Local Senedd Member Samuel Kurtz has welcomed more than £4.3 million in National Lottery funding that has been awarded to community projects across Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire since 2021.
Figures from The National Lottery Community Fund show that £4,318,484 has been distributed through 122 grants in the constituency since the 2021/22 financial year – the same year that Samuel was elected.
The funding has supported grassroots charities, voluntary organisations and community groups through programmes such as National Lottery Awards for All, which offers grants of up to £20,000, and People and Places, which provides larger grants of up to £500,000.
Projects funded locally include mental health support for young people, environmental and sustainability initiatives, community workshops, outdoor wellbeing activities, support for vulnerable adults and programmes helping people develop skills and confidence.
Among the organisations receiving funding are Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, which received £343,584 for its Routes to Discovery project to improve mental and physical health through accessible outdoor activities, and St Davids Diocesan Council for Social Responsibility, which secured £398,078 to support community groups and families through its Plant Dewi: Strengthening our Communities initiative.
Local organisations such as The VC Gallery, Redberth Croft CIC, The Tenby Project CIC, and Neptune's Army of Rubbish Cleaners have also received funding to support projects ranging from food initiatives and nature-based wellbeing activities to volunteering opportunities and environmental action.
Samuel Kurtz MS said:
“Community groups and charities across Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire do incredible work supporting people and strengthening local communities. It’s fantastic to see over £4.3 million of National Lottery funding has been invested into projects that are improving wellbeing, tackling isolation and creating opportunities for people of all ages in the time that I have been elected.”
“The voluntary sector plays a vital role in our area, and this funding is helping organisations deliver projects that bring people together and make a real difference to people’s lives.”
The National Lottery Community Fund is the largest funder of community activity in Wales and focuses its work on helping communities come together, supporting environmental sustainability, enabling children and young people to thrive and helping people live healthier lives.
Organisations across Wales can apply for funding through the National Lottery Awards for All and People and Places programmes to support projects that matter most to their communities.
Further information about available funding can be found on the National Lottery Community Fund website.
