Additional funding secured for the Valleys Regional Park

The Valleys Regional Park (VRP) has just been awarded almost £1m addition funding to support the continued development of a regional focus on managing and promoting our superb landscape.

Using a whole Valleys approach, The VRP is here to connect people and place, bringing together the health of the land, the people and the economy in everything that we do. Our aim is that;

• the Valleys landscape is recognised for its quality through a regional commitment to co-ordinated promotion and management;
• people are re-connected to the Valleys landscape for their wellbeing, so that it becomes a place for exercise, work, relaxation and nature, as well as for arts and heritage, and for education; and
• The Valleys landscape underpins a resilient local economy, supporting businesses, community enterprise and the development of skills and learning.

The Valleys Regional Park partnership involves 13 local authorities from across South Wales from Torfaen in the East to Carmarthenshire in the west. Also involved are the four health boards in the region, Natural Resources Wales, Welsh Government and many other stakeholders from the Third and public sectors. The additional funding is awarded through the European Social Fund with a particular focus on public service reform and regional working. It builds on the £650k previously provided by Welsh Government through the Taskforce for the South Wales Valleys.

With this funding the Valleys Regional Park partnership will work together to support;

• A long term regional focus for the management of the Valleys landscape;
• The greater use of green spaces for well-being through personal choice and social prescribing;
• An increase in visitors numbers and spend within Valleys destinations;
• Improved partnership working across all sectors and with communities, building skills and capacity;
• The influencing of public sector policy to reflect the needs of Valleys communities and the long term improvement to landscapes across the Valleys.

Phil Lewis, VRP lead said “This is a superb opportunity to continue to develop the Valleys wide approach to using our green spaces to support the wellbeing of our communities and landscape and testing new ways of working that can be replicated across the region”.

You can keep up to date on progress and how you can get involved on this website and through our social media channels.