hero and former Crymych schoolboy Joe Allen - to see if they want to get involved in any way.

"The cost of living crisis has made things harder for people," said Mr Davies. "With this place open, people will be able to access warmth, food, and some companionship too. From a community point of view it's vital that we can reopen the pub because so many people used to depend on it. Without it, people are staying in and they don't get that opportunity to connect, to see others."

Anyone is invited to get involved and become a part owner of a historic pub that once served generations of happy punters from Crymych, rural Pembrokeshire and Cererdgion and beyond. For more information on how you can get involved, you can visit here. "It has been done before and in some places there are several community pubs, and we should be looking to create a network of them so that we can all support each other," said Mr Tomos. "With pubs like this, you either have to do something or you will lose it, so we are doing something."
Read next: Find out about the latest local issues where you live

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One Welsh village's battle to save and reopen its only pub

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The Crymych Arms dates back to the 19th century and has been closed since the pandemic. The owners, set on retirement, don't want to sell it to a developer, they want it to remain as a pub. Luckily, those who miss it are doing something about that....

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Cariad Pet Therapy looking for volunteers

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Cariad Pet Therapy looking for volunteers

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Would you or do you know anyone that would like to volunteer at Cariad Pet Therapy? This is the Be-a-friend Project that addresses loneliness in older people in Pembrokeshire.

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The Be-a-friend Project addresses loneliness in older people in Pembrokeshire who love dogs and miss four paws in their home

This is done by visits from trained volunteers and their assessed Be-a-friend Dogs to provide much needed companionship in our community

We take referrals from, and work closely with local agencies in Pembrokeshire to identify those in most need, with their consent, who would benefit from our service

Loneliness can be profound and wide-ranging, considered by many to be one of the largest public health challenges we face

As we get older we are more likely to experience loneliness

As we get older we are less likely to be able to have a dog

By combining compassionate volunteers with their engaging dogs, this partnership can address the challenge loneliness brings to our community

We are looking for engaging dogs with compassionate owners to join our Be-a-friend Project in Pembrokeshire.

Does your dog enjoy meeting new people in a calm and engaging manner?

Do you have a positive bond with your dog, and can you advocate for their welfare?

Do you enjoy meeting new people and can demonstrate care and compassion?

Have you the time to volunteer with your dog at least once a month?

What we look for in a volunteer

Positive and respectful relationship with their dog (essential)

Passionate about their dog's welfare (essential)

Can demonstrate true advocacy for their dog (essential)

Have an understanding of dog body language (essential)

Able to manage own time (essential)

Communicate positively with people (essential)

Passionate about helping others (essential)

Use their initiative and pro-active (essential)

Positively supports organisational policy (essential)

An ambassador for their organisation (essential)

Like being around people and dogs (essential)

Are kind and thoughtful to people and dogs (essential)

Are good listeners (essential)

Respect others point of view and tolerant of different views (essential)

See the person not the disability (essential)

Well-mannered and polite (essential)

Interested in the people they support (essential)

Are patient with people (essential)

Compassionate and sensitive (essential)

A desire to have a positive impact on others (essential)

Passionate about making a positive difference (essential)

What we look for in the dog

A dog that demonstrates their consent to engage with new people in new environments (essential)

A dog that has a calm and friendly temperament (essential)

A dog that is respectful when meeting others, i.e. paws on the floor, loose lead walking and awareness of personal space (essential)

A dog that will engage naturally without the need for treats, tricks or training (essential)

A dog that is fit and healthy (essential)

A dog over the aged of 18 months and a breed that is naturally engaging with people (essential)

Please send an email to Be-a-friend@cariadpettherapy.co.uk and provide us with the following:

1. Tell us why you think your dog is suitable for the role?

2. Tell us about yourself? (Work experience, skills, interests relevant to a volunteering role)

3. Tell us about your bond/your relationship with your dog?

4. What availability do you have to visit?

5. Please up-load a photo of your dog

What happens after I apply?

We will shortlist candidates who will be invited to an online informal chat to discuss the role further. Following this an invite to an in-person (owner and dog) assessment may be offered.

What happens if I am successful?

You will receive a comprehensive onboarding programme (in-person and online) which includes an Enhanced DBS and reference check with ongoing support from the Project Co-ordinator. Clothing, ID and Volunteer Handbook will also be provided.

When does the Be-a-friend Project start?

​March 2024.

Please contact Leasa by email at: Be-a-friend@cariadpettherapy.co.uk for any further information on the project.

**We will be taking referrals from local agencies in Pembrokeshire for this service from March 1st 2024**

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The Be-a-friend Project addresses loneliness in older people in Pembrokeshire | New Project | Apply today

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We care about dogs and people | Pet Therapy | Pet Food Bank | Memory Pets | Employment Support | Wales | Scotland | Therapy dogs showing consent to participate and engage | Cariad Pet Therapy | CariadPetTherapy

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The first event of the Children's Festival funded programme got off to a great start with 141 children attending a fun-packed event with their parents and siblings in Haverfordwest for Halloween.

Children's Festival Scary Success

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The Cleddau Project will be hosting its first Public Meeting at 18.45 on Friday 26th January 2024 at Haverfordwest Rugby Club.

What state is the Cleddau really in? Why does it matter? What can we do about it?

This is the launch event for The Cleddau Project! Come and hear about what we're planning, listen to speakers, find out about volunteering opportunities and contribute your own ideas. The Cleddau needs our help! Please come along and support the project and our river (and bring your friends)!

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The Cleddau Project will be hosting its first Public Meeting at 18.45 on Friday 26th January 2024 at Haverfordwest Rugby Club. What state is the Cleddau really in? Why does it matter? What can we do about it? This is the launch event for The Cleddau Project!