“We felt heard”: Powys groups welcome Welsh Government visit
Four Powys charities and community groups recently welcomed a visit from the Welsh Government (26th February), sharing how their work supports local people and strengthens rural communities.
Chris Buchan, Head of Community and Third Sector Policy, spent the day meeting volunteers, staff and service users from Llandrindod Wells, Llanwrtyd Wells and Rhayader. Introduced by PAVO Senior Officer Third Sector Development, Claire Sterry, he heard directly about the opportunities – and pressures – facing voluntary organisations in rural Wales.
In Llandrindod Wells, Chris visited Celf o Gwmpas, a community arts charity focused on inclusion, participation and diversity, creating creative opportunities for people across the community.
He also met the team at Mid and North Powys Mind (MNP Mind), which provides mental health support, information and activities across the region. The organisation recently secured Welsh Government Transforming Towns funding to support its move to a new home in the former Dance Centre on Arlais Road.
MNP Powys Mind Co-CEO, Jo, said: “It was really interesting to find out how Chris’s role links into the work Mid and North Powys Mind is doing in our local communities.”
In Llanwrtyd Wells, Chris visited Llanwrtyd Wells Community Transport – Happy Bus, a community-led service helping residents reach shops, appointments and essential services across Mid Powys.
Laura, General Manager, said: “It was great that the Welsh Government is taking an interest in projects in Mid Wales – we are often overlooked. Chris took the time to sit down and chat with clients and showed a genuine interest in what they were saying.
“I hope the visit has highlighted how important it is to invest in rural areas of Wales as well as the bigger towns and cities.”
Chris also visited The Arches – Rhayader and District Community Support, which runs a range of services including community transport and a community hub.
Ali, Deputy Manager and Community Transport Coordinator, said: “Having the chance to speak with someone like Chris face to face – someone who took the time to visit us and see what we do – really mattered.
“Someone to see we’re not just statistics on an annual report.
“We felt heard. We felt acknowledged.”
Key themes from the visit
Discussions during the visit also covered how national policy translates into local action, Social Return on Investment (SROI), full cost recovery, and the growing pressure on voluntary organisations to adopt more commercial approaches to remain sustainable.
Reflecting on the visit on LinkedIn, Chris highlighted three key takeaways from his visit: the unintended consequences of an increasing expectation for charities to operate commercially, the need for clearer understanding of outcomes and benefits, and the importance of starting policy development with a clear purpose – delivered through genuine co-production.