The National Lottery Community Fund has awarded £7 million to 181 Pembrokeshire projects over the past five years.

Dr Simone Lowthe-Thomas, chairperson of the Wales Committee at The National Lottery Community Fund Wales, visited several of these projects on October 21 to see their impact.

The funding has supported a wide range of initiatives, including £4 million for health and wellbeing projects, more than £400,000 for environmental activities, £600,000 for children and young people projects, and more than £400,000 for disability support.

Dr Lowthe-Thomas and members of the Wales Committee began her tour at the Preseli Rural Transport Association, which has received £348,802 for the Green Dragon Wellbeing Connections project.

This initiative provides low-cost, accessible, and low carbon transport solutions for groups and individuals, including a wheelchair accessible minibus and MPV car.

She also visited Solva Care, which has been awarded a five-year grant of £309,961 for its Together for Change project.

This funding will help expand services that promote social and community interaction and support green wellbeing and prevention models in Pembrokeshire.

Dr Lowthe-Thomas said: "It has been a real pleasure seeing and hearing more about the fantastic work that is happening in Pembrokeshire, thanks to money raised by National Lottery players.

"I'd like to thank Preseli Rural Transport Association, Solva Care, Blue Horizons, and Cariad Pet Therapy for their welcome."

She emphasised the National Lottery Community Fund's strategy: "It starts with community," which focuses on supporting communities to come together, be environmentally sustainable, help children and young people thrive, and enable people to live healthier lives.

Dr Lowthe-Thomas said: "It’s fantastic that our Wales Committee has had the opportunity to visit groups that are helping us deliver on our missions through their incredible work."

Other projects visited by the Wales Committee include Blue Horizons and its Surfing for All project, which provides accessible surfing and surf therapy opportunities to people with disabilities and additional needs.

This initiative has received a one-year grant of £16,603.

The tour concluded with a visit to Cariad Pet Therapy.

With a three-year grant of £222,420, Cariad Pet Therapy is expanding its services across South and West Wales to deliver pet therapy to isolated individuals in the community and more care settings, hospitals, mental health units, schools, and workplaces.

The grant also enables them to train more volunteers and expand the Robot Pet Service and the Pet Food Bank service established during the covid-19 pandemic.

This year marks 30 years since the first National Lottery draw in 1994.

Thanks to those who play the games and raise £30 million for good causes each week, more than £1 billion has been awarded to communities across Wales through 23,096 grants over this time.