Narberth residents and members of the surrounding community attended a recent meeting at the town's junior school to look at ways of working together for the benefit of the wider community.

The meeting was organised by local action group, PLANED, as part of its Communities as the Hub of Rural Life project to encourage local towns and villages to work collaboratively to pool skills and resources, and to attempt to find solutions to shared challenges.

The Narberth hub area comprises the villages of Wiston, Clarbeston Road, Clarbeston, Walton East, Llawhaden, Bethesda, Uzmaston, Boulston, The Rhos, Slebech, Landshipping, Lawrenny, Martletwy, Lampeter Velfrey, Llanddewi Velfrey, Ludchurch, Robeston Wathen, Tavernspite, Templeton, Newton, Minwear, Gelli and Narberth.

The inaugural Narberth hub meeting gave key stakeholders from the locality the opportunity to comment on the Narberth Hub Area Development Plan, which has been compiled from each community's local action plan to embed ideas and proposals raised by residents throughout area.

The meeting also enabled delegates to discuss ideas for possible projects of interest to the local area centred around the themes of energy and recycling, environment, community facilities, activities and communication, traffic and transport, youth, play and activities, employment, tourism and business, education, skills and training, and heritage and culture.

Various project ideas emerged from the animated discussion, such as an area website and newsletter to link the events and activities going on in each community, a youth drop-in centre based in Narberth, promoting businesses in the area through a website and brochures, and a hub area energy group to examine ways of producing renewable energy to benefit the whole community.

The next step will be to consolidate the projects suggested, as well as looking at other ideas mentioned during the evening.

If anyone would like further information about the Narberth hub meeting or more details about the projects suggested, please contact Liz Cartwright on (01834) 862111 or [email protected]">[email protected]