SOUTH WEST WALES CRP

WIDER STEERING GROUP – 20/11/2020

If you would like to be part of the temporary steering group, or if you have feedback or input you would like to contribute, please email Jennifer@SouthWestWales.co

Here follows a report of the virtual meeting of the temporary steering group on the 26th November 2020. You can find a write up of notes from the steering group meeting below.

UPDATE ON SOUTH WEST WALES CONNECTED

Community and Partnership Projects

Jennifer gave an update on the activities of the CRO since the last meeting. Activities undertaken include:

Continuation of station walks with Ramblers Cymru,
Milford Haven Working Together (MHWT participatory budget),
Llanelli Community Garden,
Haverfordwest Vision meeting
Groundwork for the forthcoming Welcome initiative.

The Ramble and Scramble characters were introduced. These illustrations were commissioned by Ramblers Cymru and created by an illustrator, Arry Caine.

It was proposed that Ramble and Scramble be further utilised in the pilot project around the 4 Llanelli stations – Llanelli, Bynea, Llangennith and Pembrey and Burry Port.
The pilot will see the creation of four short (0.5 to 2 miles max) fully accessible walks, linked to history/heritage/nature around the towns and villages.
Feedback from the group towards Ramble and Scramble was positive. Possible ideas for the future include the launch of a ‘Family package’ with resources linked to the Ramble and Scramble characters. Also competitions based around the characters to enable further community engagement.
Linking the characters with the ‘Children go free‘ initiative will help encourage participation.

The Welcome Banner project discussed in previous steering group meetings were addressed. Ideas arising:

It was felt that banners would be a good visual way to introduce SWWCo to various communities
Linking of a QR code link with the banner was discussed
It was also felt that signage should be robust
Any signage should include links to Traveline Cymru for onward travel information
Possibility of linking with primary schools for a poster design/competition – winning design to be used on the posters.
The group felt that the format/layout for each of these banners should be standard but differentiated for each region
Establish County colours could be utilised for each banner so that each County retains its own identity within the Region

Vision Meetings

Haverfordwest Vision meeting was discussed and an update given to the group
Geraint and Jennifer have had a subsequent meeting with representatives from Haverfordwest Town Council regarding station adoption.
Geraint stated: “The proposal is not for Haverfordwest Town Council to adopt the station but to help form a ‘Friends of Haverfordwest railway station’ group, of which the Council may be part of. They are going to discuss it at their next meeting. We are going to be speaking with Norman Industries to see if we can work with them to provide wooden planters that would be maintained by the new group. If they can, we would seek to provide the same planters at Milford if a similar ‘Friends of ……’ group can be formed”
Llanelli will be the next station to have a Shared Vision Meeting.

MEMBER UPDATES

Steve from Pembrokeshire College offered services of Denys (Senior Lecturer in Creative Media) to assist with the making of an exemplar film clip as part of the ‘Welcome’ initiative
Stuart Thomas – NRW joined the meeting to update the group on Llangennech Station (on the Heart of Wales line).
The contractors began work on site this week and will remain for 12 weeks, they will excavate 12,000 cubic metres of contaminated land and take it to Merthyr.

NEXT STEPS

Jennifer to contact Denys and/or Steve at Pembrokeshire College regarding assistance for Welcome films
Jennifer and Zoe to arrange a meeting with Lee Lawrence-Hodges, TfW Station Manager regarding Welcome banners.
Undertake a survey of each station to determine where each welcome banner could be erected.
Dawn to mock up some banners to get an agreement from the group.
Jennifer to contact primary schools in the Spring term
Jennifer to re-establish contact with local Youth Club Leader Hannah White and rearrange station walk through ASAP.