What's New?

On 13th November, the Welsh Assembly Government announced that it intends to develop the Western Valleys area of South Wales as a Strategic Regeneration Area.

The Prince’s Trust Cymru has cash awards of up to £5,000

available for young people to design and set up projects on a voluntary basis

that will benefit their local community

within Blaenau Gwent, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Merthyr Tydfil, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Newport, Bridgend, Swansea and Torfaen.

Bringing people together to make communities stronger and improve rural or urban environments.

The outline proposal forms deadline extended until October 2009.

The Welsh Assembly Government

has announced plans to create a multi-million pound urban development fund (UDF) – one of the first of its kind in Europe – under the European Commission’s JESSICA programme.

Convergence funds will help Welsh business fight the global credit crash and compete in the Internet Age.

The Trust’s areas of interest include:

• Welsh-based social and community projects;
• Medical,
• Supporting groups operating in Wales
• UK-based research projects;
• UK-based charities working in the third world;
• Environmental conservation in the UK and overseas;
• Penal reform.

Some support is also given to the arts, where there is a Welsh connection.

Four charities from South Wales are to share grants from the Lloyds TSB Foundation’s Community Programme.

Creation Community Development Trust is celebrating after being offered a grant.

Other successful groups were

Yellow Wales,

Every Link Counts

Newport Women’s Aid.

Up to £250,000 of Big Lottery funding is up for grabs in Wales for five groups.

The People’s Millions contest, offering grants that benefit local communities, goes live on the ITV Wales Tonight evening news programme next week between 24 to 28 November.

An annual competition that offers cash prizes to the charities that have the best online accounting and reporting procedures is open to entries.

The Charities Online Accounts Awards are run by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) and sponsored by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW).

The awards are open to all UK-based charities that have accounts drawn up in accordance with the charities' SORP or other Charity Commission guidance for small charities.

A £35 million boost for a scheme that helps people in Wales who are facing redundancy has been announced.

ReAct is a package of support that will assist individuals to gain new skills, overcome obstacles and improve their chances of returning to work in the shortest time possible.