PLANED recently held its AGM and conference under the title of “Empowering Communities”.
Mirroring the name of the new recent Vision document produced by PLANED setting out its four key themes of activities for the next three years, the conference brought together a number of key individuals engaged in the promotion and delivery of support for communities.
Following the welcome formalities of the AGM where new Trustees were welcomed publicly onto the Board, including Tony Baron, Jane Lewis, Ian Eynon, and James Parkin, our accountants and auditors proceeded to give an overview of our financial position, and share a clean bill of health financially for PLANED to the assembled audience.
The first of our speakers, Cllr Neil Prior, Cabinet Member for Communities within Pembrokeshire County Council, provided a clear overview of the current landscape, and opportunities that still exist for communities, despite the increasing challenges externally.
Dr Rhiannon Talbot-English as the Director of Picton Castle, in conversation with Stuart Berry from PLANED, explored how cultural and heritage facilities are the bedrocks of many communities in terms of skills, opportunities, and procurement amongst other socio-economic prospects.
With Sue Denman for Together for Change promoting the use of robust data to inform policy & delivery, and Lee Hind updating the audience on the impact already of the Pembrokeshire Community Hub, the assembled attendees were positively engaged, informed, and updated on the work being done with, and for, communities, in which PLANED was collectively engaged and supporting.
As the event drew to a close, Project Coordinators within PLANED gave headline achievements and current position statements on our collective projects, with a clear message that much is being done, and greater engagement and promotion is still needed with the support of partners, to help deliver the sustainable impacts within communities that these projects are striving positively and continually, to deliver.
Our Chief Executive, Iwan Thomas reflecting on the event noted “It has been a really positive return to form for in-person events with our AGM and Conference. All attendees have noted on the benefits of being in the same room, and all commented on the impressive positive and relaxed energy which was clearly evident and welcomed.”
“Alongside the serious messages around our ‘Empowering Communities’ agenda, and the amazing impact of all our contributors, ending the event with a live cooking demonstration on using seasonal produce in a low-cost effective way for households delivered by Carmarthen based chef and entrepreneur Lisa Fearn, was a unique and very well received way to draw this great event to a close”, Iwan concluded.
With thanks to all our contributors, attendees, the PLANED Trustees & team, and Martin Jones from Ogi for sponsoring the refreshments on the day, you can still access our new Vision for PLANED by accessing this link: https://planed.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/PLANED-Vision-2022-2025-ENG-1.pdf
