Home > Programmes > Invest Local
Invest Local is Wales’ largest asset based community development programme, supporting local people to create lasting change where they live. Established in 2016, the programme provides £1m each to 13 communities across Wales, empowering residents to decide how best to make their areas better places to live, work and belong.
The communities were chosen using data from the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation alongside information from the National Lottery Community Fund and Welsh Government. By focusing on areas that had historically missed out on funding, Invest Local targets investment into “cold spots” – places lacking the investment to reach their full potential.
Each area is different, but all create large scale plans, setting out their key priorities through community consultation and collaboration. Plans typically run for 2-3 years and often include initiatives such as:
· developing or maintaining community buildings
· helping older people tackle isolation
· providing opportunities for young people.
We also ask all areas to think about how they may sustain community activities after the programme ends.
Alongside funding, we also provide ongoing advice, support and opportunities for communities to connect and learn from one another.
The programme has been externally evaluated since its inception and will continue until Autumn 2028, after which we hope to leave a legacy of locally led change across Wales.
Click here for a downloadable version of the new Invest Local summary booklet
Scroll down to learn more about the Invest local areas
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Caerau is an area with lots of community activity – from sports clubs to a youth project, an active Men’s Shed and a community garden, and lots more in between.
People in Caerau say they love living in the area because of its friendly atmosphere and community spirit, the local environment, the many social and sporting activities, and the well-established community organisations.
Invest Local Caerau want to build on this with projects that improve local facilities, help people into employment, support people’s health and wellbeing, strengthen community pride and make the most of the physical environment.
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Getting Going: £20,000.00
Driving Change: £674,321.46
Total: £694,321.46
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Caerau is supported by Chris Johnes.
Cefn Golau
Cefn Golau Together is the name for the Invest Local project in Cefn Golau - a housing estate in the town of Tredegar.
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Just over 1,000 people live in Cefn Golau, which has a local shop and post office, a community house, a Flying Start building, social club and play area.
The group’s vision for Cefn Golau is:
To be an even stronger community
To have access to more opportunities both inside and outside Cefn Golau
For everyone to feel valued, supported and respected
They’re planning to achieve this vision by improving the environment and making the most of outdoor spaces, getting more people involved in community activities, and giving local people better access to leisure, education, health and employment.
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Getting Going: £16,936.98
Driving Change: £582,050.23
Total: £598,987.21
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Cefn Golau is supported by Ben Greenaway.
Clase
Clase4All is the name that local people chose for the Invest Local programme in Clase – which is around four miles north of Swansea city centre.
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Clase4All is mainly made up of local residents, who want Clase to be:
A welcoming, safe and sustainable community for all generations
Their £1million will be spent on projects to improve the safety, the environment, community engagement and wellbeing in Clase.
Clase4All have already completed one major project with their Invest Local funding – a brand-new park for the community.
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Getting Going: £15,149.00
Driving Change: £397,695.97
Total: £412,844.97
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Clase is supported by Sian Evans.
Glyn (Colwyn Bay)
Together for Colwyn Bay is the name that was chosen to represent the Glyn area of Colwyn Bay. It encompasses much of the town centre of Colwyn Bay, Eirias Park, the Civic Centre, and a residential area that leads down to the recently developed beach area.
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Together for Colwyn Bay is a group that supports community development in central Colwyn Bay with investment in events, facilities, young people, community initiatives, communication and more…
We focus on upskilling residents to deliver their own initiatives, rather than consulting, creating and delivering projects to be ‘handed down’ to the community from ‘above’.
We are a project that recognises and embraces the strengths, skills, energies and knowhow of local people. What makes Colwyn Bay unique? What are the particular interests of residents here?
Together For Colwyn Bay is taking place over 10 years; aiming for an impact reaching well beyond the funding life of the project.
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Getting Going: £19,018.72
Driving Change: £675,008.38
Total: £694,027.10
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Glyn is supported by Gwen Thirsk.
Hubberston & Hakin
Hubberston and Hakin are coastal communities to the west of Milford Haven in Pembrokeshire.
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Just over 5,000 people live in the area, and one of the Invest Local group’s key aims is to help people feel proud to be a part of their community. One of their main projects is the Hubberston Community Centre, described as the ‘hub’ of Hubberston.
The community stepped in to manage the centre after its closure was announced in 2015, and it has now been transferred into community ownership. A wide range of local organisations hold their activities in the centre.
The long-term aim of the group is to become financially sustainable while fostering community cohesion and reducing social isolation in an area of deprivation.
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Getting Going: £17,975.00
Driving Change: £687,795.28
Total: £705,770.28
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Hubberston and Hakin are supported by Sian Evans.
Llwynhendy
Llywnhendy is a village on the edge of Llanelli in Carmarthenshire. Around 4,500 people live in the area.
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Llwynhendy is an old village with strong industrial roots and over 25% of the community can speak Welsh.
The group have a bilingual name, Our LLwynhendy/Llwynhendy Ni, and their motto is:
“It takes many pieces to complete a jigsaw and it takes many people to create a community.”
Some of their priorities are: safety, public and green spaces, and opportunities for young people.
They are currently working on the development of a new community hub at Llwynhendy Library and the adjoining green fields at Heol Gwili.
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Getting Going: £19,817.72
Driving Change: £325,217.30
Total: £345,035.02
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Llwynhendy is supported by Sian Evans.
Maesgeirchen
Maesgeirchen – shortened to MaesG by locals – is a large housing estate on the edge of Bangor, with around 3,000 inhabitants.
