Protecting endangered species and reintroducing an historic flour mix for breadmaking are among the latest schemes in rural Swansea to get a funding boost.

A number of further schemes have now been awarded funding from Swansea Council worth a combined £108,000 as part of an overall rural anchor project being funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

The latest schemes to benefit include:

– An otter and water vole restoration project at Penllergare Valley Woods. Led by the Penllergare Trust, the project will include the creation of further ditch and pond habitats for water voles, the removal of dense scrub along the lakeshore and the installation of more fencing to secure the area and protect it from disturbance. Holts will also be deployed along riverbanks to provide resting and breeding sites for otters, some riverbank paths will be re-routed and a bilingual interpretation board will be created to give information to visitors.
– A Gower Loaf flour milling project led by Y Felin Ddwr Charitable Trust to reinvigorate the operation of a 12th century flour mill at Gower Heritage Centre into a self-sustaining venture. A part-time miller will be employed to train a team of mill equipment volunteers and work with them to reintroduce a wheat and barley flour mix for breadmaking not seen for 200 years. The traditional Gower Loaf breadmaking mix would then be sold in the mill shop.

Pennard Community Council have also been successful in applying for funding to help support a two-day Gower Food and Drink Festival to be held in September this year.

Cllr Robert Francis-Davies, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Investment, Regeneration and Tourism, said: “We’re determined as part of our Shared Prosperity Fund allocation from the UK Government to benefit as many Swansea residents and businesses as possible.

“This includes our fantastic rural communities, so it’s very encouraging to have approved even more projects that will soon be rolled out.”

All projects that submit funding applications are assessed by a rural advisory group.

Cllr Andrew Stevens, a member of the group and Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Infrastructure, said: “These latest approvals mean 34 schemes in total have now been successful in applying for rural anchor project funding since the opportunity to benefit from the funding first became available.

“Over £480,000 has now been allocated to projects in many of Swansea’s rural communities. This is important because our rural communities do so much for Swansea’s culture and economy.”

Other recent projects to be approved include renewable energy projects at Llanmorlais Hall, led by the Llanmorlais and District Community Hall Trust – and at Grovesend Community Hall, led by the Grovesend Miners Welfare Trust.

A community garden at Coed Gwilym Park in Clydach will also be developed for the benefit of flora and fauna, thanks to the Friends of Coed Gwilym Park.

Led by Bishopston Community Council, a renewable energy project there will include solar panels, storage batteries and more LED lighting.