We started from the point of view that we need to collectively agree what we call ourselves, as a CRP and as a region.  We love the way “The Heart of Wales Line” has become a recognisable identity for a region that spreads itself along a railway line, and we think it connects with visitors and residents alike.  It is simultaneously a “brand”, and name for the line itself, and a name for the CRP.  Of course, our region is bigger and different, in that we are seeking to connect not only the towns and villages along the railway line, but all the communities across all four counties of South West Wales, and many of these already have their own successful tourism identities – Pembrokeshire, Gower, the Garden of Wales.

There was (and remains!) some confusion as to whether we are naming our organisation, or our region, and whether the name is intended to attract visitors (e.g. as a tourism brand) or to engage residents and businesses that are based in South West Wales.  The most immediate deployment of the name will be in the URL of the new CRP website and in our social media handles. It will be used on maps, marketing campaigns and publications that the CRP might produce. 

Beyond this, we hope that partners, communities and organisations across the region will see the value of using the new regional identity in their own materials and activity, as a sign of collaboration, shared interest, and commitment to regional working.  This video recording captures some of the discussion about choosing a name for the CRP and the region.  By the end of the meeting there was a surprising level of consensus!

There was some lack of clarity during the meeting over the purpose of the Community Rail Partnership, and a fixation on the railway itself and the tourism sector.  The key point for us is that the purpose of the CRP is not just about trains and it’s not just about tourism.  It’s about how the rail network can be leveraged to unlock greater wellbeing in all its forms – prosperity, health, equality, environmental, social and cultural, encouraging more joined up thinking and collaborative working across South West Wales, and helping everyone (not just visitors) to feel better connected to opportunities and experiences right across the region – education, employment, leisure, culture, wellbeing…

Much of the conversation centred on the difficulty of defining the identity of South West Wales through a single “brand”, due to it being such a large and diverse region.  And of course it has been attempted in the past – and efforts have failed – so what can we learn and do differently now?  Collectively, we gained some new clarity around using “campaigns” and themes for tourism marketing – and that some of the previously suggested “names” for the CRP were in fact different themes and ideas for particular future campaigns.  Also, celebrating the diversity our region offers, and realising that different audiences will be attracted to different things.

It was great to reach such consensus around the idea of using just “SOUTH WEST WALES” as our shared “brand”, which seems rather obvious now!  We expect that partners across the region will continue to focus purely on marketing Pembrokeshire, or Gower, or “the Garden of Wales”, as successful brands in themselves, and that’s understandable.  Perhaps the mission of the CRP is to encourage better joined up working to unlock opportunities and maximise potential, and if we can encourage the use of “South West Wales” as a subtitle, or an aside, we should regard that as a win!

Connectivity and connection were key words for many participants during the meeting, that seemed to encapsulate both the PURPOSE of the CRP, and the aspiration for the region – suggesting travel connectivity but not limited to transport.  We need to strive towards connecting both rural and larger communities, businesses and organisations in order to encourage a wider area of trade, skills and education. This theme of ‘connection” was popular within the discussion.

You can find the papers circulated for the steering group meeting, as well as a write up of notes from the event below.

CRP Steering Group Papers

CRP Steering Group Notes

All questions and comments should be directed to dawn@4theregion.com and zoe@4theregion.com

The Community Rail Partnership will not be an effective forum for talking about rail services or the performance of TfW. As hosts of the CRP, 4theRegion is not an expert in trains or services, and has no power to improve them. “Train business”, such as reporting service problems and lobbying for changes to timetables, will be signposted to TfW’s new Regional Stakeholder Forum.