Penparcau Community Forum

Penparcau Community Forum are a community-based organisation who engage with the community of Penparcau to develop sustainable and inclusive community activities and facilities for the benefit of everyone.

The local community is made up of around 3200 people and 40% of the local children live in poverty.  Their aim is to ’raise local people’s horizons’.

Following the departure of Communities First, the organisation was determined to keep supporting the community.  By acquiring money to keep their Co-ordinator in post 1 day a week, they were able to write and submit funding bids to secure the future of the organisation.  Over 6 years they have managed to raise £1.2 from the National Lottery, The People’s Health Trust and others.

They run a hub in the heart of the community which was an existing building that they have developed. They offer the following services;

• Café
• Training kitchen
• Youth Forum and youth club
• Festivals, parties and local celebrations
• Food bank
• Minibus
• Room hire
• Community projects
  • Gardening
  • Environmental groups
  • Heritage group

They have 60-70 volunteers, 20 of which are regular.

The organisation has been hugely successful since they lost their Communities First funding and put their success down to the following;

• Involve anchor organisations
• Key people are needed to drive the project
• Make use of elected members AM/MP
• Partnership working helps both sides—they are very strong on community engagement
• Need enthusiastic Trustees
• A lack of business skills on the Board is an issue for future growth.

Their future plans include a further addition to the hub building for a community exhibition area. They are introducing a Men’s Shed. They are also exploring opening a bunkhouse.