Six community groups in Carmarthenshire receive over £42,000 of National Lottery funding

Six community groups based in Carmarthenshire have been awarded a total of £42,404 of funding in September after applying to The National Lottery Community Fund. Successful projects include
arts and crafts workshops to support parents
outdoor activities to improve mental health within the community
counselling for young people affected by trauma from adverse childhood experiences.

CYCA Connecting Youth Children and Adults will use their £9,000 grant to upskill local mothers to continue their journey to become ‘Mentor Mams’. Beneficiaries who have completed courses and training through CYCA’s previous National Lottery funded project will deliver workshops to other parents that help reduce isolation, increase employability, and improve confidence.

Carrie, one of the Mentor Mams, has developed a series of cupcake baking and decorating workshops for families:

“I came to CYCA with no self-belief and struggling to be the mother I wanted to be. The team at CYCA and the people I have met through them have shown me how to believe in myself and how to turn my interest in baking into an opportunity to develop a skill I never knew I had – not only making intricate cakes, but also tutoring other mothers and children and sharing my passion. Who knows, I may even take it further and turn it into a business one day. Now, that is something I never thought I’d say! Thank you so much, CYCA, you have given me so much.”

Tracy Pike MBE, Chief Executive Officer at CYCA said, “We are so grateful for the funding; it has enabled us to deliver this project and a legacy of our ‘Mentor Mams’ project. The mothers will now receive new training in peer mentoring and volunteer skills.

“We have a wonderful programme planned for the coming months, bringing new learners to our centre who will be able to experience new activities. The creche is crucial so the Mams can have time to themselves to socialise and to learn and benefit from peer support.”

Other successful projects include:

Carmarthenshire People First who will use their £10,000 grant to provide a range of one-to-one and group activities that encourage people with learning disabilities to re-engage with the community following lockdown.
Monk’s Treasure Activities Group were awarded £9,030 to hold various outdoor workshops, in order to help improve the mental and physical wellbeing of their community.
Pembrey Conservation Trust received a £4,790 grant to run a series of planting activities to help improve the mental and physical wellbeing of their local community.
Llety Llanelli Foyer Young Person’s Committee will use £3,921 to provide ongoing counselling support for young people affected by trauma from Adverse Childhood Experiences.
Wallich-Clifford Community received £5,663 to develop a community garden for residents of a young person’s housing scheme in Carmarthenshire and their near neighbours.

Ruth Bates, Head of Communications at The National Lottery Community Fund in Wales, said: “These projects are excellent examples of how community groups and volunteers support the people who rely on them. National Lottery players raise £36 million each week for good causes throughout the UK. Last year we funded over 8,000 projects across the UK to bring communities together. I hope these grants will enable all projects receiving funding this month to continue offering support to the people and communities who really need it.”

These are just six of 87 communities in Wales which shared more than £1 million (£1,099,866) this month.