The ‘Building Pembrokeshire’s Capacity to Care’ project was launched on December 3rd, offering free support to Pembrokeshire’s care entrepreneurs.
The event was opened by Jonathan Griffiths, Director of Social Services and Housing at Pembrokeshire County Council, who outlined the benefits of the project in expanding the range of local care and support services available to people in Pembrokeshire.
The project has been developed from the success of ‘Community Catalysts’, an organisation supporting care enterprises in rural parts of England. Rhys Davies from Community Catalysts explained how the project in Somerset has created a directory of over 400 community-led enterprises, providing around 12,000 hours of care each week.
The event was attended by some of Pembrokeshire’s existing care and support enterprises. These included social enterprises: Reconnect in Nature CIC and Clynfyw Care Farm CIC; and community micro-enterprises: S&A Buddies, Brightest Day, Help at Home, Home Call, and Cariad Companionship – all offering a ‘home help’ service, as well as ‘Cheese and Pickles’ design studio / Henry Hedgepodge Academy of Art. You can find out more about these local enterprises by searching for their website or Facebook page.
Rhian Bennett, Social Care Commissioner at Pembrokeshire County Council, commented: “Such inspirational stories from the enterprises already set up in Pembrokeshire! I’m looking forward to the new year and new conversations, opportunities and enterprises.”
Project leads Lee James and Liz Cook wrapped up the event by outlining the next goal of creating a local directory of care and support enterprises for Pembrokeshire people to access.
If you’re an existing care or support enterprise in Pembrokeshire or interested in setting one up, please contact Liz Cook [email protected] regarding social enterprise or Lee James [email protected] regarding community micro-enterprise.
Arwain Sir Benfro – the Local Action Group (LAG) for Pembrokeshire, administered by PLANED provided funding of £155,218 to PAVS for the Building Pembrokeshire’s Capacity to Care project. This is funded through the LEADER programme, which is part of the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014 – 2020, funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government. Match funding has been provided by the West Wales Care Partnership.
