South Wales valleys boosted by £10m grant scheme

Used furniture and domestic appliances are recycled by a project in Caerphilly

Some of the poorest communities in the south Wales valleys are revitalising themselves through social enterprises, officials have said, as a £10m European grant scheme comes to an end.

Nearly 150 groups have been backed by the South East Wales Community Economic Development (SEWCED) programme.

They range from furniture recycling and youth training to homelessness support.

Programme manager Ian Evans said the scheme helped projects which found it hard to raise cash from banks.

It has also created more than 140 jobs and 27 social enterprises since 2010 in Bridgend, Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Torfaen.

Terry Waite, president of homelessness charity Emmaus UK, visits a shop it runs in Bridgend

Mr Evans said SEWCED money helped projects win match funding from other sources, and eventually generate their own income.

"The majority of our projects would not have received the same support elsewhere," he said.

"We are proud of what we have achieved and look back over five years of helping Valleys communities to help themselves."