The Pembrokeshire YouthBank is now supporting local youth projects all over the county, helping them to improve their communities.

Pembrokeshire YouthBank is a grant giving scheme run by young people for young people. They provide small grants to projects led by young people, of benefit to the community and is unique in that it is a group of young people who make decisions about how the scheme is run and who gets the money.

The YouthBank group is working hard to raise a substantial amount of money to keep the scheme running successfully. Total UK, Milford Haven, have just donated £1000 to this project to kick start the funding needed for youth projects and to cover essential running costs. It's a fantastic start to meeting the funding challenge for the next year.

Already, the Pembrokeshire YouthBank is receiving lots of applications from projects like Letterston Youth Club, who want to make picture boards for the playground in the local primary school; the dance groups in Hubberston and Milford Haven who need new outfits to take part in National competitions and fund-raising events; the Bus Stop project in Narberth, who need sports and arts equipment for their new youth centre, and many others.

Without the donation from Total, Pembrokeshire YouthBank would have had to turn away more of these worthwhile projects. The young people involved will develop skills by planning their project and taking part in the activities, as well as gaining respect for their community, having played an active part in improving it.

For more information about Pembrokeshire YouthBank, if you want to join, apply for funding or just to find out more, check out their website http://www.youthbank.org.uk/pembrokeshire">www.youthbank.org.uk/pembrokeshire or http://www.myspace.com/pembrokeshire_youthbank">www.myspace.com/pembrokeshire_youthbank, e- mail them on [email protected]">[email protected] or you could call their co-ordinator, Jenny Pike, on 07776 181056.