A charity, which was initially founded to help resettle offenders and has assisted thousands of homeless persons in the county, has celebrated its 30th anniversary.

The Pembrokeshire Care Society - which incorporates Pembrokeshire Action for the Homeless - marked the occasion with a dinner at the Fourcroft Hotel, Tenby.

At the event, chairman Mrs. Geraldine Morgan JP welcomed president and founder member Peter Osborne, managing director Carol Crowther and finance director Dylan Williams-Evans, as well as a number of committee members.

Mrs. Morgan explained that when she joined the charity 28 years ago, it had a working income of £300. Today, Pembrokeshire Care Society receives over £250,000 Welsh Assembly funding and over £50,000 from local service level agreements.

In the last three decades, its role has broadened considerably. It now strives to assist all homeless persons over 16 with advice, assistance and advocacy, to enable them to secure safe and affordable accommodation.

The charity operates a Bond Certificate guarantee scheme which allows people to access accommodation in the private rented sector. It runs a travel warrant scheme, not only on its own behalf, but also for social services, the local authority, probation and drug and alcohol abuse service.

It provides crisis intervention, debt advice, several grant schemes, including furniture grants, food, hygiene, bedding, cooking and crockery starter packs, landlord advice groups, a free phone service, and works in partnership with other groups.

Managing director Carol Crowther explained that the demand for these vital services has increased annually. The past year had been a particularly busy one because the charity relocated its main office to the Old Barn Street School, in Haverfordwest.

• During the year ending March 31, 2009, Pembrokeshire Care Society was approached by 962 new customers, in addition to the 480 already receiving core services. The charity began the year with providing support packages to 58 people, and supporting 280 bond recipients and landlords. The total of 1,780 customers did not include private landlords who received the society's services.