Villages' £400k bid a step closer

One of the four Welsh villages on the 28-strong shortlist is Talgarth, near Brecon

Four Welsh villages are a step closer to winning £400,000 worth of lottery money aimed at breathing new life into their communities.

Village SOS is an initiative by the Big Lottery Fund and the BBC to inspire rural revival.

It aims to develop business ventures in six UK villages and create jobs.

Two communities in Powys, one in Carmarthenshire and a fourth in Neath Port Talbot are among the 28-strong shortlist.

Hundreds of applications were received from across the UK and from the group of 28, four Welsh villages will progress to the next stage.

The finalists' journey will be documented by the BBC for a prime time series.

Huw Vaughan Thomas, Big Lottery Fund Wales chair and UK board member, said: "While traditional rural village life is facing difficulties, we believe that many villages are sitting on a range of untapped opportunities which, with community backing, can be turned into thriving enterprises.

Lord Livsey of Talgarth (L) with other volunteers from the proposal

"Today's shortlisted villages are one step closer to realising that potential and securing Lottery funding to transform the fortunes of their local area."

The projects will all receive up to £10,000 to develop their business proposal before going to the next stage in May, when the final six projects will be chosen.

In Carmarthenshire, the project workers behind Made in Myddfai want to create a whole new range and brand of craft products from the local community in Myddfai near Llandovery.

Meanwhile, in Neath Port Talbot, the volunteers bidding for the Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen Twin Viaducts Visitor Centre and Paths and Ponds Cwmgors scheme, would like the money to help bring old railway land back to life through creating a new community centre and pond at the village of Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen near Ammanford.

In Powys, supporters of the Talgarth Mill Green Energy Project would like to create a sustainable education and renewable technologies centre at an old flourmill in the village of Talgarth near Brecon.

In Howey, near Llandrindod Wells, volunteers are hoping that the Ashfield Community Enterprise Ltd will secure the £400,000 to buy and re-develop a nursery.

The aim is for the community to sell locally-grown produce to be sold under an Ashfield brand.

Once the final six villages are selected, professionals - known as village champions - found through a search run by the BBC and Enterprise UK will live and work with the successful six villages for a year to help them with their projects.

BBC One will document the projects for a six-part series.