It is with sadness, that we share the news that Joan Asby OBE, the first ever Chief Executive of PLANED, has passed away following a long brave battle with illness.
Joan Asby was first appointed to lead South Pembrokeshire Action for Rural Communities (SPARC) in 1988, which then later became PLANED in 1992 covering all of Pembrokeshire.
During her time at helm until she retired in 2009, Joan focused on supporting communities across Pembrokeshire, and on looking back at her tenure, took much pride on the work, particularly within heritage, sustainable agriculture, and farm support schemes.
Joan was once quoted as saying that “I was once told that PLANED raised unrealistic expectations but this isn’t true, we encourage aspiration.” She also added, “We have been able to access substantial sums of money for places that wouldn’t otherwise have got it. It has given me huge satisfaction when communities realise that help is available, and the excitement and the enthusiasm that comes from it.’
The contribution that Joan led was significant, and made positive changes to many communities and organisations across Pembrokeshire, and being awarded her OBE was a testament to that work.
The PLANED of today is still built on Joan’s ethos of supporting communities, but is also significantly different in that the organisation has positively evolved, and now has a larger regional footprint with projects covering three counties, not just one. Yet the core of innovation and partnership first promoted by Joan in 1988 is still key, and now with our current organisational Vision document for PLANED, we take it further by not just ‘supporting communities’ but by “Empowering Communities” – hopefully a vision and method of delivery Joan herself would whole heartedly approve of and champion.
