The Pontarddulais Partnership

 The Partnership is a charitable company limited by guarantee set up in 2006.  The Management Committee comprises of 11 people, all volunteers, responsible for the strategic direction and policy of the organisation.  3 full-time members of staff are employed by the Partnership along with 4 seasonal play-workers.  Day to day responsibility for the organisation’s work lie with the Chair, Community Development Worker, and Manager for Canolfan Y Bont.  The Chair is also responsible for ensuring that the charity delivers the services specified .

 Members of Management Committee/Trustees – Mrs Jane Harris – Chair; Mr John Evans – Vice Chair & Treasurer; Mrs Norma Davies – Secretary; Mr Phillip Gill – Personnel Officer; Mr John Miles; Mr Philip Downing; Mrs Valmai Fox; Mr E Lyn Anthony.

 Who are our Staff?

Viv ; Cath & Amanda – our full-time members of staff are always ready with a warm welcome.  Why not drop in to Canolfan y Bont to see them.

Administrative Information

Charity Name: The Pontarddulais Partnership

Charity Registration No.: 117151            Company Registration No.: 5680324

Registered Office and Address: Canolfan Y Bont, 28 Dulais Road, Pontarddulais, Swansea, SA4 8PA.  Telephone: 01792 885519/885532, e-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]

 Our Vision is to develop Pontarddulais as an attractive place where people have a good quality of life and where people choose to visit.

 

Our Aims are to:

  • improve the quality of life for the community; modernising and developing services and promoting a sense of pride and community spirit;
  • improve the environment so that Pontarddulais is an attractive place to live, that recognises historical influences, offers a range of quality services and is a place that people choose to visit;
  • support and promote economic development locally to ensure that there are adequate job prospects;
  • improve communication and the involvement of a wide range of people including children and young people;
  • carry out effective evaluation for all activities undertaken by the organisation.

 Ensuring our work delivers our aims

Our aims and objectives are reviewed annually.  We evaluate by considering our achievements and  the outcomes of our work in the previous 12 months.  The Management Committee then consider how planned activities will contribute to any new objectives set and whether new funding is required.

 Achievements to date:

Environmental Projects:

  • Railway Station – development of planters leading to further improvement of the area to attract more visitors to Pontarddulais and encourage greater use of sustainable transport.
  • Churchyard on the Marsh – completion of Interpretation Panels and an information leaflet about the site.  The Partnership continues to work closely with Cadw and St Fagan’s towards developing the site as an Ancient Monument.
  • Bryniago Project – following some site clearance, further work is planned to develop a community site with local residents. 
  • Friends of Coedbach Park – supporting the work of the Friends in maintaining and developing the Park and implementing new projects.
  • Green Map – development and distribution of the Green Map about Pontarddulais.

 Improvement of Services:

  • PlayScheme – an Open Access PlayScheme is offered during school holidays (0-14 years) providing employment for 4 people.
  • MUGA (at Pontarddulais Comprehensive School) – extending the multi-use games area for use by school and for local young people.
  • Pontarddulais Youth Project – supporting young people and youth workers.
  • Countryside Access – developing access to the countryside in conjunction with Swansea Council officers.
  • Rights of Way – developing public Rights of Way to improve access to the uplands of Cefn Drum and Mawr.

 Economic Development:

  • Canolfan y Bont – following the rescue of this important hub for the community, work continues to expand the range of activities on offer which will help the Centre to become sustainable in the future.  The Centre provides a local skills, learning and community resource base for Pontarddulais, which offers a variety of agencies an excellent facility in which to meet the needs of the community and provide local people with access to training and learning opportunities. Work to date has included the development of a collection point for the LASA Credit Union, a Work/Job Club and partnership working with a number of agencies including Workways, Job Centre Plus, DACE, Swansea Lifelong Learning and other, individual learning providers.  The Centre also hosts a Craft Shop run by a co-operative of local crafts people.  

Improved Communication:

  • Development and publication of the Bont Bulletin to ensure effective communication throughout the community.
  • To continue to develop Canolfan Y Bont as an informal information hub.
  • Partnership working with external agencies and groups to ensure maximum benefit to the community including: Friends of the Park; Cricket Club; Swansea University; Pontarddulais Town Council; Churches and Chapels; St Fagans; CADW; City and County of Swansea; Network Rail; Age Cymru; primary and secondary schools; Job Centre Plus; South Wales Police; Arriva Trains; Womens Institute; Merchyd Y Wawr; Festival Committee, and local Choirs.

 Financial Review

Against the backdrop of the recession and a reduction in available resources for statutory services there have been concerns about maintaining existing services and a need to identify and access further grant funding. Aside from income generated by Canolfan Y Bont, the principal funding source for the Partnership are grants from the Rural Development Partnership. As a result of increasing constraints on local authority expenditure, and a need to focus on the long-term sustainability of Canolfan Y Bont, the charity needs to seek funding from other sources to ensure it’s longevity.

 Future Plans

We need to:

  • further develop the volunteer group;
  • develop opportunities for employing people;
  • develop project ideas, e.g. youth facility; charity shop; other social enterprise;
  • develop plans to work on a number of schemes e.g. improving tourist accommodation, developing information and education about our heritage, develop a Business Forum;
  • explore the possibility of asset transfer.