Almost quarter of a million pound pumped in to local communities

Carmarthenshire County Council is pumping almost a quarter of a million pound in to local communities.

Grants worth £237,874.96 have been approved by the executive board, and will be shared amongst 11 organisations across the county on specific regeneration projects.

The funding has been granted as part of the County Collaboration Fund, which pools a variety of funding sources to benefit community regeneration projects.
Those getting a share of the funds include Ammanford’s ABC Church which is planning a community centre extension; Aman United RFC which is using the money towards a community grandstand, and Aman Valley Dementia Carer’s Support Group which is refurbishing the Hafen Croeso Respite Home. Each of these three projects have been awarded £25,000.

Others in Ammanford to benefit include Capel Hendre Village Forum which has been granted £19,395 towards a play area and skateboard park on the Bancyddraenen estate, and Pantyffynnon Communities First, in partnership with Carmarthenshire County Council, which has had £21,969 towards the renovation and refurbishment of new offices.

In the Gwendraeth, Porth-Y-Rhyd Welfare Committee has been granted £20,000 towards a sensory garden and play area, and in Burry Port, St Mary’s Parish Church has been granted £25,000 towards its development of community facilities.

In Llanelli, Trallwm Forum has been granted £22,000 towards the refurbishment of the community hall.
Bancyfelin Education Community Trust has had £25,000 towards its plans for an all-weather recreation facility, Llansadwrn Community Council has been granted £19,049 towards a play area, and Llandeilo Civic Hall Trust Ltd has had £11,535.63 towards its plans for the refurbishment of its toilet facilities.

The aim of the Collaboration Fund is for projects to benefit from a variety of county grant funding sources.
This collaborative funding approach is being assisted through the newly formed partnership agreement that has been agreed with other significant funding providers within the county.

The council’s funding partners are Waste Recycling Environmental (WREN), CWM Environmental and the Coalfields Regeneration Trust.

Each of the organisations have agreed to work together to deliver a range of community regeneration projects across the county.

Community regeneration officer Sally Doughton said: “We have seen applications from many great community projects, and it is wonderful to see how individuals and community groups are coming together to pull match funding together. We are really pleased to be working with these organisations to drive their projects forward, and will look forward to seeing the end results.”

Cllr Clive Scourfield, executive board member for regeneration, said: “I was delighted to approve funding for so many good causes, which will see a positive impact on many communities across Carmarthenshire. There really are some exciting projects on the go, and it is heartening to see how people are working together to better their towns and villages for themselves and for future generations – and that is what regeneration is all about.”