Location:
Pembrokeshire
Funding amount:
EAFRD (WG RC_RDP Wales) contribution
£14980.00

Project summary:

Haverhub Community Regeneration & Innovation Hub started as an ambitious scoping study, with a steering group which applied to Arwain Sir Benfro for support.

When a suitable building suddenly came onto the market Haverhub CIC, a social enterprise, was incorporated and started looking for ways of securing the site. The original quest for a model for town centre regeneration, producing a shareable ‘blue-print’ was overtaken with practical site challenges. 

The original idea was to see if a particular central hub building could lead to community regeneration as a space that brings people together, to collaborate around social, commercial and cultural project ideas. The focus was on social engagement and encouraging active citizenship for the benefit of the wider community.

During the time between submission of an EOI and the full application to Arwain Sir Benfro, the project development team engaged townspeople through social media and found a lot of support and enthusiasm for their proposals. 

A number of buildings were initially considered and the old Post Office building in Quay Street was identified as having particular characteristics that would invite people to be imaginative and consider possibilities for its use. The size and proportions of the building, and the versatility of large and small, formal and informal indoor spaces, together with its outdoor space, lent itself to mixed use possibilities.  

Haverhub

 
What happened:

LEADER funding, matched by Haverfordwest Town Council, paid for a part-time project co-ordinator for four months and also helped Haverhub secure the building through fees to submit a planning application and ‘doing all the things you have to do before you can apply for renovation grants’.  This included getting the building firmly placed on the strategic regeneration map for the town, as part of the Town Team’s Masterplan.  

Several community events were held at Haverhub during the project, including an ‘after-party’ for the annual River of Lights Lantern Parade, Classic Bike show, Vocal evenings and the launch party. 
 
The result:

It is too early to evaluate many of the community outcomes of the project, since the main focus during the project has been on getting the necessary funding in place for the building to be renovated. 

Promotional activities have led to partnerships being developed with an extensive network of individuals and groups who plan to use Haverhub in various ways. This includes: musicians using it as rehearsal and performance space, exhibition space for artists, hot desk space for entrepreneurs and activities and classes that will widen the demographic using the building. 

Haverhub were supported by the Wales Co-operative Centre Social Business Wales project to produce a three-year Business Plan and also by Arwain Sir Benfro staff to apply for RCDF funding to renovate part of the building and get it ready for wider public use.  Together with other capital funds, Haverhub have secured £250k for the first phase of renovations, commencing summer 2018, with a new shed roof immediately after the Haverbeer Fest fundraiser in August. 
 
Lessons Learned:

Relationships are vital in a project of this nature and keeping people involved takes time and energy. It was a challenge to keep all of the volunteers on board when the process of getting grants to renovate the building is slow and time-consuming, and people had other interests and demands on their time.  

The biggest challenge for the project co-ordinator was that the sheer amount of time and energy needed to develop funding proposals and apply for grants meant less time available for engaging with people and keeping volunteers involved. However, with funding secured for Phase 1 renovations, community engagement can now get underway again. 

Further project information:

Name:
Gitti Coats
Telephone number:
01437 741678
Email project contact
Project website:
http://www.haverhub.org.uk