The former county offices on St Thomas Green, Haverfordwest, are to be transformed into an innovative Asylum Project.

The proposal is to create an activity hub incorporating IT facilities for voluntary sector organisations and social enterprises, managed workspace, a cybercafe and art gallery. And donating his personal collection to the project is world-renowned cartoonist Ralph Steadman, a Welshman who was based in West Wales during his National Service.

The project was confirmed at the recent Upstart Awards in London, where Hywel Davies, the West Wales director of Community Action Network (CAN), won one of three inaugural awards for his plans to set up the centre.

The awards are worth £15,000 each to three national winners. Some 200 proposals from individuals located across the UK were submitted. The awards are made to social entrepreneurs - individuals who use the ethos of entrepreneurship to benefit communities. Speaking after the awards, Mr Davies said: Since the need for forward-thinking, innovation and entrepreneurship has been recognised centrally, we at a local level need to do something to help ourselves. I hope that my winning this award will show local people and communities throughout West Wales that anyone can do it - all they need is a good idea, confidence in their own ability and some drive.

The Asylum Project will, in the fullness of time, offer all the facilities needed by talented people to effect change. Ralph Steadman was for many years the cartoonist for The Times and the collection includes pictures of politicians through the years among other topics.

His commitment to the project was highlighted recently when a fundraiser at Londons Groucho Club raised over £18,000 for the project. This followed the donation of several pieces from his personal collection by Ralph Steadman himself. The co-founder of CAN, Adele Blakebrough, said: Hywel has been working hard to build something tangible in Haverfordwest, something which will be sustainable and will Im sure add value to the opportunities and attractions available in West Wales generally.

Caption: Pictured is Hywel Davies outside the former County Offices on St Thomas Green, Haverfordwest. PICTURE: Western Telegraph.