Leader Programme Awards More Than £600,000

The LEADER programme, which aims to support the regeneration of rural Carmarthenshire, is providing financial support to 16 local projects, taking the total awarded from the 2014-2020 programme to over £600K. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Five projects which have received funding and show an overview of the various projects that have been awarded financial support are: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Increasing local heritage awareness amongst primary school children ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A partnership between Canolfan Tywi Centre and Sbectrwm who will develop local heritage learning modules aimed at key stage two pupils.The project will celebrate the richness and diversity of the built and cultural heritage of rural Carmarthenshire and engage the students of Carmarthenshire’s primary schools in understanding their heritage. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

New digital innovation project to increase footfall on heritage sites of Carmarthenshire ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

This will be led by the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. This project will reflect on the latest in digital interpretation to create a bespoke product to encourage tourism in the region. This new digital innovation project will aim to increase footfall on heritage sites of Carmarthenshire. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cwmamman Town Council ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The council wasawarded RDP LEADER funding in order to carry out a feasibility study to identify the most advantageous and economically sustainable way to utilise a number of assets within the community, which were the subject of an asset transfer from the local authority, for the benefits of the residents and locality. The project will involve significant community engagement from the outset, giving residents an opportunity to relay key community needs. The results of this feasibility / consultation exercise will be widely disseminated and will act as a model for other communities which are currently going through the asset transfer process. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Caldwell Autism Foundation ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

LEADER funding was given for a pilot project engaging with parent/carers of children and young adults with autism trialling a new responsive communication programme which is an innovative approach to opening communication channels between parent/carer and child. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Welsh language and local businesses ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Delivered jointly by Coleg Sir Gar and the Mentrau, theproject will consist of the College and the three Mentrau organisations within Carmarthenshire engaging with employers within rural Carmarthenshire to establish the route that students can take to gain employment into Welsh speaking roles with a view to having student placements within the businesses. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Executive Board Member for regeneration, Cllr Meryl Gravell, said: “We are delighted to announce the approval of these projects, we feel that they will deliver clear social, cultural and economic benefits for local communities across the county. LEADER is designed to get local people, businesses and communities involved in delivering sustainable, innovative solutions to address some of the economic, social and environmental challenges facing rural Carmarthenshire.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

All of these projects have received funding through the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​