Caru Cydweli Project gets funding boost from Great Western Railway

A project to identify and publicise walking and cycle routes from Kidwelly Railway Station has received a £2,800 grant from Great Western Railway.

Carmarthenshire–based social enterprise CETMA, successfully applied for a grant from the train operator’s Customer and Community Improvement Fund, which was launched in February to support local communities and address areas of social need.

As part of GWR’s National Rail Contract with the Department for Transport, the train operator is committed to supporting schools, colleges, councils, community and other not-for-profit organisations by aiding a number of initiatives.

The project aims to encourage more people to visit Kidwelly. It will create walks and cycle routes and use the railway station as a base to take people on different walks around the area to discover the joys of this small Welsh Town.

Project spokesperson Jonathan Williams, CETMA MD, said:

“We’re extremely grateful for this funding from Great Western Railway, which will help us to set up this exciting project that will encourage more tourists to visit the town.

“Over the next couple of months we’ll be out walking and cycling to capture the beauty of the area and to identify the landmarks that will be used for the routes.”

The project will create two walking routes and two cycle routes. One will be a heritage walk which will take people from the station up to and around the castle. Another will be aimed towards bird watchers and take people down to Kidwelly Quays to take advantage of the wildlife. The Cycle Routes will see Kidwelly train station linked to Pembrey Country Park, with the other to Ferryside.

The funding will also be spent on creating leaflets to publicise, and a launch event during the summer holidays. Each walk and cycle route will be filmed which will help promote the project and help as an aid to people using them.

GWR Wales Development Manager, Rich Middleton, said:

“The Community Fund is a fantastic opportunity for us to invest in projects that really make a difference to our customers and communities at a local level.

“We were delighted to support this particular initiative, which not only encourages people to leave the car at home and travel by more sustainable means, but also inspire them to explore the great outdoors and take in the natural beauty of this area.”