Communities, businesses and education providers throughout Swansea have benefited from a funding boost worth close to £22 million over the last year.
Swansea Council has approved hundreds of projects across the city and county that are being funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Anchor projects forming part of the overall funding programme include a rural anchor project, business support, culture and tourism, supporting communities and a transforming county anchor project.
Projects to have benefited from rural anchor funding include an otter and water vole restoration project at Penllergare Valley Woods, as well as The Surf to Success project run by Surf Therapy based in Swansea and Gower.
As part of the business support anchor project, businesses to have benefited include Imersifi – an immersive technology and virtual reality business which received a growth grant. Other examples include Cwtsh Hostel in the city centre, which received a carbon reduction grant, and Bowla – a Bowl with a Roll – which received a website development grant.
There was also an open call for funding bids, where over 20 projects successfully applied.
These include a natural products BioHUB project run by Swansea University, the Heart of the Community project run by the Parish of Casllwchwr Gorseinon, and major reconfiguration works at Morriston’s Tabernacle Chapel.
The FIT Jacks programme run by Swansea City AFC has also been extended, and funding has been awarded to Elysium Gallery and Studios to help with their plans to bring the city centre’s former JT Morgan building back into use.
Cllr Robert Francis-Davies, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Investment, Regeneration and Tourism, said:
“As part of our Shared Prosperity Fund allocation from the UK Government, we were determined to ensure as many benefits as possible for Swansea people of all ages and in all our communities.
“That’s why we introduced key funding themes like business support, supporting our communities and rural projects.
“Funding worth close to £22 million has now been allocated to hundreds of worthy projects which are up and running throughout Swansea, helping improve the lives of many thousands of local people.
“Even more funding will soon be distributed to other local projects too, which is part of our commitment to boost all Swansea’s communities and support as many local businesses as possible.”
Other projects now benefiting from the funding include Skills for Swansea, where Gower College Swansea are leading a partnership of specialist local training providers to deliver retraining and upskilling support to adults aged 19 and over.
Under the Shared Prosperity Fund’s ‘Multiply’ theme, Gower College Swansea also successfully applied for funding to run a project called Multiply Swansea. Being delivered in partnership with locally based skills providers, the project offers numeracy skills support to adults aged 19 and over who don’t have a level two or higher qualification in Maths.
As part of the culture and tourism anchor project, funding has been awarded to businesses including the Ivy Cottage Caravan Park in Nicholaston and Cwrt y Wennol near Clydach.
Thanks to the overall funding programme, works are taking place to breathe new life into historic buildings as well, including Oystermouth Castle, the Unitarian Church on High Street and the York Place Baptist Church. Grant funding will also be allocated for design feasibility and restoration works at the barring engine in the Musgrave Engine House at the Hafod Morfa Copperworks.
Circus skills led by Circus Eruption – a free integrated youth charity – have also been given a boost, thanks to improvement works at St Luke’s Church in Cwmbwrla.
