One of the 8 overarching objectives of the GwyrddNi Dyffryn Peris Community Climate Action Plan, produced by local residents in 2023, was:
“Looking to establish a Community Partnership to coordinate community action, find funding, listen to the community, plan and promote and stimulate action, work with businesses, co-produce positive change and tackle climate change.”
Here’s Lowri, Dyffryn Peris’s Community Facilitator, sharing with us what has been happening this year to try bringing this vision to life.
Lowri:
“Looking to establish a Community Partnership to coordinate community action, find funding, listen to the community, plan and promote and stimulate action, work with businesses, co-produce positive change and tackle climate change.” – what a mouthful!
An ambitious and necessary challenge to ensure the prosperity of this extraordinary area in the face of multiple challenges, both locally and internationally. There is a lot of great work going on by volunteers and enthusiastic workers, and the aim has been to add value to that.
In January this year, a public meeting was called at Sefydliad Coffa Arwyr, Llanrug in order to hold this idea up to the light. The local community councils, non-profit groups and organisations and anyone else with an interest were invited. The café was packed!
We heard about the community’s priorities gathered by Gwynedd Council in their Ardal Ni 2035 consultation: Developing Routes, Improving Appearance, Suitable Housing, Public Transport, Supporting Businesses, Sustainable Tourism, Schemes for young people, Welsh Language Activities, Improving Collaboration, Community Skills.
We also heard about GwyrddNi’s objectives and about a new network that promotes community ownership and self-determination in Gwynedd; Cymunedoli Cyf.
An introduction to Antur Stiniog‘s work over the past 15 years was inspiring. They have turned the challenges of over-tourism on its head and created an income from it which has seeded a number of other community projects. The idea of creating an ‘umbrella’ organisation like Cwmni Bro Ffestiniog to support and connect existing organisations and be able to create new projects caught the imagination of everyone who attended.
By the end of the meeting, ideas of income streams and new projects had been recorded, funding options identified, possible office space available and proposals to promote the idea through the local Papur Bro, Eco’r Wyddfa.
Developing the plans
Over the 7 subsequent meetings this year, a number of options have been explored, a steering group has been established, a Business Plan developed, a Job Description for a Development Manager written, and funding arrangements for that job through the sponsorship of Llanberis and Nant, Llanrug and Cwm-y-Glo councils and Ynni Padarn Peris are being refined.
£8000! Thanks to funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Grymuso Gwynedd, we were able to hire a co-working space in Caban, Brynrefail for 6 months. This gave the development of the Dyffryn Peris Partnership office space, a meeting room, occasional chats over coffee and an opportunity to hold Welsh language events and attract volunteers.
This amount also paid for a consultancy service from a Community Development specialist – Meleri Davies. Learning from her experience of developing Partneriaeth Ogwen over the last decade was invaluable, and the draft Business Plan produced was extremely comprehensive.
Thanks also to all the volunteers of the Steering Group for sharing their rich experiences and expertise. Ecologists, founders and leaders of several community organisations, County and community councillors, former heads of housing services, carpenters, artists and more!
What next?
Thanks to the diligent and careful work of the initial Steering Group, legal, financial arrangements and a business plan are almost all in place. What is needed next is to bring the Partnership to LIFE!
A Partnership is basically a relationship, and like any relationship, it needs care and love and continuous effort from all sides to maintain it. There is no one to lead and others to follow! By getting to know each other better at occasional events, and supporting each other’s efforts, the work of developing our communities will bring more rewards for everyone in the end.
There will be a public event in the new year (time and location to be confirmed) to bring residents and businesses together to have a chance to chat, to share their experiences, and to celebrate the hard work that goes on across our communities. We will also advertise the Dyffryn Peris Partnership Development Manager position in order to really lift the spirits.
If you are interested in joining the Steering Group, we would welcome a chat with you.
£10,000 has been secured to carry out a Local Housing Needs Assessment and to assess models, properties and possible funding for Community-led Housing. Meetings will be called in the new year to hear the opinions and ideas of residents regarding this in order to address the housing crisis in a proactive and positive manner.
If you would like to be informed of further events – send an email to peris@gwyrddni.cymru to be added to the mailing list.
GwyrddNi is a community-based, community-led climate action movement that brings people together in five areas of Gwynedd to discuss, share and act locally to tackle climate change.
If you want to be part of co-creating greener, more sustainable and resilient communities – get in touch – or click the button below to let us know how you’d like to be involved. We will get back to you and connect to you to most appropriate person/people!