A Carmarthenshire football club has landed itself a £2,000 donation from the builders behind the Awel y Mynydd development.
Persimmon Homes West Wales presented the cheque to the Pembrey AFC whilst its girls and under 7s, 8s, 10s, 11s, and 12s teams were training. The club also have an U15s and two senior teams.
Club and developer were joined by both local Carmarthenshire county councillors for the ward, Cllrs Michael Thomas and Hugh Shepardson, on their training fields.
Pembrey AFC want to use the funds to erect new fencing to prevent continual damage to the pitch and to secure their equipment, allowing their players to play in a safe environment. Their long-term ambition is to build changing rooms and help their club grow. Work on the fence commenced shortly after the presentation.
The club has around 150 children and 50 senior players, with two senior teams playing in local league since 1977. Its current size led to the establishment of three new pitches by Pembrey Country Park.
Persimmon West Wales is currently building an estate of high-quality homes at Awel y Mynydd up the road in Pembrey, with two, three, and four-bed properties available from £199,995.
Funding came from the five-star builder’s Community Champions scheme which sees the West Wales region donate £24,000 each year to good causes and commendable organisations in the areas in which it develops.
Janice Jones, Treasurer of Pembrey AFC’s senior teams, applied on the club’s behalf. Recent recipients in the area include Wales Air Ambulance, Carmarthen Family Centres, and Calsonic AFC.
Persimmon Homes West Wales Sales Director Sharon Bouhali said:
"Empowering communities goes beyond building homes – it's about supporting grassroots organisations like Pembrey AFC, and we’re delighted to not only be helping them secure their training ground but investing in the dreams of hundreds of players, present and future.
“The recently presented cheque not only secures their pitch with new fencing but also fuels their long-term ambition of building changing rooms, something I hope future residents at our Awel y Mynydd development will benefit from in future.
“As the Sales Director, I am inspired by the growth of both our housing development and the community spirit we foster. Together, we build not just homes, but lasting partnerships that uplift and support our neighbours."
Amanda Hughes, Chair of Pembrey AFC’s minis and junior teams, added:
"As Chairman of Pembrey AFC, I want to express our heartfelt gratitude to Persimmon for their generous donation, which signifies more than just financial support but a commitment that embraces our community's aspirations and future.
“The funds received will go towards the installation of essential fencing to safeguard our pitch and equipment and, beyond this, paves the way for our club's long-term ambition of building changing rooms and fostering growth.”
Cllr Michael Thomas commented:
“I’m grateful that engaging with Persimmon helped yield this result and see Pembrey AFC succeed in their Community Champions application.
“It is great to have been able to help the club obtain this grant and will do everything on my part to help them realise their long-term ambitions, especially with this financial help.”