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Maesgeirchen is the third largest single housing estate in Wales and is separated from the main city by Bangor Mountain. It has just one road entrance and exit, which gives the people of MaesG a strong sense of community. The Invest Local group’s name is MaesNi.
One of their priorities is developing a community centre or hub after the sale of previous facilities has meant that local groups do not have adequate spaces to carry out their activities.
They are also working to improve the local environment and create a sense of pride in the community through activities such as litter picks, gardening support for elderly residents and supporting music workshops for young people.
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Getting Going: £22,026.00
Driving Change: £550,199.06
Total: £572,225.06
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MaesG is supported by Gwen Thirsk.
Penywaun
Penywaun is a village just outside Aberdare in the county of Rhondda Cynon Taf. It has around 3,000 residents.
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The community has lots of different active groups, including everything from parent and toddler group to a jazz band. Lots of these activities take part in the Community Centre.
The Invest Local steering group have chosen the name Penywaun Forward Together. Some of their main priorities are: increasing residents’ involvement in groups and events, improving community assets and making sure people feel supported, respected and valued.
The group so far has focused on wellbeing and mental health, alleviating loneliness and isolation, and protecting and developing the green spaces that are so important to the community.
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Getting Going: £21,962.19
Driving Change: £283,893.75
Total: £305,855.94
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Penywaun is supported by Ben Greenaway.
Phillipstown
Phillipstown is a small but distinct former mining community in New Tredegar in the Rhymney Valley and is made up of approximately 1,205 people.
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The village has a primary school, post office, community centre and a community house - which acts as a hub for the community, and hosts everything from youth clubs to luncheon clubs.
Invest Local group Phillipstown Forever want to help develop a stronger sense of community pride, and to increase access to opportunities for local residents.
Some of their priorities are to support the existing Community House and Community Centre, and they have developed a skate park in partnership with Caerphilly County Council to strengthen play provision for younger people.
One of their community groups that helps to alleviate social isolation is an art class called WarmARTed that runs informal classes for both adults and children.
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Getting Going: £18,202.14
Driving Change: £291,276.55
Total: £309,478.69
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Phillipstown is supported by Zunaira Hassan.
Pillgwenlly
Pillgwenlly is an area of inner-city Newport, known more commonly as ‘Pill’ to the locals.
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Pillgwenlly is a very diverse community, with around 32 different languages spoken among its 8,300 residents.
The Invest Local group are called Pill Unity, and they want to see a happier, healthier, united, inclusive and thriving community.
Some of their priorities are: to support and improve existing facilities such as the Pill Millennium Centre (‘Pill Mill’) and the local youth football clubs, improve provision for young people and access to opportunities, and to strengthen community pride and spirit. They are also developing the Pill Unity Community Allotment.
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Getting Going: £21,349.80
Driving Change: £331,814.80
Total: £353,164.60
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Pillgwenlly is supported by Zunaira Hassan.
Plas Madoc
Plas Madoc is a housing estate south of Wrexham, with just over 2,000 residents.
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The area is home to Plas Madoc Leisure Centre, a community-run leisure centre and swimming pool, and The Land project, an outdoor play area. Both of these are key assets to the local area, and the leisure centre is now under community ownership – you can read a case study here about how they have transformed it into a sustainable and financially viable social enterprise.
In addition to helping to sustain and improve these important community hubs, Invest Local group We Are Plas Madoc want to increase the confidence and pride of local residents.
The group maintained many wellbeing activities online during COVID-19, holding bingo and karaoke nights over Zoom, and have now resumed regular outdoor catch-ups such as Kettle Club for parents.
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Getting Going: £13,990.00
Driving Change: £763,746.43
Total: £777,736.43
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Plas Madoc is supported by Gwen Thirsk.
Trowbridge & St Mellons
Trowbridge and St Mellons are two neighbouring communities in the east of Cardiff. Over 16,000 people live in the area, making it the largest community that we are working in.
Following on from the work undertaken as part of our Driving Change plan, please find below a report from Hope St Mellons, one of our key projects we are supporting.
Please click here to read the Hope St Mellons report for 2024-25.
Please click here to read the Hope St Mellons report for 2023-24.
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The area has several primary schools, a college, community education centre, and two community centres. There are lots of groups and activities going on in the community – from food co-ops to friendship groups, walking club to wellbeing group, as well as sports club and youth activities.
The Invest Local group is called Together for Trowbridge and St Mellons, and their vision is a community that is “safe and welcoming for all”.
Among their priorities are: supporting people to gain skills and experience, improving the environment, promoting individual and collective wellbeing, and connecting people and organisations.
They run a rolling small grants fund for local groups, and support community pantries.
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Getting Going: £27,654.84
Driving Change: £655,667.90
Total: £683,322.74
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Trowbridge and St Mellons are supported by Zunaira Hassan.
Ynysowen
Invest Local Ynysowen covers the communities of Aberfan, Merthyr Vale and Mount Pleasant – three villages that are about four miles south of Merthyr Tydfil.
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The group has a mascot called Bridget the Bear – a reference to the old bridge over the River Taff that connected the communities and the fact that the Invest Local is a way to ‘bridge’ the three communities together.
The local steering group is made up of residents and representatives of the many community groups from the local area.
After speaking to local people about what they valued about living in the area, and what they wanted to see more of, the group identified these priorities:
Activities for children, young people and older people
Better transport options
Improved communication and engagement across the community
Making better use of the community’s buildings and facilities
A safer, cleaner and greener environment
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Getting Going: £15,315.29
Driving Change: £327,960.83
Total: £343,276.12
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Ynysowen is supported by Ben Greenaway.