Culvert and Cultivate – Micro Fund Grant
APRIL 1st 2024
“The Upper Cwmparc Allotment Society Committee and Plot Holders are delighted with the project. Only requiring one quote made the process much easier. We were very lucky to find a contractor willing and able to do the work who completed it to our requirements in a timely manner. When the tools were purchased, these were eventually sourced from a local supplier. The flexibility to spend the funds to the value received at any supplier worked very well and we appreciate being able to support a local business.
We approached the fund because we identified an issue (the culvert) and need (the tools) that the current funds could not meet and that we could not realistically rise in a reasonable timescale without grant assistance.
It has made a big difference, plot holders are now able to access their plots safely. New plot holders are able to borrow tools and this makes having a plot, particularly in the early days when everything is new and plot holders may not have their own tools, much more accessible. The weed retardant material is a big help to all plot holders and reduces work and helps to maintain the site over the winter months. In one way or another all plot holders have or will benefit from an element of this grant.
The allotment society is doing well, we have an active committee, interested plot holders and a waiting list for plots. We have negotiated regular free waste collection with the local authority and next will be looking to replace/improve some of the external fence as part of the ongoing plan to improve the visual impact and security of the site. Thank you Pen y Cymoedd”
The Fund was established by energy company Vattenfall to benefit the communities hosting the Pen y Cymoedd wind farm across the upper Neath, Afan, Rhondda and Cynon Valleys. It exists to support local people, groups and organisations to invest in themselves, their ideas and their communities.
The Community Fund has a substantial annual budget that is index-linked, meaning it increases in line with inflation. As an example, this equated to around £2.5 million in 2025. The Fund will continue to support communities until 2043, creating long-term opportunities for growth, resilience and positive change.
The Fund is managed by an independent, locally based not-for-profit Community Interest Company. It is overseen by a Board of Directors with strong local connections and delivered by a small but dedicated staff team with extensive community engagement experience. We are here to help ensure the Fund delivers on the vision and priorities of local communities.
Over the next 10 years, the Fund is focusing on investment in people, places and businesses — helping the Valleys to thrive, driving bold ideas, supporting transformation and creating lasting impact for current and future generations.